Gary Vance's blog

Hello Crossleft Community,
The following paper was written by my daughter, Ellen Vance Loyd, for an English class...Yep, I'm proud of her and thought this paper to be timely.
Gary

Universal Health Care

Over the last few decades, the United States has experienced soaring costs in health care and there is a growing debate about the possible solutions. The number of uninsured Americans is increasing because of out of control costs. Many millions of Americans lacks any form of health insurance and millions more have inadequate coverage. It has become clear that health care for all is something that must be achieved.

Hugo Chavez is often painted as a dangerous demagogue or tyrannical dictator by his many detractors. The bigger picture that is often overlooked about Chavez is that el Norte is primarily responsible for this man's rise to power. The US involvement in the nations south of our border have been historically atrocious and basically under reported. He is the first national leader I know of to break free of the overwhelming oppressive influence of US western hemisphere policies and his example is causing other South American nations to lean toward socialistic democracies. It is no secret that American policy has grossly exploited the vast resources located in the south as we have assassinated and overthrown duly elected leaders and replaced them with real dictators that would cater to our greed. Look it up.

Then Hugo Chavez shows up and legitimately rises to power after serving his time in prison for an unwise coup attempt. He busted Shell oil and other US corporate interests there who had long held lopsided and unfair contracts that exploited the vast oil reserves Venezuela is blessed with. Nationalizing their most strategic asset was essential for them to begin building a nation that is now providing health care for all and has now basically eliminated illiteracy along with developing many other benevolent polices toward their South American neighbors.

The following biographical information on Hugo Chavez was excerpted from wikipedia...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez

Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the current President of Venezuela. As the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Chávez promotes a political doctrine of participatory democracy, socialism and Latin American and Caribbean cooperation.He is also a critic of neoliberalism, globalization, and United States foreign policy.

A career military officer, Chávez founded the left-wing Fifth Republic Movement after orchestrating a failed 1992 coup d'état against former President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Chávez was elected President in 1998 with a campaign centering on promises of aiding Venezuela's poor majority, and was reelected in 2000 and in 2006. Domestically, Chávez has maintained nationwide Bolivarian Missions, whose goals are to combat disease, illiteracy, malnutrition, poverty, and other social ills. Abroad, Chávez has acted against the Washington Consensus by supporting alternative models of economic development, and has advocated cooperation among the world's poor nations, especially those in Latin America.

I just read the following article that offers a glimpse into President Obama's daily routine. You want to write him a letter? Well, he reads ten each morning out of the forty thousand that arrive every day. I just thought my life was hectic.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6288901.html

Hello Crossleft friends,

I offer below a proposal for your consideration. Any feed back will be greatly appreciated. Does this idea have any evident merit and do you think it is something that should be developed? Thanks to all...

Gary

Introduction and background

Kety Esquivel, in 2004, had a vision that inspired the creation of two progressive Christian organizations. It was her perception that the voice of the Religious Right was dominating the Christian political conversation and needed to be balanced. Teaming with Stephen Rockwell and other committed partners, they successfully established Crossleft (CL), dedicated to Balancing the Christian Voice, and later the Institute for Progressive Christianity (IPC), a 501 c 3 think tank.

It is becoming apparent that the vision, timing and conception of the IPC were prophetically initiated. Faith, passion and personal sacrifice by a few helped establish this organization in preparation for these trying times. Now, the IPC is in position to offer its services as we collectively begin the process of rebuilding our nation. The IPC About Us page states, "We have faith that we can positively confront the ills of this world with a progressive Christian witness that is coherent, convicted, intelligent, and passionate."

President Bush left office sounding the alarm that fighting terrorism is the most important issue for incoming President Obama to be concerned with. Many national security experts agree. Militarily confronting the global threat posed by terrorism has proven ineffective and even counter productive. A more effective approach must be developed and it must be one centered in combating poverty because impoverishment is the breeding ground of dangerously extremist ideologies.

Much of the ideological marketing of philosophies that foster terrorism is carried out among people suffering in abject poverty. America is commonly viewed as a greed driven imperialistic nation by many of the impoverished people of Earth. Sadly, history reveals that our international dealings have not always been noble in design. Our nation's history has been punctuated with exploitation, neglect and oppression of the poor. Many view the war in Iraq as the latest example.

Jim has made a significant proposal in his blog at (http://www.crossleft.org/node/6743#comment-form) regarding forgiveness that I believe should be explored further. In response, Angelo pointed out some steps that have been taken by a few groups to seek collective forgiveness for past wrongs. I actually got to attend such an event in Nashville, billed as "The Call", where a ritualistic attempt was made to initiate forgiveness and reconciliation through public apology. Conservative Senator Sam Brownback was joined onstage by significant members of various minorities in America. He formally asked each for their forgiveness for our national sins against them.

The following paragraph appeared in a news story this morning...

...In passing an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, twice vetoed by President Bush as too costly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, declared, "40 days in Iraq equals one year of insurance for 10 million children. Certainly, we can afford to do that." The bill is set for Senate passage today, and President-elect Barack Obama said it will be among the first bills he signs, calling it "not just good economic policy, but a moral obligation we hold as parents and citizens."

I like the Pelosi quote as it reflects the shift in thinking that is underway in our government. Hopefully, this will be a major step toward health coverage for all citizens of our nation. I personally know children this bill will help. Let mercy and justice flow.

Hello all,

The following devotional just showed up in my mail. I thought I would share it...author unknown. I believe this short message embodies the key to opening the door for our most powerful contributions into the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. God possesses the solutions to our most complex problems, whether they be personal or international, and they simply need to be sought. If we are the ones we have been waiting for...then what are we waiting for?

Gary

Exceedingly Abundantly
1/8/2009

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
EPHESIANS 3:20

"At times we feel as if we could impress God with all we are trying to do for Him and His church. Yet God has yet to be impressed with even the most grandiose human aspirations (Ps. 8:3-4). You will never set a goal so big or attempt a task so significant that God does not have something far greater that He could do in and through your life. Saul of Tarsus worked harder than anyone else to impress God with his efforts, only to discover that his greatest achievements were but rubbish compared to God's will for his life (Phil. 3:7-8).