In what seems like an unending serious of WTF moments in our nation, a bunch of Catholics are upset because they are going to be forced to cover birth control in health care they give their employees To be clear, Churches are exempt, but Catholic charities, hospitals, etc. will have to offer the coverage.
Obama is taking is on the chin from these people.
The president’s tone was polite but not contrite, a person briefed on the calls told POLITICO: He explained that while his health care law exempted Catholic churches from the requirement, he wouldn’t carve out other Catholic institutions even though the Vatican views artificial birth control as contrary to the will of God.
Aides say Obama’s move, which has sparked thunderous denunciations as he prepares to address the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday, was motivated by personal conviction and his long-held belief that all health plans need to provide birth control to women.(via)
If I am an atheist and work at a catholic hospital I can’t get birth control covered under my health care plan, because some guy in Rome says its against his imaginary friends rules? Even if I am a Protestant, a Jew, or Hindu; because Rome says no birth control doesn’t get covered. I applaud Obama for standing up for the rights of these workers. Just because you work for a Catholic doesn’t mean you have to do every incomprehensible thing their leader says.
Just to get an idea of how silly this whole thing is. These are the same people who waited hundreds of years to admit the earth goes around the sun long after an overwhelming amount of evidence. They almost put a man to death for saying the same, and their main justification for these decisions, God told us to. Are these really the kind of people we should let help us decide important things?
I am not alone it seems, in fact a majority of Catholics themselves think that the catholic church should cover birth control.
A majority (55%) of Americans agree that “employers should be required to provide their employees with health care plans that cover contraception and birth control at no cost.” Four-in-ten (40%) disagree with this requirement.
Key breakdowns
58% of all Catholics agree employers should be required to provide their employees with health care plans that cover contraception. That slides down to 52% for Catholic voters, 50% for white Catholics.
61% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say employer plans should cover contraception.
50%of white mainline Protestants want the coverage. However, for evangelical Protestants, that drops to 38%.And perhaps of greater note among election-watchers:
Women are significantly more likely than men to agree that employers should be required to provide health care plans that cover contraception (62% vs. 47% respectively).
A second poll, also released today from Public Policy Polling, has similar findings. This poll, conducted at the request of Planned Parenthood, finds
…a majority of voters, including a majority of Catholics, don’t believe Catholic hospitals and universities should be exempted from providing the benefit.
…Independent voters support this benefit by a 55/36 margin; in fact, a majority of voters in every racial, age and religious category that we track express support. In particular, a 53 percent majority of Catholic voters, who were oversampled as part of this poll, favor the benefit, including fully 62 percent of Catholics who identify themselves as independents.(via)
In fact 98% of Catholics ALREADY have used birth control, so of course they want it covered under their insurance plan.
Why should the opinion of Catholics merit any consideration in this decision? There have been a million crazy ideas over the eons, from the idea that humors are what made you sick (and must be balanced with mercury), to the one that an invisible friend doesn’t want you to be on the pill. We wouldn’t allow someone who thinks the earth is flat to attend our geography convention, why do we let Catholics help us decide what gets covered under our health care?
I am glad Obama stood up to these folks, maybe there is hope yet for this nation.