April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
EDITORIAL
Obama comes to town
Efforts to rejuvenate the economy provided the overlay for his recent talk in Troy. President Obama advocated health re-form, higher education for all, a "clean economy" and basic research.
With each, Catholics should always ask, "To what end? At what cost financial or social? And by what means?" Without offering a definitive analysis and verdict, here are some reflections.
Naturally, he localized the nation's economic situation.
"While all of the U.S. has been dealing with the current crisis, people in Troy and upstate New York have been dealing with a permanent recession," President Obama said to an audience at Hudson Valley Community College.
About 360 local leaders, politicians and students attended, along with 100 or so journalists, in a tech-shop garage outfitted for the event.
The President cited the closures of factories in the region. For the national recession, he blamed health costs, dependence on foreign oil, and excessive debt and "reckless risk" on Wall Street.
"We know that upstate can succeed," he continued; while, as a nation, "we have to choose, as did previous generations, to shape a brighter future."
There's nothing objectionable in that segment. The recession, here and elsewhere, has cost millions their jobs, savings, homes and dignity. For the already poor, the recession has simply cemented their pain into place.
Few could disagree with President Obama's call for measures to promote "sustained growth and widely shared prosperity." Thankfully, he also endorsed "government's modest role" in the economy, which recognizes human fallibility and matches the Catholic teaching of subsidiarity: that is, solving problems at the most direct level possible.
Healthcare ethics
As part of the solution, the President said, "We must pass health reform that reduces cost and increases coverage."
That certainly resonates with the social justice agenda of the Church, though the details remain debatable. The U.S. bishops have carefully supported resolving the human costs of our inadequate health system, while insisting that life be protected at all stages.
The topic mattered deeply to Anna Ricciardi, a student from the town of Berlin who was standing outside. "As a student with a pre-existing condition, it's really hard to find coverage," she said.
Now covered for $400 a month through her parents' temporary, post-job coverage, Ms. Ricciardi said that "next year, we won't have any" insurance.
President Obama also advocated sending more students to community and regular colleges, especially those who stop at high school due to low incomes. Aside from expanding student loans and veterans' programs, he announced an initiative "to help an additional five million Americans earn community college degrees."
The President praised the technology nexus that has arisen in the Capital Region and reiterated government support for energy efficiency.
That appealed to another student, Cody Goodermote of Petersburgh: "Obama's doing a good job with green issues and increasing solar power to get us off our oil dependency," he said.
President Obama cited the innovation and daring behind the Erie Canal and Thomas Edison's moving his fledgling firm to Schenectady. He recalled Robert F. Kennedy's statement that "the future isn't an accident; it's an achievement."
Pride goeth
But then he reiterated a common theme that Catholics, and all Americans, should periodically question: "America is ready to lead once more," the President declared.
Earlier, he said health reform was necessary for the country "to lead in the global economy."
It's unclear why we must always announce this nationalistic primacy. One can love the U.S.A. to the utmost while still wishing for some humility. Hubris serves uncertain and risky ends.
All we do as a nation should be for the right reasons and to serve the least among us first. That's real leadership.[[In-content Ad]]
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