There have been fireworks in recent days over a decision to put three northeastern Pennsylvania Catholic hospitals up for sale. There were many reasons for the decision. Among them: the health-care legislation passed this March. The hospitals are in the districts of endangered “pro-life Democrats” Chris Carney and Paul Kanjorski.

Bottom line? Many hospitals’ futures are uncertain, and the fact that the bill is still being read and interpreted only compounds the uncertainty. There was a recklessness to the decision congressmen made to vote yea, ditto the likes of the Catholic Health Association, which signed onto a bill that may not have been in the best interests of these Catholic hospitals.

In recent days, the poor administrator whose honest comment started this firestorm has been dragged into a political war I don’t think he ever wanted to be a part of. And Obamacare critics have been shouted down as liars.

This debate — in Scranton and beyond — is far from over. But voters ought to be able to get some idea of the big picture from, among other things, the future of the hospital where Joe Biden was born in Scranton. I try to sketch it out a bit here.

Joe Biden campaigning for Rep. Chris Carney Monday.