Healthcare Reform and Questions of Faith

Making News

Economy Still Weak but May Be at Bottom ()

Yesterday, the Federal Reserve gave its most upbeat assessment of the economy since the Great Recession began. But today, there's news of a different kind. Unemployment increased more than expected last week and, despite cash for clunkers, overall consumer spending declined. Kelly Evans is economics reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Guests:

• Kelly Evans: Reporter, Wall Street Journal

Main Topic

Healthcare Reform and Questions of Faith ()

<p>"Forty Days for Health Reform" is a campaign based on the premise that affordable access to quality healthcare is a “moral imperative.” Jews, Catholics and Evangelical Christians on what's called the ”Religious Left” are backing TV ads urging people of faith to get behind congressional action. But other Catholic and Evangelical Christians don't see government as the Good Samaritan, especially if taxpayer money would pay for abortions. They contend that a <a class="external-link" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/health_care/">government overhaul</a> would “ration” healthcare, which they also see as morally wrong. What about other arguments, pro and con? Are they based more on faith than they are on reason?&nbsp; <br /><br /></p>

Guests:

• John Gehring: Deputy Director of Communications, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
• Bill McCormack: Chairman of the Pastors' Council, Christian Coalition
• Jim Wallis: Editor, Sojourners, @JimWallis
• Debra Street: Associate Professor of Sociology, University at Buffalo
• Michael Cannon: Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute

Links:

• Canadian Institute for Health Information
• Christian Coalition on healthcare takeover
• Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good on healthcare
• Cato Institute on healthcare
• Sojourners on healthcare reform

Reporter's Notebook

Study Finds Atlantic Hurricanes at a 1000-Year High ()

There's a scientific consensus that the Earth's climate is warming, but many questions remain about what that could mean. For example, will there be more hurricanes? Two different methods of reconstructing the past now agree on one conclusion. A report published in the journal Nature says the North Atlantic Ocean has seen more hurricanes in the past decade than at any time in the past 1000 years. Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University, is the lead author.

Guests:

• Michael Mann: Director of the Earth System Science Center, Penn State University