Clergy test Marshall’s commitment to poor

When U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, defeated incumbent Tim Huelsklamp last summer, commentators anticipated a rejection of Huelskamp’s bombastic, confrontational tea party politics, returning instead to a district-centered, low-key Republican like Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, both of whom once represented this same rural Big First district in central and western Kansas.

How committed is Marshall to his district? One major test is his stance on repealing the Affordable Care Act.

According to the Congressional Budget office, 24 million Americans will lose their health coverage under the Republican bill now working its way through Congress. This includes many Kansans.

According to the U.S. Census, the Big First and the Wichita-area 4th district have the highest percentages of Kansans uninsured – nearly 10 percent in the 1st, considerably higher than in Eastern Kansas. The Big First also features more than 200,000 constituents who get their health insurance from public – that is, government – coverage. Will Marshall look out for them?

His infamous recent quote does not bode well.

A doctor, Marshall told the health-care journal STAT, “Just like Jesus said, ‘The poor will always be with us…’ There is a group of people that just don’t want health care and aren’t going to take care of themselves… morally, spiritually (and) socially.”

Marshall’s comments drew heated reaction as he toured the district. At a packed Emporia town hall meeting – in a hospital, no less – one constituent who works with the homeless shot back: “The first thing that people want when they come to the shelter is health insurance.”

Other constituents were restive with Marshall’s deflections, and even local doctors who spoke were split on ACA repeal. Marshall’s other town hall meetings also got tense.

In addition, Big First clergy responded to his STAT interview. Pastors across the state told me – in nearly identical language – that Marshall’s interpretation of this scripture was “the opposite of what Jesus intended.”

From Sterling clergy, I heard, “God is biased toward the poor, powerless, and disenfranchised.” And from Salina: “Jesus is especially attentive to people’s need for healing and hope, for food and care.”

Michael P. Milliken, Episcopal Bishop for Western Kansas, summed it up: “Just because Jesus said the poor will always be there doesn’t give us an excuse to look the other way.”

Can Marshall respond meaningfully?

The debate over ACA repeal and Medicaid expansion may be the first real test of Marshall’s relationship with his constituents.

Godspeed, Congressman.

This story was originally published March 18, 2017 at 5:05 AM with the headline "Clergy test Marshall’s commitment to poor."