John Kasich Tells Critics Of Medicaid Expansion To Read The Bible

John Kasich Tells Critics Of Medicaid Expansion To Read The Bible

WASHINGTON -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) has a suggestion for those who criticize his decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act: Read the Bible.

In a Q&A session hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, the presidential candidate talked up his willingness to do what he thinks is right, even if that put him at odds with members of his own party.

"You know how many people were yelling at me?" he said at the event, which was held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. "I go to events where people are yelling at me. You know what I tell them? I mean, God bless them, I'm telling them a little bit better than this."

"But I said, there's a book," he added. "It's got a new part and an old part. They put it together. It's a remarkable book. If you don't have one, I'll buy you one. And it talks about how we treat the poor."

Kasich entered the race in August by casting himself as a "compassionate conservative," touting his work expanding the safety net for low-income people and those who struggle with drug addictions. His focus on substance abuse has especially set him apart from his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination.

Kasich's casual suggestion to follow the tenets of the Bible didn't sit well with some prominent conservatives, who object to expanding Medicaid because of fiscal concerns.

When Conservative and Christian ideology collide, it makes for an amusing spectacle. So apparently Mr. Kaisch here wants to expand Medicaid and to back up his desire to do so, he takes inspiration from the Bible (you know that Christian book that tells you to take care of the less fortunate?). Well that isn't sitting very well with his Conservative base (who I want to add are primarily Christian) because of fiscal reasons. So apparently Christian tenants only matter as long as it doesn't hurt your wallet. Gotta love the religious right's hypocrisy towards their own religion...

So ATS, especially conservatives, what do YOU think? Is expanding Medicaid a bad thing because of fiscal responsibility, or is the Bible more important and we should help these people because they are less fortunate than us?

Keep in mind that Medicaid was created to help lower income families receive health care. These are the people that the Bible was referring to when it says things like this:
Matthew 19:21 ESV Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

or this:
1 John 3:17 ESV But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

Wait, why am I listing these? Here's a whole damn page of Bible quotes about helping the less fortunate:
Serving The Poor

I like how you conveniently left out the verse where Jesus said to "pull thy bootstraps up and get a job you bum"



a reply to: Krazysh0t

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Ironic OP.

I have yet to see any disagreement or protest on ObamaCare or Medicare based on religious grounds at all.

I have seen marginalizing of conservative and Christian supporters by this OP and the left, however.

The irony is the use and enforcement of federal powers to implement the ACA and mess with Medicare-certainly not Christian nor Conservative values- and then quote the bible selectively to push federal agenda.

Just to repeat, yet again, a general conservative view on this, health care belongs in state control, not federal. Federal financial assistance, while often used as a form of blackmail against individual states- is acceptable to the states as long as the state controls, decides and enacts as their voters dictate.

Rather simple, isn't it.

Therefore, the point attempted by the OP doesn't exist in the right camp whatsoever. Those Christians that support that view are already in the left camp.

Not a problem whatsoever. Sorry but the OP is D.O.A.....

a reply to: Krazysh0t

So ATS, especially conservatives, what do YOU think? Is expanding Medicaid a bad thing because of fiscal responsibility, or is the Bible more important and we should help these people because they are less fortunate than us?

Better yet, let's hear from the Progressives that always harping about the conservatives and their 'religion' that they push down people's throats.
How about that?
I say keep it, don't tell me to be my brother's keeper.

a reply to: nwtrucker

Translation: "My finances are more important than helping the needy".

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: Krazysh0t

So ATS, especially conservatives, what do YOU think? Is expanding Medicaid a bad thing because of fiscal responsibility, or is the Bible more important and we should help these people because they are less fortunate than us?

Better yet, let's hear from the Progressives that always harping about the conservatives and their 'religion' that they push down people's throats.
How about that?
I say keep it, don't tell me to be my brother's keeper.

I'm sure Progressive Christians would have zero problems with expanding Medicaid. Though I'm not one of those things so I'm just guessing here.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: nwtrucker

Translation: "My finances are more important than helping the needy".

I don't see why you are pushing this religion-based crap on us.
If you want to help the needy, feel free... but here you are, quoting the Bible, telling others that they should be ashamed of not doing more.... maybe even more than you do for them yourself.
How do we know that you donate what we dictate is a proper amount of time and money for those that are less fortunate than yourself?
Hell, you may be better off than me, so maybe you owe me something!

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Clarification of 'translation', I don't need an autocratic federal gov't deciding what's good for me.

State based health care would be somewhat less expensive in that the federal bureaucracy would not be needed.

The cost for medical would still be borne by the rest of us under state control.

Not even a 'nice try' on your part.

a reply to: butcherguy

I'm not a Christian, I'm not held religiously to donate to people. Though, I have no problem with Medicaid either. These standards that I'm talking about are self-imposed Christian ones defined in the Bible. Don't get angry at me if I point out hypocrisy.

What's wrong with helping people less fortunate than yourself with Medicaid?

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: nwtrucker

Translation: "My finances are more important than helping the needy".

You have to admit that the war on poverty has been just as effective as the war on drug and terrorism.
But I'm sure if we keep throwing money at this one it will eventually work.

originally posted by: nwtrucker
a reply to: Krazysh0t

Clarification of 'translation', I don't need an autocratic federal gov't deciding what's good for me.

The government isn't deciding whats good for you here. It's deciding what's good for the less fortunate. It's not all about you buddy.

State based health care would be somewhat less expensive in that the federal bureaucracy would not be needed.

The cost for medical would still be borne by the rest of us under state control.

Not even a 'nice try' on your part.

So why would state bureaucracy somehow be LESS cumbersome? Because it has less money backing it? That usually makes government institutions harder to deal with, not easier.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

On that point, I'm sure your correct.

Where it contradicts your own OP is those 'Progressive Christians' are not in the Conservative or right-wing Christian camp.

Therefore no internal conflict on the right to begin with.

Have another cup of coffee before you post....It helps....

originally posted by: Bluntone22

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: nwtrucker

Translation: "My finances are more important than helping the needy".

You have to admit that the war on poverty has been just as effective as the war on drug and terrorism.
But I'm sure if we keep throwing money at this one it will eventually work.

Medicaid is one of the few government programs that works reasonably well. Heck, if instead of implementing Obamacare, they expanded Medicaid and Medicare instead, we likely wouldn't be having nearly as many healthcare issues as we are under the ACA.

originally posted by: nwtrucker
a reply to: Krazysh0t

On that point, I'm sure your correct.

Where it contradicts your own OP is those 'Progressive Christians' are not in the Conservative or right-wing Christian camp.

Therefore no internal conflict on the right to begin with.

Have another cup of coffee before you post....It helps....

Um... Maybe you should drink some more coffee? There definitely IS internal conflict. I didn't just make this story up out of thin air. Kaisch, a Republican Presidential nominee, made comments about expanding Medicaid citing the bible for the reasons why and conservatives got mad at him citing fiscal reasons against expanding Medicaid. Kaisch is right though, the bible DOES tell Christians to help the needy. This is one of the biggest hypocrisies among the Christian right. The bible preaches Socialist tendencies and the conservative right cherry picks around this obvious message so that they can rationalize being greedy and not helping people less fortunate than themselves.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I agree, the aca was fools gold.
I also agree with helping people out of poverty but the current system is a complete failure at doing that.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: Bluntone22

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: nwtrucker

Translation: "My finances are more important than helping the needy".

You have to admit that the war on poverty has been just as effective as the war on drug and terrorism.
But I'm sure if we keep throwing money at this one it will eventually work.

Medicaid is one of the few government programs that works reasonably well. Heck, if instead of implementing Obamacare, they expanded Medicaid and Medicare instead, we likely wouldn't be having nearly as many healthcare issues as we are under the ACA.

YES!!!! We need universal healthcare available to ALL, with an option for private insurance/private healthcare for those who want to pay for it.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I certainly don't like the "war on poverty" any more than you do, but this isn't about bringing people out of poverty. It's about helping them have adequate medical care despite not being able to afford it.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Oh my, Kasich is using the bible to push a government agenda. That is theocratic. Why are you Krazyshot, trying to use Kasich`s remarks to call out Christians? I thought we were against religion in general, especially when it comes to government.

On topic, Kasich doesn`t to know much about his role as a Christian. Jesus did not ask his followers to use the government to help the needy. That is a personal choice. Christians are to help the needy with their own goods. That is emulating Jesus. When Christians continually have to pay more and more for these socialist policies, it leaves them in a more difficult position to personally help the needy as they believe God instructs them too.

The greedy ones are not the ones who don`t want government helping the poor. Most Christians do donate time and belongings out of the goodness of their own hearts. Goovernment is greedy for wanting to steal people`s money to pay for their "godly" agendas. Money doesn`t grow on trees, and when government steals your money, you have a hard time doing what God asks of you in this respect.

originally posted by: harvestdog
a reply to: Krazysh0t

Oh my, Kasich is using the bible to push a government agenda. That is theocratic. Why are you Krazyshot, trying to use Kasich`s remarks to call out Christians? I thought we were against religion in general, especially when it comes to government.

I'm using his words to try to get Christians to see the blatant hypocrisy between their religion and their political beliefs. I'm not advocating putting religion into the state.

On topic, Kasich doesn`t to know much about his role as a Christian. Jesus did not ask his followers to use the government to help the needy. That is a personal choice. Christians are to help the needy with their own goods. That is emulating Jesus. When Christians continually have to pay more and more for these socialist policies, it leaves them in a more difficult position to personally help the needy as they believe God instructs them too.

The greedy ones are not the ones who don`t want government helping the poor. Most Christians do donate time and belongings out of the goodness of their own hearts. Goovernment is greedy for wanting to steal people`s money to pay for their "godly" agendas. Money doesn`t grow on trees, and when government steals your money, you have a hard time doing what God asks of you in this respect.

Yes because we ALL know that it is impossible to live a comfortable life while the government taxes us... /sarc

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I'm seeing a pattern here Krazysh0t;

Bachmann: "God punished SC with a flood because you don't support Israel"
Kasich: "If you don't like my medicaid expansion - read the Bible"
George W: "Though I walk through the valley of death...." - then invades Iraq.

These Theocratic Republeeches invoking God are officially............Krazy!