In the weeks leading up to the announcement of the HHS mandate I remember speaking to a few folks who said they thought Obama would just bury the issue until after the election.
They said that everything has to do with the election and there’s no way Obama’s going to pick this fight with the Church in an election year. But, of course, Obama didn’t bury the issue. Obama has picked a fight with Catholics over the contraceptive mandate. Make no mistake, Obama has picked this fight. Why? Because he thinks he can win it.
The Daily Caller report from today shows that after a few weeks of seeming a bit flatfooted in response to the bishops and the Catholic college lawsuit from Belmont Abbey, the Democrat talking heads have promulgated their talking points and the spin has begun.
President Barack Obama’s deputies and his progressive allies are trying to convert the damaging controversy over federal regulation of religious groups into an advantageous fight against Catholic bishops over access to contraception.
The portrayal, if successful, could boost support among younger women, while reducing unexpected losses among religious voters in critical swing-states, such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“The idea that an employer — a Catholic bishop — can say you’re not going to get access to insurance coverage … that’s downright creepy,” said Jon O’Brien, president of an abortion-choice advocacy group, Catholics for Choice. “American women get really mad when people start messing with their contraception,” he told The Daily Caller.
“Let’s remember who this controversy is really about — the women of America,” said a Feb. 8 op-ed by three Democratic senators. “Too many women struggle to pay for birth control… Improving access to birth control is good health policy and good economic policy,” said the op-ed, by Sens. Barbara Boxer, Jeanne Shaheen and Patty Murray. “The millions of American women who choose to use contraception should not be forced to follow religious doctrine, whether Catholic or non-Catholic.”
Look, the last thing that Obama wants this election to be about is the economy. Now, a fight about contraception might just be a different story.
Obama and his thuggerati will continue to push the meme that this is just about providing preventative care to women while the mean ol’ bishops (who are all male and secretly hate women), are denying women medicine.
Obama wants this to be pro-contraception Obama vs. the anti-contraception bishops. He thinks that’s a fight he can win. It’s the fight he picked. Now, it’s just up to Catholics to decide how hard we fight back.
It’s a race to frame the issue in the hearts and minds of Americans. In the end, to Americans will this issue be about contraception or is it about religious liberty? I think the answer to that question may decide this election.
February 9, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Attneded my first caucus, got elected secretary of my precinct and delegate to the county. Not taking this sitting down. Santorum took our state. But the liberals were not the ones voting, of course.
Liberal is not a good term. The hedonists? I guess labels are not good. Lets say those who oppose the Church and her teachings on almost everything.
Going to do all a citizen can do before succumbing to the coming persecution.
February 9, 2012 at 6:14 pm
The important thing for the bishops is to not accept the premise that this is about refusing to provide healthcare to women. They can't go on the defensive and say "no, no, we respect women" and all that blather. They need to remain focused on the issue that is about religious freedom, and that alone. So – whenever they're interviewed and asked a question about the perception that they're against women's access to contraception and healthcare, they need to respond emphatically "I don't accept that premise. This is solely about religious liberty and that alone."
If the bishops go on the defensive, to refute the Dem spin, they've lost.
February 9, 2012 at 6:22 pm
Lets make this easy. EVERY Catholic that ever used contraception, vote for Obama. Every Catholic that is against contraception, vote against him. Simple. Otherwise, Hypocrites.
Same arguement as the 1950's Catholic school requirement for Catholic Children.
Secular Business, Secular health insurance.
February 9, 2012 at 7:07 pm
"Too many women struggle to pay for birth control."
Really? I've never before heard that this is a big hardship. So, I let my fingers do the walking. Costhelper.com says that those without insurance pay between $20 and $50 a month to be on the Pill. Of course, the Pill doesn't protect you from STDs, so I'm guessing you'll then need to start paying for your STD medical treatments.
Planned Barrenhood's site claims a condom costs about a $1.
I don't see how paying for one's own birth control is going to put anyone in the poorhouse. A diabetic will die without treatment — you won't die if you don't have access to birth control. Sorry to sound heartless.
I recall when states started forcing insurance companies to provide contraception. Women's groups screamed about how men were covered for erectile dysfunction, so women should be given birth control. Never mind that one treatment is aimed at fixing something that is broken, whereas the other treatment thwarts the normal bodily processes and breaks something that works just fine!
-Elodie
February 9, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Larry D is right, the bishops first inclination will be to seek "dialogue" and "compromise" with the Obama machine and in doing so they will lose the initiative. We need to realize we are in a war and the objective is to win and never forget who started it in the first place.
February 9, 2012 at 7:35 pm
The bishops lost this war in the 60's when they chose to be silent about artificial contraception. They thought their two-faced nerf life could go on forever…
Now, 98% of American Catholic women are hooked on contraception, believe only myths about NFP, and think the bishops are a bunch of crazies.
My question is, why do the bishops pick NOW to scream about artificial contraception, when they've allowed it to infect American marriages for decades, unchecked – poisoning marriages, making fornication more possible, polluting bodies, killing children? Why NOW?
Because now, it comes down to money. Cash.
Incredibly sad.
February 9, 2012 at 7:39 pm
First they re-defined conscience. Then, they eliminate it.
http://shepherdspost.blogspot.com/2012/02/re-defining-and-eliminating-conscience.html
February 9, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Sadly, it's a fight Obama knows he can win because the majority of church-going Catholics use artificial contraception. They're the same ones who helped elect him in the first place. Do you think they care about the religious liberty aspect of this fight? They just want their contraceptives at a lower price.
I am a faithful, life long Catholic. I believe and embrace all of the teachings of the Church. I am appalled at this attack on religious liberty. I've also been in the pews for 48 years. I've heard (or rather haven't heard) what isn't preached every Sunday. I cannot recall ever hearing a homily on artificial contraception. I think I've heard exactly one homily about a real tenet of our faith; on confession at St. Joseph parish in Cottleville, Missouri.
Kudos to the Bishops on their stand. Step two for the Bishops should be to check out all the "Catholic" organizations who would be subject to this mandate. Find out how many are already covering artificial contraception. I would bet the percentage is in the high 90s. Step three should be to ask priests to start teaching the faith every Sunday in their homilies.
My personal opinion is that the greatest crisis facing the Church is the deplorable state of adult catechesis.
February 9, 2012 at 8:00 pm
@Blackrep: What it really comes down to is POWER. The state telling the church what they can and cannot do. What ever happend to separation of church and state so often bandied about for the benefit of the state. If the state takes all the bishops' money without the bishops' informed consent, that is called stealing. If the state denies the sovereign authority instituted by Jesus Christ to the church, that is called totalitarianism. Correctly, once the state can tyranize the church the human race and civilzation is lost. Government is constituted by the people. This means that you and I are behind and in complicity with the tyranny. NO. I do not agree with this mandate, the mandate was not on the ballot, therefore, I am denied my vote,taxation without representation, and my freedom of conscience as everybody's is being denied. It's a done deal. You and I Blackrep are property of the state, human resources, human capital, intellectual property of the state. How does it feel to be owned?
February 9, 2012 at 8:05 pm
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February 9, 2012 at 8:05 pm
@Cathy D: Get Pope Paul VI's Humane Vitae for WHY and Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body for HOW. Be amazed and inspired at how Jesus Christ loves His Church.
February 9, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Secular businesses and secular citizens did not get to vote on this dictatorship. Even the people who did get vote did not know what a pig-in-a-poke this is. As Nancy Pelosi said: "Hurry up and pass it so we can find out what is in it" When was the last time you were forced to purchase a product without at least wanting it. Have I got a bridge for sale for you, its in Obamacare.
February 9, 2012 at 8:18 pm
In the stimulus package was a clause that put all public school childrens records in a government database. In Obamacare must be a clause that puts all medical records in a government database. "Pass it so we can find out what is in it" It is called a swindle, and with our own taxes
February 9, 2012 at 8:26 pm
@Anonymous 1:22 Hypocrites are individuals who say one thing and do another. The human being has a prerogative to change his mind. This prerogative to change one's mind, to grow, to learn, is what government is constituted to protect and defend. The intellect and conscience inheres in the immortal soul. For government to deny the human being's immortal soul is the heighth of hypocracy because every human including those who govern have immortal souls, even those who have sold their immortal souls to the devil.
February 9, 2012 at 8:33 pm
@LarryD: "If the bishops go on the defensive, to refute the Dem spin, they've lost." No LarryD, we have lost. We have lost a battle, but we will not lose the war because 54 million immortal souls are on our side. And the lie that abortion makes the immortal soul go away is a LIE. The TRUTH shall make you free.
February 9, 2012 at 9:06 pm
I agree with some of the above points– the bishops now need to be MEDIA SMART. Stop taking your cues from "Being Pastoral 101" and instead go with "Public Relations 101." Point 1– Do.Not.Give.Credence. to your opponent's claim by refuting it. Simply put forth your own counter claim.
Reporter: Why do you mean old bishops want to take away women's contraceptives?
Bishop: Why does the Obama administration want to trample on the First Amendment?
February 9, 2012 at 9:32 pm
Mary: I've read Humanae Vitae. I'm convinced. What I am saying is that most people in the pews, even those who consider themselves faithful Catholics, do not have a solid understanding of the teachings of the Church and part of the fault lies with the utter lack of teaching from the pulpit on Sundays. For this reason, they are not likely to be interested in this fight, let alone fired up over it.
Most of the homilies I've heard are "vague homilies about vagueness". At least that's what my Catholic sister-in-law calls them. All I know is that in my circle of Catholic family and friends, my husband and I are the only ones who do not use a form of artificial contraception or sterilization. The Church has got to get better at teaching this…all of this!
February 9, 2012 at 9:33 pm
Margaret Good post. During the War for Independence, the Bitish soldiers were terrifed of going into the swamp, because the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion, would ambush them and disappear. It is time to make the media terrified of openning the matter to discussion.
February 9, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Cathy: John Henry Cardinal Newman has some very good homilies if your pastor would read them. I am very glad for you. What can a parishioner do? I pray for holy priests.
February 9, 2012 at 11:08 pm
Blackrep:
Where did you learn to not think?
The current bishops are not the 60's bishops! They think and judge on their own and they have learned from their predecessor's mistakes. So what, you get to learn from history and the bishops do not? There's been a lot of water that has flown down the Tiber since then, pal.
And "cash"? Really? Those catholic hospitals sure rake in the dollars!
Get over the siren song of your cynical sanctimony, pal, and follow the call of your bishop/Shepard back to the fold. Know His voice. Heed his voice.
Also, it wouldn't hurt to review the Bill of Rights…