The Bible, Jesus, and Universal Healthcare

"In case some one of your brothers becomes poor among you in one of your cities, in your land that Jehovah your God is giving you, you must not harden your heart or be closefisted toward your poor brother. For you should generously open your hand to him and by all means lend him on pledge as much as he needs, which he is in want of... You should by all means give to him, and your heart should not be stingy in your giving to him, because on this account Jehovah your God will bless you in every deed of yours and in every undertaking of yours. For someone poor will never cease to be in the midst of the land. That is why I am commanding you, saying, 'You should generously open up your hand to your afflicted and poor brother in your land."
(Deuteronomy 15:7-11).
I would be surprised if any Christian, liberal or conservative, progressive or traditional, would deny that compassion for the poorest among us is one of the most central tenets of Christianity. How is it then, that one of the most church going nations in the world continues to elect leaders who push forward legislation that does everything but care for the poor? More specifically, how can anyone call themselves a Christian and not be in favor of healthcare for every citizen?
If we as Christians are trying to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, we cannot continue to elect leaders who preserve the status quo. We should be asking ourselves how we can use our votes to create a more just and loving society. A policy of universal healthcare would go far towards creating such a climate outside church sanctuary walls. The time has come to stop gripping our tax dollars with sweaty palms. As Christians, how can our tax dollars be better spent than on healthcare for all of our fellow citizens? If we as a country can afford to drop bombs on innocent women and children in far away lands, then we can afford to provide prenatal care for women and children in our own towns and cities. The time has come for us to open our eyes. We cannot "pass the peace" to the granny in the pew behind us and promote everything but peace with our actions. We say, "Peace be with you sister," knowing full well that she might be one of the millions of elderly Americans who cannot afford their medications. We are to honor our fathers and mothers, not leave them to be swallowed up by a corrupt system. We promote violence in our ignorance and inaction.

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Our highest commandment is to love God and love each other. Love. That is it. There is nothing else; nothing higher. This commandment should compel us to make political choices which demonstrate that love for every human being. That means, grannies, drug addicts, immigrants, and grocery store checkers. We are all beloved by God. This is not about big or small government, family values, or fiscal responsibility. All that is merely weightless rhetoric. Those of us who carry God’s universal love and compassion in our hearts have only one clear path: elect leaders who will see to it that no one is left to suffer unaided. Let us not forget that what we do to those in need we do to Christ himself. Let us not be swayed by this who would distract us with party politics in a thinly veiled attempt to serve the rich and the powerful. We are called to generously open up our hands to the afflicted and poor. Anything less is unacceptable.