(USA Today) Editorial: Obama's contraception retreat is not enough

[ProSense]

Editorial: Obama's contraception retreat is not enough

Most American women — including most Catholic women — disagree with the 1968 encyclical in which Pope Paul VI held that contraception contravenes God's will. But church doctrine isn't set by opinion poll, or even by lay members of the faith, and the Constitution draws a bright line against government meddling in church affairs.

So President Obama beat a smart, strategic retreat Friday on the combustible issue of which employers should be required to offer contraceptive services to their employees. Obama did what he should have done in the first place: broaden the religious exemptions to the administration's birth control mandate to cover Catholic institutions such as universities, hospitals and charities, not just churches.

Under the new policy — details to follow — no church-affiliated institution with a doctrinal objection to contraception would have to pay for the coverage, or even tell employees that it's offered. Insurers would have to inform covered employees that it's available and free.

The policy shift is getting mixed reviews from Catholic organizations, and it leaves some knotty questions to be resolved:

- more -

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-02-12/Obama-contraception-mandate-Catholic/53064884/1

It seems that when progress is to be made on significant issues, especially when it challenges the RW institutions that have a stranglehold on civil rights, the media can always be counted on to side with the RW.

GOP Continues To Oppose Contraception Coverage Plan Now Supported By Large Catholic Institutions
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002302328

Why the Contraception Mandate Matters
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002302957

[1ProudAtheist]

1. But, But, But, But.......

the SCOTUS feels otherwise.....

http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0494_0872_ZO.html

[ProSense]

2. The media

"the SCOTUS feels otherwise....."

...and pundits don't care about that. Their only goal is to help the RW score political points by knocking the administration.

Obama’s Conscience Protection Clause Has Been Upheld In Court
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002292691

[Tx4obama]

3. And an article regarding Scalia below ...

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/101613432

[PSPS]

4. "government meddling in church affairs"

Most American women — including most Catholic women — disagree with the 1968 encyclical in which Pope Paul VI held that contraception contravenes God's will. But church doctrine isn't set by opinion poll, or even by lay members of the faith, and the Constitution draws a bright line against government meddling in church affairs.

Yes, and there is also a bright line against the church meddling in governmental affairs. At least there used to be. If the hospitals and other institutions controlled by the catholic church want to eschew the billions of taxpayer dollars they receive every year, then they are free to impose their nefarious and, frankly, somewhat hypocritical "moral codes" on their employees along with its apparently requisite substandard health care coverage (applies to women only, naturally. They are the ones with that scary vagina, after all.)

But we are living in a de-facto theocracy now. The catholic bishops are our veto-wielding mullahs and our politicians are required to be "believers."

[ProSense]

7. Here's

"government meddling in church affairs"

...the thing: When on earth did a woman's health care choice become "meddling in church affairs"?

They don't get to dictate: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002292691

[Botany]

5. This is a made up news story by the corporate media

1) President Obama gave the "anti folks" everything they asked for ....
you don't want your company's insurance to pay for contraceptives then
you don't have to.

b) the Catholic Church and right wing folks are just running a game here ...
because President Obama has turned the economy around and killed Osama
bin Laden"

[FarLeftFist]

6. Jeez, the fact that this wasn't even a "thing" until 1968 is even more repulsive.

[Irishonly]

8. I am starting to belive that

President Obama could end world hunger, find a cure for cancer and the GOP would whine.

[Skittles]

9. SCHEDULING Irishonly FOR ASSKICKING

you're only just NOW "starting to believe" it?

[99th_Monkey]

10. How else is the M$M going to serve their real masters, The 1% that owns their ass. nt