The real issue regarding the contraceptive mandate is not contraceptives; it is about the Government mandating Catholic health facilities to include coverage in their insurance policies for contraceptives, the use of which are counter to Church teaching and morals.
The following comments are representative of the reaction to this mandate:
"What is at stake is the choice between a Constitutional Republic that respects individual sovereignty, inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and a divisive government (a good thing) that has separation of powers. At the other end is a utopia-a statist society of an all-powerful, top-down, centralized government run by a Liviathan (Hobbes) or 'Philosopher King' (Plato)". (See blog post: "Politician or Statesman"; comment posted by Anonymous dated 2/7/12.)
"Statism, socialism and extreme liberalism eventually fail because the ideology they espouse leaves little room for vigorous dissent, voluntary cooperation or meaningful creativity.-------most egregious of all may be the legislation's assault on religious freedom and the First Amendment. It is disconcerting to think that the most inefficient, incompetent and bloated entity is surreptitiously seizing more and more power." (Letter to the Editor, "The Times-Union" by Clark McCammon on 2/8/12.)
Medicare and medicaid were initially designed as an overlay to systems already in place. Medicare, for example, was based on a existing physician based charge system; medicaid as a grant system to the states to administer their own programs. The complexity of these programs has increased over time due to legislative actions and ineffective efforts to reign in the costs to taxpayers. Obamacare further complicates the system by instituting additional mandates and controls. It also grants to the Executive unprecedented power to issue regulations to implement and govern the health care system.
We should note that President Obama once said of the Founding Fathers: "The Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change than I would like." (Article in "The Times-Union" entitled "Federal government isn't our daddy"). That statement speaks volumes about Obama's concept of government.
Because of Obamacare, the President claimed the authority to compel Catholic health institutions to include contraceptives in their insurance policies. Just today, he said he would, on his authority, "accommodate" Catholic organizations by mandating insurance companies to provide contraceptives "free of charge", a concept no sober person can take seriously. The fact that he can unilaterally make such a decision to "accommodate" also means that he also has the authority not to do so, a power that is discretionary and unconstitutional.
Americans often boast of their liberties; it has been claimed that an authoritarian form of government could not happen here. My response: Study history; it can happen anywhere and we are not immune.
The following comments are representative of the reaction to this mandate:
"What is at stake is the choice between a Constitutional Republic that respects individual sovereignty, inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and a divisive government (a good thing) that has separation of powers. At the other end is a utopia-a statist society of an all-powerful, top-down, centralized government run by a Liviathan (Hobbes) or 'Philosopher King' (Plato)". (See blog post: "Politician or Statesman"; comment posted by Anonymous dated 2/7/12.)
"Statism, socialism and extreme liberalism eventually fail because the ideology they espouse leaves little room for vigorous dissent, voluntary cooperation or meaningful creativity.-------most egregious of all may be the legislation's assault on religious freedom and the First Amendment. It is disconcerting to think that the most inefficient, incompetent and bloated entity is surreptitiously seizing more and more power." (Letter to the Editor, "The Times-Union" by Clark McCammon on 2/8/12.)
Medicare and medicaid were initially designed as an overlay to systems already in place. Medicare, for example, was based on a existing physician based charge system; medicaid as a grant system to the states to administer their own programs. The complexity of these programs has increased over time due to legislative actions and ineffective efforts to reign in the costs to taxpayers. Obamacare further complicates the system by instituting additional mandates and controls. It also grants to the Executive unprecedented power to issue regulations to implement and govern the health care system.
We should note that President Obama once said of the Founding Fathers: "The Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change than I would like." (Article in "The Times-Union" entitled "Federal government isn't our daddy"). That statement speaks volumes about Obama's concept of government.
Because of Obamacare, the President claimed the authority to compel Catholic health institutions to include contraceptives in their insurance policies. Just today, he said he would, on his authority, "accommodate" Catholic organizations by mandating insurance companies to provide contraceptives "free of charge", a concept no sober person can take seriously. The fact that he can unilaterally make such a decision to "accommodate" also means that he also has the authority not to do so, a power that is discretionary and unconstitutional.
Americans often boast of their liberties; it has been claimed that an authoritarian form of government could not happen here. My response: Study history; it can happen anywhere and we are not immune.
The cynicism of President Obama's rather obvious attempts to seize yet more power was on crude display these past few days. His so-called "accommodation" was nothing of the sort. So the insurance companies pay for contraception and abortifications. Guess who pays the insurance company? Gee Barry, that was a real tough one. You really pulled the wool over our eyes there.
ReplyDeleteWhat really happened? Well, Mr. Obama violated the First Amendment not once but twice. Then he violated the limits of the authority enumerated in the Constitution not once but twice. He's beginning to look more and more like his ol' pal Chavez. Sean Penn must be just soooo emotional right now.