New Orleans Representative Anh Joseph Cao has publicly asserted his opposition to the health care bill proposed by President Obama’s administration. Cao said, “I know that voting against the health care bill will probably be the death of my political career, but I have to live with myself, and I always reflect on the phrase of the New Testament, ‘How does it profit a man's life to gain the world but to lose his soul.’”
Cao, who had once spent time in formation to become a Jesuit priest, was opposed to provisions of the bill which could lead to increased public funding for abortion. He said, “Being a Jesuit, I very much adhere to the notion of social justice. I do fully understand the need of providing everyone with access to health care, but to me personally, I cannot be privy to a law that will allow the potential of destroying thousands of innocent lives."
Two very different lines of thought strike me here. I suspect that some people, at least, will find that their answers to each are hard to reconcile with each other.
First, do elected representatives have a responsibility to vote like the majority of their constituents would wish?
Secondly, do elected representatives have a right to vote according to dictates of their conscience?
What do you think? I’ll be interested in hearing your opinion.
- H/T to Creative Minority Report
To thine own self be true. Yes.
ReplyDeleteElected officials should vote according to the dictates of their constituents. However that has not been the case recently. They seem to have forgotten who elected them and are running with a what ever is good for the party census ignoring what is good for the country.
Our elected officials should vote with their conscience but we all know politicians have no conscience. They seem to vote with what it will do for their wallets.
The new health care plan the Obamacrats are pushing is scary. Not only do the unborn get aborted but the elderly also will if they have serious health issues.