Wanted: Moral leadership for health reform

January 28, 2010  |  Washington Post, On Faith; Guest Voices

Last night, President Obama made it clear to Congress: "Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people."

Over the past year, I have joined with my brothers and sisters of faith in the PICO National Network to work for comprehensive health reform that makes insurance affordable for the many families we minister to in congregations across the country who are struggling to secure quality insurance.

We have joined with organizations representing tens of millions of Americans from all walks of life in working to get so close to this historic moment not only in our country's political history, but our moral history: passage of legislation guaranteeing access to health care.

It was not surprising then, that I found myself shouting out a resounding "Amen" when the President spoke these words.

What caused this outburst was not just his call for finishing reform; it was also the leadership he called for in this trying moment for our country. Amidst the political turmoil of the last week, President Obama called on leaders in Washington to avoid "playing it safe" in order to "get through the next election," but instead to "do what's best for the next generation."

That, in my estimation, is the definition of moral leadership. Now it's time for Congress and the Administration to follow through on this call to action.

I thought of Habakkuk 2:3 where the words are written: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end--it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Scripture teaches us that a moral community does what is necessary to protect the lives of each member of society; it makes room at the table of plenty for everyone. It is long past time that we made room at the life-sustaining health care table of plenty for everyone of God's children.

Despite the hyper-polarized political environment in Washington and across the country, the President reminded us that, in addition to the rising cost of health care for families, our country continues to face major challenges like high unemployment, a never-ending foreclosure crisis and a broken immigration system. And he made it clear that the American people expect both parties to come together to...well...actually govern and get things done, not make every day Election Day.

"To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills," said the President. "And if the Republican leadership is going to insist that sixty votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well."

He made it clear that whether Republican, Democrat, Independent, or none of the above, what Americans want is for leaders in Washington to "overcome the numbing weight of our politics" and "serve our citizens, not our ambitions."

With so much talk recently about the anger and distrust that exists towards Washington, the President's words were a reminder that politics should not be a "blood sport," as I've seen it described recently, but the mechanism through which we come together as a society, bridge our differences and solve bread and butter problems facing real people regardless of their beliefs.

I can think of no surer way to re-instill a faith in government than for our leaders to come together to protect Americans from the gross abuses of the health insurance and financial industries, help them get a quality education that leads to a good-paying job, and keep them in their homes as they weather the worst recession in decades.

For the sake of our country's future, we need the President and all Members of Congress to demonstrate real moral leadership at this crucial moment and, in the President's own words, to not just do what is popular but what is necessary.

Rev. Rayfield Burns is an associate pastor for Outreach and Missions at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., a member of Communities Creating Opportunity and PICO National Network.

BY RAYFIELD BURNS |  JANUARY 28, 2010; 9:53 AM ET