After acting in ways that “inspired” the U.S. government shutdown for 16 days, Senator Ted Cruz returned to his hometown and received a hero’s welcome on Monday. At this gathering, he underscored his intent to keep doing whatever is necessary to undermine the ”national nightmare” referring to the Affordable Care Act – a federal law passed 3 years ago.
While I
affirm the expression of local communities, I have trouble with the attitude
that seems to put a local point of view against the global reality as if they
are mutually exclusive. There is always
a natural tension between local and global realities. The danger of a global program, such a
federal law on healthcare, is that it might impose a one-size-fits-all approach
on the diverse local communities. The
danger of over-stressing the local view, such as the view of the supporters of
Senator Cruz, is that it might ignore the fact that there are universal needs
that our global network can provide.
As the talk of who won that last battle in Washington is fading, the media are reporting troubles with the implementation of the Affordable Care art. One of their discoveries was that the state-run programs responding to this new law are more effective. Could it be that these states have found a way to value both the global federal resource as well as the local needs of the people? We need both the local and global in order to foster a sustainable community in an interconnected world.
|
Reflection Questions for Proper 25 (Year C) Joel 2:23-32 Psalm 65 2 Timothy 4:6-8,
16-18 Luke 18:9-14 |
Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org
Comments