Yesterday on the Bill Bennett show, I opined that the Obama administration will reverse itself on the HHS mandate regarding contraceptives, sterilization, and abortifacients. But after reading that just weeks ago the president personally promised Archbishop Dolan that the provision “would go away,” I’m slightly more skeptical.
During the course of his public life, President Obama has taken the hard-left position on matters falling under the phrase “reproductive rights.” Recall that as a state senator he fought against the Illinois state version of the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA). BAIPA requires that babies born alive after a botched abortion be given medical care and sustenance as any other infant born alive, rather than be left to die in a hospital utility closet.
Not one senator — neither Boxer, Clinton, nor Kennedy — voted against BAIPA at the federal level. Even NARAL did not oppose it.
Now, it’s not easy getting to the left of NARAL on “reproductive rights” issues. So it’s unlikely that reproductive-rights organizations have had to twist the president’s arm to prevent him from caving on the mandate. And it’s just as unlikely that issuance of the mandate was some staff or bureaucratic bungle. Not only is the mandate something President Obama strongly supports, it’s clear form the reported exchange with Archbishop Dolan that the president harbored no illusions about the church’s vigorous opposition to the provision. Perhaps President Obama didn’t anticipate the degree of blowback, but he knew there’d be blowback. Nonetheless, the administration implemented the mandate.
If the mandate were promulgated in a second Obama term, the probability of rescission would be nil.
If it goes away now, it can be expected to resurface on November 7th. Or maybe late on the afternoon of November 9th since they like those late Friday bad news releases.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBK is correct here, and anyone who cares about the First Amendment should take note. Even if Obama caves, he should lose the votes of all of us who deem this important. To do otherwise would be to reward the little tyrant for doing the right thing at the point of a political gun.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBottom line: this blatant pander to the right-to-slice crowd was an enormous political blunder, and it should cost its perpetrators regardless of a belated cave-in. Issuing the order revealed their disregard for conscience and religious liberty. Belaying it will reveal only their political cravenness. Neither are attractive qualities.
Not only did Obama vote against the Illinois BAIPA, he accused the National Right to Life Committee of lying when they accurately reported the fact during the campaign.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"If the mandate were promulgated in a second Obama term, the probability of rescission would be nil."
...and the probability of mass civil disobedience, and House motions to impeach, would then be 100%.
Obama has definitely stepped in it this time, but instead of scraping the doo off his shoes, learning from his mistake, and detouring around the pile....he's swan-diving right back into it.
What an ideologically-blinkered maroon.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAgree with BK in TX. Even if Obama withdraws the mandate—however conclusively—it does not go away.
As for whether Obama will withdraw the mandate, this much we know: his word is worth nothing.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI had no problem getting thru the Capitol Hill operator to my congressman and senators, so people are not burning up the lines. The only way Obama will retreat is if there is a sustained public firestorm. I hope everyone will call their members of Congress. This is pure evil.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Administration's contraception policy won’t stand. Obama won’t risk Catholic votes, and the Roman Catholic Church hasn’t even warmed up its opposition yet. These goofballs in HHS thought this would stay under the radar, allowing them to appease the portion of their base obsessed with “Reproductive Rights,” without upsetting anyone outside of social conservative circles. Since the political calculation has shifted from “helps us turn out liberals,” to “outraged working class Catholic Dems and Independents,” Obama will fold and probably do so by the end of next week, if not sooner.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTwo things happen:
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse1st = the Obama Regime writes Imperial Waiver for Catholic Institutions who quietly walk away ignoring the principle of religious liberty since "they got theirs".
2nd = Americans will tune back in to "American Idol" and "Ow my balls" and forget about it.
this is exhibit A for why conservatives should bite the bullet and turn out for whoever it is that gets the GOP nomination in the fall.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is a prime example of why Obama must be defeated. His administration is enacting this rule at a time when he needs to persuade voters to reelect him to a second term. What will happen when he is a lame duck and is not concerned about how voters will react? Batten down the hatches!! Republican candidates should begin making that argument now against Obama. "If you don't like what President Obama is doing now, just think about what he would do if he was not constrained by the desire to get re-elected."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI hope Obama doesn't "cave" because I want the end result of left-wing politics to be put on full display rather than it being chalked up as some sort of bureaucratic snafu.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseApart from the religious/first amendment issue, little has been said about the questionable practice of insuring against the cost of a routine, foreseeable monthly expense. This is not medical insurance. It's prepaid medical care, something that shouldn't be mandated for anyone. No one should be asking someone else--government or insurance company--to pay for routine medical expenses. Would people really expect to have free "insurance" to pay for oil changes in their car, or to replace burned-out light bulbs in the house?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOne can start to wonder if this has all been orchestrated. If he caves to the Catholic Church, the First Amendment issue goes away and we end up with a broader carve out for Catholic institutions but free contraception, sterilization and abortifacients for all women will become the law of the land because he will appease his base by expanding Title X so that it is open to all women. Catholics will be breath sigh of relief, the First Amendment prevails, but we (tax payers)end up paying for an entitlement program that I do not think would have ever passed if it had been put before Congress as a stand-alone program. I know it is all part of ObamaCare and while I support and am an active participant in protecting the rights of my Church, my mouth is agape at what will be the ultimate result whether Obama caves or not.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOne can start to wonder if this has all been orchestrated. If he caves to the Catholic Church, the First Amendment issue goes away and we end up with a broader carve out for Catholic institutions but free contraception, sterilization and abortifacients for all women will become the law of the land because he will appease his base by expanding Title X so that it is open to all women. Catholics will be breath sigh of relief, the First Amendment prevails, but we (tax payers)end up paying for an entitlement program that I do not think would have ever passed if it had been put before Congress as a stand-alone program. I know it is all part of ObamaCare and while I support and am an active participant in protecting the rights of my Church, my mouth is agape at what will be the ultimate result whether Obama caves or not.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRe: “reproductive rights”
It's more like a federal "make my day" law that redefines a helpless infant into an armed intruder and makes it legal to kill them in self-defense. Sick.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWith this mandate from HHS, the Supreme Court has another item to look at to strike Obamacare down completely, not just the mandate.
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