New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith issues a statement:
“The so-called new policy is the discredited old policy, dressed up to look like something else,” said Smith. “It remains a serious violation of religious freedom. Only the most naïve or gullible would accept this as a change in policy.
“The newest iteration of Obama’s coercion rule utterly fails because it still forces religious employers and employees who have moral objections to paying for abortion inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception to pay for these things, because it is still the employers who buy the coverage for their employees.
“Today’s announcement is a political manipulation designed to get Obama past his own self-made controversy and past the next election.
“The White House Fact Sheet is riddled with doublespeak and contradiction. It states, for example, that religious employers “will not” have to pay for abortion pills, sterilization and contraception, but their “insurance companies” will. Who pays for the insurance policy? The religious employer.
“However, Obama has tipped his hand—at the end of the day, he will use force, coercion and ruinous fines that put faith-based charities, hospitals and schools at risk of closure, harming millions of kids, as well as the poor, sick and disabled, that they serve, in order to force obedience to Obama’s will.
"Only the most naïve or gullible would accept this as a change in policy."
OBAMA VOTERS: (waving) "Hi!! That's us!!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis oughta win "Post of the Day". Too bad I could only "like" it once!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAgreed. This post kicks butt!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHappy to help you out -- I "liked" it too.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis statement is incorrect in one major way that is not getting a lot of consideration. This is not simply an issue between "employers" and "employees". My weekly donations to the church and monthly donations to the diocese (through its annual appeal) are expressly used to finance the many Catholic charities/hospitals/etc. that Obamacare is dictating provide government-approved abortion and other services "free of charge".
This is an explicit attack on my individual religious liberty. I believe that the Supreme Court would likely strike this down 9-0 just like they did a few weeks ago. Those "employers" and "employees" are paid for BY ME using contributions I make in church on Sunday based on appeals made from the pulpit that specifically say that my donations are used to support pro-life actions by the church.
Obama and the left are peddling a lie that this is about requiring "employers" to provide government-directed services as if the Catholic Church is no different than IBM. He's not simply dictating that the Church provide these "healthcare services", he is dictating that a portion of my weekly donations be used to provide these services in express violation of my individual religious beliefs.
I couldn't care less what polls say about Catholics. Obama has no right to attack MY religious rights. Zero. He cannot compromise on something he had no right to interfere with to begin with.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou guys are grossly mistaken. I just called Bart Stupak, and he said everything is fine.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI haven't been living under a rock for the last three years, but I don't recall being told during the healthcare reform debate that Obama's signature legislation would allow him to force private companies to provide free healthcare services and products to those he designates are entitled to receive them. Have the American people lost their minds? The only people that should approve of this policy - and the rationale behind it - are mindless drones content with Big Brother controlling every aspect of their lives.
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