What would Jesus do about Frew? 

Frew v. Hawkins, of course, is the lawsuit by low-income Texans wanting to fully fund basic medical services for poor children in Texas.  Frew was filed in 1993 after years of funding allegedly so low as to violate basic Constitutional guarantees. 

During a session when a lawmaker wants to introduce the Bible into classrooms and "In God We Trust" is permanently displayed in the Senate Chamber, we need to ask what would Jesus do about Frew.

So, what would Jesus do?

For decades, conservatives in Austin have cut and cut again basic health care services.  As a result, Texas covers fewer Texas children with health care than any state in America.  After 13 years of litigation, Susan Zinn, the activist attorney who filed the suit has won.  The Frew case has a final hearing on April 12. 

Last Friday, in the Senate Finance Committee, a rider was introduced by Sen. Robert Duncan to take whatever funds the Frew case costs the state from existing funds spent on Medicaid and CHIP.  In other words, he wants to rob poor Paul to pay poorer Peter. 

Why?  The reason, of course, is tax cuts. 

"[I]f the [Frew] decision requires additional spending when the Legislature is not in session, we're going to stay within the four corners of the appropriations bill, and we're not going to the rainy day fund to pay for it." said Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, the Senate Finance Committee chairman, on passage of the rider.  Of course, the "rainy day fund" is $8.5 billion in tax cuts tucked safely away in the House version of the budget for 2010-2011, right when Republicans run in their primaries. 

These tax cuts are not for you and me; they are for people who make over $85,000.  In fact, 95% of all the tax cuts will go to people who make $85,000 or more.  So, the moral choice in the Frew rider is to rob poor Peter to pay poorer Paul, so more of your tax money can go to millionaires.

With a $14.3 billion surplus, what would Jesus do about Frew?  Throughout the Bible, from Ecclesiastes to Matthew, it teaches us to defend those who are defenseless. 

As said in Proverbs 22:16, " "He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—-both come to poverty."  Proverbs continued, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. 

Over the course of American history, caring for the poor has been a core value.  After the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made caring for widows and orphans in poverty a priority.  Franklin D. Roosevelt, the author of Social Security, said following the Great Depression, "These unhappy times call for the building of plans that build from the bottom up and not from the top down, that put their faith once more in the forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid." Later, John F. Kennedy cautioned, "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."

Today, when we look into our heart of hearts, Texans know that our first responsibility is to take care of the most vulnerable among us—to defend the rights of the poor and needy. 

We are a government of people, by people, for people.  We should take care of kids.

Instead, in an 8-6 vote, 7 Republicans and 1 Democrat voted to rob Peter to pay poorer Paul, all to keep tax cuts tucked away for the wealthy.

Do you believe that is what Jesus would do with Frew?

Keep the Faith!

Eliot Shapleigh