Etiam non princeps sed usque ad genua, Principis Pacis!
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)
Posted on 02/11/2012 4:36:38 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
The fierce debate over women's access to contraception is far from over this year, but Democrats this week are claiming victory in the fight's early round.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Saturday shot an email to supporters highlighting President Obama's recent plan to provide female workers – even those employed by Catholic hospitals, universities and charities – free access to birth control.
An angry backlash against an earlier version of that plan led Obama to tweak the proposal Friday by shifting the cost burden for contraceptives from the church-backed employers to the insurance companies.
"President Obama has set a standard that every woman has a right to contraception coverage at no additional cost," the DNC email says, "and he's done it in a way that respects religious freedoms."
An accompanying YouTube video, which includes excerpts from Obama's Friday press conference announcing the change, aims to highlight the sharp distinction between the president's compromise and a proposal – being drafted by Republicans – to repeal the birth-control mandate for employers.
"Who do you think should make decisions about contraception?" the ad asks. "You, or your employer?"
The Democrats are hoping not only to rally favor from liberals who are widely supportive of protecting women's access to contraception, but also to allay any fears that Catholic Democrats might have about Obama's new policy.
Although studies indicate that contraception use among Catholic women is nearly universal, the pill, condoms and other forms of birth control are forbidden under Catholic doctrine – a policy reinforced Friday when the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement condemning Obama's compromise plan.
"All the other mandated 'preventive services' prevent disease, and pregnancy is not a disease," the bishops said.
Meanwhile, House GOP leaders are crafting legislation to overturn Obama's mandate. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said Wednesday that the panel will vote “in the coming weeks” to repeal the new requirement.
Framing the debate on a false premise...as is typical. The question is what gives the President of the United States the authority to just declare what health care policies will or will not be for employers (or anyone else) from a podium? Where and when did it become acceptable if people support a policy that the President can just act as an absolute monarch and just declare something into existance?
Yeah...and insurance is a state issue.....obambi butt out...
A bit early in a long and ferocious war, for the arrogant democrat party vermin to declare victory.
This is about more than Catholics, it is a shot across the bow of ALL Christians, Jews and some other faiths. Obozo has declared War on all of us. It IS TIME, to politically give him what he asked for. A unified American against this Quisling Dictator-want-to-be will devastate the Left in November. Bring it on.
What obama shift?
I don’t want to be forced to pay to kill people. Really.
I would like to see an Billboard saying Obama is trying to kill off the black race
The dems will prop-up Obamas failures no matter what they are. They have invested to much in this arrogant fool.
Obama is like Captain Schettino from the doomed Costa Concordia. He will man the lifeboats while everyone fights to survive. He’ll let his crew do his job.
I hope the democrat party sinks with their socialist leader.
"President Obama has set a standard that every woman has a right to contraception coverage at no additional cost," the DNC email says,
The Satanic One has decided that if you want to have a live child you need to pay a 20% co-pay, but that you can kill your child for free.
This reminds me of the old saying, “it’s like watching your mother-in-law drive over a cliff in a brand new car, you just don’t know how to feel.”
While I am completely opposed to forcing the rest of us to pay for any of this, the little voice in the back of my head keeps reminding me that most of the people that this will prevent from having children,,,,,I really don’t want having children in the first place.
Very conflicting emotions.
They did win. Obama’s “accommodation” is meaningless. The mandate remains, it’s just on the institution’s insurance company now.
Rats have absolutely no idea what "free" really means. All they are doing is mandating that the church purchase insurance (or self insure) that they are morally opposed to.
Good points. If the president can order insurance companies to provide “free” birth control and abortion drugs, then he can literally order them to provide anything else he wants. Plus, anyone who thinks the cost isn’t ultimately paid by the employer and employees is an idiot. The cost of “free” birth control will be shifted to the employer premiums where it becomes a business expense like any other.
This is less about religion and far more about a president and political party that is using government to divide and conquer us. A lot of women are going to fall for this. It’s about getting free stuff at someone else’s expense, but they simply either don’t see where this leads or don’t care.
When a special interest uses government to steal from their neighbors, do you think the neighbors will take that lying down? No! The neighbors will ultimately use the same powers to pursue their interests, and there goes the civil society that created this great country (and economy) in the first place.
If you are employed as a prostitute, your employer should be made to provide birth control.
If you are not it is your choice to fornicate and should supply your own.
They just needed an edge of the wedge to win.
False argument. The Church's refusal to pay for it does not stop anyone from getting it on their own. If you want birth control, pay for it yourself!
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