Slate's Melinda Henneberger, after clearing her throat over what she considers the US Catholic bishops' overheated rhetoric regarding the Obama presidency and abortion, points out that if Obama makes good on his campaign promise to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, he could force the closing of every Catholic hospital in America. That's one-third of all hospitals. Excerpt:
If the Freedom of Choice Act passes Congress, and that's a big if, Obama has promised to sign it the second it hits his desk. (Here he is at a Planned Parenthood Action Fund event in 2007, vowing, "The first thing I'd do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing I'd do.") Though it's often referred to as a mere codification of Roe, FOCA, as currently drafted, actually goes well beyond that: According to the Senate sponsor of the bill, Barbara Boxer, in a statement on her Web site, FOCA would nullify all existing laws and regulations that limit abortion in any way, up to the time of fetal viability. Laws requiring parental notification and informed consent would be tossed out. While there is strenuous debate among legal experts on the matter, many believe the act would invalidate the freedom-of-conscience laws on the books in 46 states. These are the laws that allow Catholic hospitals and health providers that receive public funds through Medicaid and Medicare to opt out of performing abortions. Without public funds, these health centers couldn't stay open; if forced to do abortions, they would sooner close their doors. Even the prospect of selling the institutions to other providers wouldn't be an option, the bishops have said, because that would constitute "material cooperation with an intrinsic evil."The bishops are not bluffing when they say they'd turn out the lights rather than comply. Nor is Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis exaggerating, I don't think, in vowing that "any one of us would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow--to die tomorrow--to bring about the end of abortion.''
Whatever your view on the legality and morality of abortion, there is another important question to be considered here: Could we even begin to reform our already overburdened health care system without these Catholic institutions? I don't see how.
This is one campaign promise Obama had better not think twice about breaking.
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Marion, good luck in finding the real America. You have not found it yet. In the meantime, I wish you the best of health and an eventual realization that those who disagree with you are not your enemies, and to assume so makes you an example of the greatest danger to our republic that there can be.
Marion,
I'm not going to play twenty questions with you. You want an exception to the general rules of society, but you can't present an explanation of why society should accommodate you but not every other religious belief. Should a good faith religious belief allow anyone to violate any law? If not, where do you draw the line?
So far, Marion, you basically just say that your beliefs deserve accommodation because they are so right. That only is persuasive to people who already agree with you.
And Franklin, to be fair to Marion, she is asking for a legislative exemption. The question is whether there is a sound policy reason to give it to her.
There are a number of ways to give exceptions to general rules:
-Surreptitious disobedience;
-Open civil disobedience (MLK/Ghandi);
-Legislative exemption;
-Constitutional exemption;
-Others that I can't think of in the time I have for this comment.
I just don't see a coherent argument that allows abortion and contraception to remain legal but permits doctors and pharmacists to openly or surreptitiously withhold contraceptive services. The argument would be stronger for OB practices that openly proclaim their limits and where their would-be patients have other options. The argument is weakest in ER's that might treat rape victims who should have the right to have all their options presented to them.
PB, I tried to show understanding of Marion's position. That I continued to disagree with her is, I'm assuming at this point absent contradiction from her, the deciding factor. One cannot disagree with a moral stance and find understanding in return.
I want to be fair to Marion. What I can't tolerate is a contradiction to the expectation that a citizen will uphold the rule of law.
For me, the distinction is imperative. I can think of situations where I would deliberately break a law. I live in a situation where I am forced to break the law (traffic laws) because to comply with them is dangerous. Try staying at 55mph in the right lane of a four-lane highway without being threatened by other drivers, most of whom are blithely unaware of the threat they pose.
The point she is missing, or so I read her posts, is that deliberately breaking a law should somehow be free of consequences under that law.
I am SO HAPPY and DELIGHTED that OUR CATHOLIC BISHOPS have FINALLY TOOK a stand on this ISSUE.............I have recectly read a book where it is stated "CLEARLY" Obamas position since his senate seat in Chicago.
It is APPALING that anyone who even REMOTELY considers themselves a
HUMAN BEING would say and abide the things he did in regards to CHRIST HOSPITAL in Chicago and the BABIES that were BORN ALIVE due to BOTCHED ABORT................STRIKENLY the NAME of THE HOSPITAL sickend me..........His former church and another pro abort church took ownership of this PLACE............Jill Stepick the nurse who came forth and testified before congress as to how the babies born alive were trated as HUMAN GARBAGE ...the MOST CRUEL and INHUMAN treatment to these tiny souls..NOT EVEN ALLOWED any OXYGEN for aid in breathing......the so called mothers wanting NOTHING to do with their child........... SHE herself held and COMFORTED these tony HUMANS as they die....................
Whatthe HELL is and HAS been going on in this nation is an abomination and an EVIL so great that it is no wonder OBAMA got in.....GODS JUSTICE will reign and we are just at the tipoff on the JUSTICE he will pass out due to the in-humanity of AMERICA...A once BEAUTIFUL LAND tarnished with the KILLLING FIELDS of BLOOD ....ALL THOSE BABIES murdered by FIAT of 5 SUPREME COURT JUSTICES...JUDGES!????
NOW to have the punishment to the U.S. of a president who sees this as NOTHING WRONG!!!!!!! DUE to the fact it would would by granting these babies LIFE STATUS would erode ROE! Is this an EVIL and VILE HUMAN or maybe just a match for HITLER~????????The statements he made on the floor of the senate in Chicago was a bunch of LAWERLY garbage!
By virtue of his ACTIONS in this regard he has shown to be EVIL!
YES! Close OUR TREASURED CATHOLIC HOSPITALS if FORCED to do what is SO AGAINST OUR FAITH and THE LAW OF GOD! I too belive all catholics should BEGIN by appologizing for VOTING for this KILLER by his LANGUAGE in regards to BABIES in utero and OUT! Yes we all may be called to DIE to STOP this UTTER MADDNESS.....GOD HAVE MERCY! we so DESPERATLY NEED IT but I would not blame him if HE just said NO!
Actually, this is probably even worse than "only" losing Medicaid and Medicare (as devastating as that would be), given that it seems likely that some form of Federal (Socialist) health care will be put into place under Obama and the Democrat Congress. With the Feds grabbing control of the flow of most, or all, of health care dollars, then yes, this could close hospitals of faith (such as Catholic hospitals). However, I would guess that then the Feds would grab control of the closing hospitals as an "emergency measure" (reference the handling of the financial crisis), retaining all staff who would stay on.
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