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US Justice Blocks Implementation of ACA Contraceptive Mandate
theodp writes "First approved for contraceptive use in the U.S. in 1960, 'The Pill' is currently used by more than 100 million women worldwide and by almost 12 million women in the U.S. But just hours before the Affordable Care Act was to go into effect, Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a stay temporarily blocking a mandate requiring health insurance coverage of birth control, and gave the Obama administration until Friday to respond to the Supreme Court on the matter. Sotomayor's order applies to a group of nuns, the Little Sisters of the Poor, and other Roman Catholic nonprofit groups that use the same health plan, known as the Christian Brothers Employee Benefit Trust (PDF). The group is one of many challenging the federal requirement for contraceptive coverage, but a decision on the merits of that case by the full Supreme Court could have broader implications. One imagines Melinda Gates is none too pleased. So, will U.S. health care require a Department of Personal Belief Exemptions that are dictated by employers (PDF, 'The Trustees of CBEBT and the management of Christian Brothers Services are dedicated to protecting the employers participating in the CBEBT from having to face the choice of violating their faith or violating the law')?"
Because heaven forbid nuns may wish to pursue sexual encounters in a mature and responsible manner, while priests are satisfied abusing altar boys.
--- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
You complain about a company "forcing" it's beliefs on others, all while trying to force yours on them.
It's not about a religious group wanting to deny people contraception, it's about them not wanting to be forced to pay for things they think are wrong. Their employees are still free to go out and get contraceptives, the church/religious entity just doesn't have to foot the bill.
Why is that so hard to understand?
This whole argument is pathetic. A panel of experts, including Doctors, determined that contraceptive should be part of a rational medical insurance plan. How is possible for a religious order to override that, stating, basically - we believe this is not the case, so we would like to ignore the law and the experts in favor of our belief? Separation of church and state? This is pretty much the exact opposite of that. Apparently we, the USA, are indeed a religious, not rational, country. The forefathers are rolling in their graves..
Insurance isn't a statement of faith - it is a product with stated basic requirements - an employer either offers a package that lives up to these or it should not offer insurance at all (and pay for its employees to use the ACA!)
Disappointed but not particularly surprised..
Oh you mean after once side they used a bunch parliamentary tricks to limit debate, ultimately abusing budget reconciliation to prevent amendments to the bill, that democratic process?
Face it the leftists did everything they possibly could within the rules to ram the thing thru because that was the only way it was getting through. They completely violated the spirit of how the legislature has traditionally worked and was intended to work; so they could oppress the minority.
Now they cry cordial triers whenever the other side uses the same dirity pool to try and tie stuff to the debt ceiling or the budget. Anyone who voted for the ACA ( at least in the House ) and now complains or accuses the other side of hostage taking etc on these budget issues is a fucking hypocrite; as is anyone else who supports it remaining enforce given how it was done.
Basically anything that successful undermines this crock of shit legislation in anyway is a victory for the concept of minority rights with majority rule. Anytime Obama wins on this issue is just Tyranny of the majority.
Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
"Women have a right to have control over their own bodies."
Really? Forcing other people (including other women) to pay for birth control for other women doesn't sound like you want women to control "their own bodies" to me.
You do realize that those "right wing neanderthals" you love to charicature are just saying that if women want birth control they should just go out and... you know.. buy it at a store. Just like everything else in life.
True story: Birth control prices for the lady in my life went UP by a pretty massive amount since your God and personal Savior Obama took office. So basically, when that neanderthal Bush was president, it was easier for women to be "enslaved" by going out and spending their own money to buy birth control on their own since women are actually capable of indepdent thought.
1970's feminists: Women are free and independent and can buy their own birth control!
2010's feminists: Women are stupid and weak and need to have their birth control provided for them by the Government using other people's money because expecting women to think for themselves and be independent is sexist!
AntiFA: An abbreviation for Anti First Amendment.