Moral Principles and Hypocrisy

   Set aside the debate over whether health care is a right for all or a privilege of the wealthy and consider this:
   Many conservatives and Republicans claim to follow Christian values, but their actions and words often say otherwise.
   "American values include taking care of the least of us," said Michael Steele, former national chairman of the Republican Party, to television host Bill Maher Friday evening.
   And they often emphasize that we should treat other people as we would want to be treated.
   Those who have ever read or heard even partial readings from the Bible will recognize both ideas as being a core of Christian teaching. More important, however, is that both are an important part of human morals, which are independent of religious teachings by any belief system.
   To claim adherence to moral principles, as often taught by religious groups, and to act otherwise shows a high level of hypocrisy.

   Hmmm. Hypocrisy among politicians. What a concept. Who knew.
   Nevertheless, many of them persist. They preach the value and importance of moral principles and loyalty to core values of the American -- and human -- tradition but their actions speak louder than their shallow words.
   This is not to say that such hypocrisy is found among conservative Republicans only. But while they chatter and promise that a new health care system will be beautiful for everyone, with lower costs and better benefits for rich and poor alike, once they achieved dominance in Washington, their new plan would reduce benefits and increase costs for those most in need of health care assistance, while sharply cutting taxes on the wealthy, whose primary need is for more money in their bank accounts.
   Morality dictates that we help those in need, and this part of the human moral code is reinforced and emphasized by many spiritual and religious traditions.
   To claim and act otherwise is to show an attitude that says those in need are somehow being punished by some Higher Power, so it is not for people, no matter how wealthy, to contradict this. Yet these same claimants persist in preaching the moral value of helping others in need, even as they fail to act on their talk.
   And this, by definition, is hypocrisy.