Justices Divide By Gender In Hobby Lobby Contraception Case

NPR ^ | March 25, 2014 | By Nina Totenberg

[Jim Robinson]

There was a clear difference of opinion between male and female justices at the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. The issue was whether for-profit corporations, citing religious objections, may refuse to include contraception coverage in the basic health plan now mandated under the Affordable Care Act.

The female justices were clearly supportive of the contraception mandate, while a majority of the male justices were more skeptical.

The lead challenger in the case is the Hobby Lobby corporation, a chain of 500 arts and crafts stores that has 13,000 employees. The owners object to two forms of contraception, IUDs and morning-after pills, which they view as a form of early abortion.

Hobby Lobby lawyer Paul Clement had barely begun his argument when he was pelted with a series of hypotheticals.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor led off: What about employers who have religious objections to health plans that cover other basic medical procedures — blood transfusions, immunizations, medical products that include pork?

Clement replied that each would have to be evaluated by the courts to see if it is fully justified and accomplished by the least restrictive means.

Justice Elena Kagan observed that using that reasoning, an employer might have a religious objection to complying with sex discrimination laws, minimum wage laws, family leave laws and child labor laws, to name just a few.

[Obama_Is_A_Feminist]

I wonder how Kagan feels about Obama/Holder refusing to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), or immigration laws? Hmmmm, Elena?

[Sioux-san]

Really? I hadn’t heard that one?
My position is that I don’t want the govt. or my employer involved in my health/medical insurance. That would solve a lot of problems.

[smoothsailing]

Roberts didn’t have to see it as a tax. He could have joined Justices Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, all who saw it as a penalty. That would have been the end of it.

It would no longer matter that “Obamacare was known to be a tax, from its inception.” That opinion would have been worthless, as it should have been. Again, damn you John Roberts.

[piroque]

And at least one of them chows on box.

Is that the box that the cherries come in ?

[Republican Wildcat]

Kagan noted that the Obama health law doesn't require corporate employers to provide insurance. The Hobby Lobby owners could have paid a fine, which, she observed, is much less than the cost of insurance. It's "a choice," she said.

Can you believe this nonsense? From a member of the Supreme Court?

[mtrott]

Well, if it lines up in the Court along sex lines, we are sunk. John Roberts will side with the women, so as to not be embarrassed at DC cocktail parties.

[C210N]

Hmmmm, Elena?

Former Solicitor General Elana should be impeached for non-recusal over the ACA. To sit here and participate in a post-ACA case, impeachment is too good a remedy... now should be tried for treason.

[Viennacon]

So, they cannot be objective. Disgusting. I mean, what does Ginsburg have to worry about? haha

[catbertz]

Lol!

[Pollster1]

The lead challenger in the case is the Hobby Lobby corporation . . . owners object to two forms of contraception, IUDs and morning-after pills, which they view as a form of early abortion.

According to the Mayo Clinic: ParaGard is an intrauterine device (IUD) . . . produces an inflammatory reaction in the uterus that is toxic to sperm. If fertilization occurs, ParaGard keeps the fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of the uterus.

If life begins at fertilization, which is an entirely reasonable scientific and moral perspective, then the IUD ends an innocent life by preventing implantation.

According to the Mayo Clinic: One-Step is a type of morning-after pill . . . which can prevent ovulation, block fertilization or keep a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.

As with the IUD, the morning-after pill can reasonably be seen as ending an innocent life by preventing implantation.

Both the IUD and the morning-after pill are active measures to end the life of a fertilized egg that is living, has the DNA of a unique human being, and in the absence of any other action would grow into a baby. I consider attempting to force someone to participate in what they reasonably see as evil to be the height of evil itself. The Obama Administration disgusts me, as do Barack Obama and Kathleen Sebelius.

[OneWingedShark]

It makes me angry to think that, once again, our lives are being controlled by our black-robed masters whom we did not elect and cannot unseat.
This cannot be what is meant by the words "self-government" or "constitutional republic."

There's a reason I refer to those despicable, arrogant, [redacted] as black-robed god-kings… it's far less insulting/offensive (meaning usable in mixed company) than the redacted portion.

[OneWingedShark]

You know what should come back into style?
Hanging.

[OneWingedShark]

This case is a perfect opportunity for a dramatic house cleaning which (of course) will not happen with the current Black Robes and their cushy lifetime appointments, led by the traitor John Roberts.

Oh come on now... it's a lifetime appointment, nobody knows how long a lifetime will be.
Maybe they'll die suddenly, you know, like Breitbart.

[shibumi]

I have no doubt that some similar concern is behind some of the aberrant behavior exhibited by a couple of the Justices.

[Ann Archy]

This is NOT about Contraception!! Contraception is OK with Hobby Lobby....this is about ABORTIONS, the IUD and the “Morning After Pill”.. and the BLOOD THIRSTY WOMEN on the Court want MORE DEAD BABIES.....they are DISGUSTING, VILE, EVIL, and STUPID!!

[crusher2013]

:^)