Health Care

Government-owned or subsidized health care is a hotly debated topic and one that sparks much fury from both sides of American politics. Here are some quotes from Bishop Nickless of Iowa that serve as a good reference point for both Catholics and non-Catholics on how to think about the situation:

"First and most important, the Church will not accept any legislation that mandates coverage, public or private, for abortion, euthanasia, or embryonic stem-cell research. As a corollary of this, we insist equally on adequate protection of individual rights of conscience for patients and health care providers not to be made complicit in these evils. A so-called reform that imposes these evils on us would be far worse than keeping the health care system we now have."

“Second, the Catholic Church does not teach that “health care” as such, without distinction, is a natural right. The 'natural right' of health care is the divine bounty of food, water, and air without which all of us quickly die. This bounty comes from God directly. None of us own it, and none of us can morally withhold it from others. The remainder of health care is a political, not a natural, right, because it comes from our human efforts, creativity, and compassion. As a political right, health care should be apportioned according to need, not ability to pay or to benefit from the care. We reject the rationing of care. Those who are sickest should get the most care, regardless of age, status, or wealth. But how to do this is not self-evident. The decisions that we must collectively make about how to administer health care therefore fall under 'prudential judgment.'”

“Fourth, preventative care is a moral obligation of the individual to God and to his or her family and loved ones, not a right to be demanded from society. The gift of life comes only from God; to spurn that gift by seriously mistreating our own health is morally wrong. The most effective preventative care for most people is essentially free – good diet, moderate exercise, and sufficient sleep. But pre-natal and neo-natal care are examples of preventative care requiring medical expertise, and therefore cost; and this sort of care should be made available to all as far as possible."


So, in summary, healthcare is not a natural right but a right that comes from our human efforts and innovation. It should be rationed according to need, not according to wealth, status, or age. This requires the use of our prudential judgment. Any health care that violates the gift of life is not true health care. Preventative care is a moral responsiblity of the individual out of respect and care for the gift of life and health given to us by God.

You can find the rest of the article here:
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=34287&page=2

Unemployment

Unemployment



The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the employment data for the month of August today. The unemployment rate went up slightly to 9.6% despite the economy gaining 67,000 jobs in the private sector. More disparaging numbers are the unemployment rates of select populations. The unemployment rate for blacks is 16.3%, Hispanics 12.0%, while whites are at 8.7%.

These numbers are still really high and no true recovery can take place when a large portion of workers are without a job. The goal of most economies is to maintain a low and stable unemployment rate somewhere around 4-5%. As you can see, we still have a long way to go.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Lego of my money!

Here is a classic example of a major change in tastes/preferences a component of the demand curve. Lego's profits have soared since David Beckham admitted that he was building Lego's Taj Mahal. Free celebrity endorsement=huge jump in demand (shifting the curve up and to the right) increasing sales 663% and profits 63%. That's good news for Lego. Do you have your Taj Mahal Lego set?

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110447/6-companies-thriving-in-the-recession

Wealthy, to be or not to be?

Is wealth really all that desirable?

Adam Smith weighs in:

“The poor man’s son…when he begins to look around him, admires the condition of the rich. [he is displeased with his home and with being obliged to walk on foot, he feels himself naturally indolent, and]* he thinks if he had attained all [their comforts] he would sit still contentedly, and be quiet, enjoying himself in the thought of the happiness and tranquility of his situation.

“To obtain these conveniences, he submits in the first year, nay the first month of his application to more fatigue of body and uneasiness of mind than he could have suffered through the whole of his life from the want of them. Through the whole of his life he pursues the idea of a certain artificial and elegant repose which he may never arrive at, for which he sacrifices a real tranquility that is at all times in his power; and which if in the extremity of old age he should at last attain to it, he will find to be in no respect preferable to that humble security and contentment which he had abandoned for it…he begins at last to find that wealth and greatness are mere trinkets of frivolous utility.”

“There is no real difference between [the rich and the poor], except that the conveniences of the one are somewhat more observable than those of the other.”

“Power and riches appear then to be enormous and operose machines contrived to produce a few trifling conveniences to the body.” – All from Theory of Moral Sentiments, part 4, Ch. 1



Jesus also warned of possessing great wealth and riches in the Gospel of Matthew:

“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” – Mt 19:23-24

Wealth and riches are not means to a happier or more tranquil life. They offer us but a few more means to frivolous and trifling goods and services of utility. The poor man on the street can be and often is just as happy as the man in the mansion seemingly living contentedly, but without all the distractions from our true path to happiness. They are both subject to the same terrors—“to anxiety, fear, sorrow, diseases, danger, and death.” (also from Smith)

The challenge, then, is to abandon our attachment to our wealth and, ultimately, to give it all away for the betterment of our brothers, our fellow men who are created in the image of God. For they only offer us a few frivolous trinkets of utility and a society of charity is much closer to true happiness than one of wealth and riches.



* - brackets indicate paraphrasing for the sake of shortening Smith’s long-winded writing

Dignity of all Work

My job at a local restaurant this summer served as a great reminder to me that dignity can be found in all* vocations, including something seemingly as insignificant as a dishwasher or cook at a small restaurant in western Kansas. Many of my co-workers were there simply for a paycheck, but they also made it possible for many weary travelers to take a break from their long journeys or for families to share time together and enjoy a nice meal.

Even the seemingly most insignificant occupations that many believe make little to no contribution to the overall welfare of the society do indeed have dignity and value. The people who occupy these positions were also created with the same dignity as doctors, civil servants, missionaries, and priests and should therefore not be looked down upon as something less than important.

So, the next time you eat at a restaurant, or observe another "lowly" vocation, consider passing on your gratitude for the work that they do with a simple thank you and a smile. A little gesture might go a long way!




*=I had to qualify "all" vocations as not including unauthentic "work" such as selling drugs, distributing pornography, etc. These occupations do not have dignity and are not considered true work in the Christian sense of the word. However, the people within these occupations still very much have dignity and should be thought of as no less than those serving within authentic vocations. The need for their conversion is just ever more pressing as their "work" takes them farther from God.

Yikes! Where did the summer go?

Okay. Sorry for the long hiatus. I had a great opportunity to learn about the economics of food service this summer, which in addition to farming and preparing for grad school, kept me too busy to post any entries. I begin classes tomorrow and look forward to relaunching this blog. I hope to post my next entry tomorrow or Tuesday and hopefully I'll also start to attract more followers. Please send me your comments, questions, or requests for future posts!