Health Reform and Faith Groups

By Jacqueline L. Salmon

Religious organizations--most of them progressive--are launching an all-out effort to push for health reform. With rallies, prayer services and ad campaigns and more, they are aiming to push Congress into action.

The latest is the Faithful Reform in Health Care coalition, which will gather for an "Interfaith Service of Witness and Prayer" in Washington next week and claims to be the largest faith-inspired mobilization around health care ever. Separately, a consortium of faith groups has formed Faithful America to lobby Congress on health care, including running ads on Christian radio in the districts of members of Congress that the consortium believes are on the fence when it comes to reform.

But, at least so far, conservative faith groups aren't nearly as organized. The Family Research Council is planning to becoming involved in the debate, but particularly on the debate over whether the package will included taxpayer-funded abortions. Currently, though, it is focused on the hate-crimes bill and President Obama's outreach to the gay community. The Traditional Values Coalition, which has an extensive grass-roots organization in the states, is just getting its effort underway.

"It's hard to mobilize people until there is a firm bill," said Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the group.

At least so far, they're getting lapped by the Left. But don't count them out. Groups like the Traditional Values Coalition can mobilize tens of thousands of people to their cause. But the Left is learning how to do the same--and it's learning fast.

UPDATE: To correct the description of Faithful America, it has actually been around since 2004 and has taken action on a
range of issues--from torture, to climate, to poverty, to health care. The radio ads were sponsored by Faithful America on behalf of several religious groups and community organizing networks, including Faith in Public Life, PICO National Network, Gamaliel Foundation, Sojourners, Catholics in Alliance and Catholics United.

By Jacqueline L. Salmon  |  June 18, 2009; 11:11 AM ET  | Category:  God in Government
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