Hobby Lobby finds way around $1.3-million-a-day Obamacare hit - for now

[RetroGamer1971]

Source: www.cnn.com

Washington (CNN) - By Friday, Hobby Lobby would have racked up $14.3 million in fines from the Internal Revenue Service for bucking Obamacare. But in keeping with the great American tax tradition, they may have found a loophole.

Peter M. Dobelbower, general counsel for Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. said in a statement released through the Becket Fund that, "Hobby Lobby discovered a way to shift the plan year for its employee health insurance, thus postponing the effective date of the mandate for several months."
The statement continued that "Hobby Lobby does not provide coverage for abortion-inducing drugs in its health care plan. Hobby Lobby will continue to vigorously defend its religious liberty and oppose the mandate and any penalties."

Read more: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/11/hobby-lobbys-1-3-million-obamacare-loophole/?hpt=hp_t1

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I knew there was a reason my wife, daughter and I shop at Michael's. They found a loophole to not pay the money they were supposed to be fined. That is a very weasel-y move to me. Either offer the health care to all employees as mandated by federal law, or stand you ground and pay the fines in the interest of your ideology. Have the courage of your convictions Hobby Lobby. or shut the hell up!

[niyad]

1. making a note to call them on monday (since they are not open sundays) to remind them

why I do not shop there (have not since I learned that they were owned by reichwing fundies.

[Earth_First]

2. Their fundamentalism goes sofar as to close their doors on Sundays?

yikes!

[niyad]

6. just like chik-fil-a, another reichwing fundie bloodsucking corp.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

17. I'm an atheist that supports mandated Sundays off for every worker.

It'd be a win with the fundies AND labor groups.

[DavidWD72]

3. Well there you have it.

Their belief in an imaginary bronze age load of crap means that this corporation doesn't have to follow the laws of our country.

[nc4bo]

8. Whatever happened to adhering to the spirit of the law??

Did such a thing ever exist?!

As soon as some creepy, selfish, greedy company or person finds a loophole than by god/goddess, that thing should be shut down immediately. How difficult is that to do? Do it before others follow the same playbook! The RIAA does it, why can't the government?

I don't really like this Obamacare thing one bit although I'm extremely happy that it helps some (I was so wanting single payer or Medicare for all - that would help me and my husband) - my daughter is one who FINALLY got insurance that follows her where ever she works (or doesn't) and I am so grateful and relieved!!

[christx30]

13. Not to defend Hobby Lo

but are you in support of the prosecution of pot smokers? Or how about the Fugitive Slave Law? Would you have supported people following that if you were alive back then? Back to this century, what about DOMA? NDAA? Are you in support of giving (or affirming) the President's powers to indefinitely imprison someone? If SOPA had passed, would you have been happy to see people prosecuted?

History is full of terrible, immoral laws. Hobby Lobby believes this is one of them. Whether they are right is for each of us, and history, to decide.
Just because the law exists, doesn't make everything that's in it right. And just because you happen to agree with this law doesn't automatically make you right and them wrong.

[Rain Mcloud]

16. Careful.

Don't tie yourself into a pretzel with that logic,there.
Yours,mine,ours or their belief system does not make it acceptable to skirt the law. Period.
This nation is built on the rule of law not the rule of belief.
The United States of America is a democracy of,by and for the People and not self-proclaimed universe or job creators.
If the Green family or anybody wants to believe,then that is their right but those beliefs do not supersede the laws which hold this society together.

We do not have to agree with what laws say or even like them but in order to preserve our special status as a nation we must each obey the law or suffer the consequences.

[joetubes]

4. One time shopper

Try going into one of their stores and find something not made "china". Picked up ten items all made in "china". So I left, not to return.

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

5. How does a for-profit corporation

claim that it wants to defend its "religious liberty"?

It isn't a church.

"Churches and houses of worship are exempt from the regulation and a narrow exemption was added for nonprofit religious employers whose employees "primarily share its religious tenets" and who "primarily serve persons who share its religious tenets."

On a side note, the owners of Hobby Lobby also own Mardel (the "Christian" bookstore). Lots of anti-Catholic stuff in that store.

[pkdu]

26. Corporations are people my friend !....oh wait...

He lost.

But his fascist beliefs are widespread.

[songbookz]

7. Paying for abortions

In reselling merchandise they import from China, Hobby Lobby is funding China's forced abortions of women who have.already had a child. It's hypocritical of them to not help their employees with birth control as a part of their health insurance plan.

[greymattermom]

24. good point

Someone should show up at their corporate office with some signs. Hobby Lobby supports abortions in China.

[badhair77]

27. I cannot wait to use this argument with

my fundy relatives, the ones with the flag hanging off their car. They love Hobby Lobby and forwarded the email about how noble they were for refusing to participate in Obamacare.

[blkmusclmachine]

9. .

.

[eggplant]

10. tick tick tick

It's only a matter of time before their gimmick runs its course.

[high density]

11. When did religion begin trumping the law?

My religion says we should ship any executives of companies which evade IRS regulations to a Cambodian prison.

[Indydem]

31. Maybe when they wrote the first amendment?

You do understand the Constitution supersedes a law, right?

[high density]

32. So we can now assert that we practice religions that say anything goes and ignore the laws?

Good to know.

[Indydem]

35. Is it some NEW assertion that religion opposes abortion and contraception?

They didn't just make up this tenant of their religion to protest the ACA.

Based on their religion, they have a real, legitimate issue with contraceptives and abortion.

Just because we, as liberals and progressives, do not agree with it, doesn't mean that it doesn't have merits.

[high density]

37. No, but money going towards things we don't personally support is not anything new.

I don't support the idea of our bloated defense department and other sorts of ridiculous corporate welfare, but that doesn't mean I can stop paying a part of my taxes.

Plus I don't think an employer should be making these sorts of decisions for their employees. I shouldn't have access to a health plan that covers contraceptives or abortion because a few executives at my employer assert their own opinions that are contrary to my own?

[Angry Dragon]

12. Hobby Lobby loves their employees

[otohara]

14. Happy To Buy From A Country w/ One Child

Policy...forced abortion and communist country

[GoCubsGo]

30. And, that's totally lost on them.

They can't force their beliefs on the Chinese like they can their employees.

[Trascoli]

15. bo

ya!

[tavalon]

18. Fuck Hobby Lobby

[Demo_Chris]

19. The Bible also requires that Hobby Lobby discriminate against women in other ways...

Certainly Hobby Lobby should never allow any women into supervisory positions -- unless they are restricted to giving directions exclusively to other women. God wills it.

"I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." (1 Timothy 2:12)

[mwb970]

20. I will never patronize any right-wing extremist business. Period. /nt

[DRiggs]

33. Can we keep them straight?

I would like to see an app to help with this problem. Type in "company x" and get a list of who they donate to, company policy, owners, etc. The assholes are so numerous that it is hard to keep them straight.

[obama2terms]

21. I take pride

In knowing people that are against this will look like assholes in about 10 years.

[valerief]

22. Another store to avoid. Blech! nt

[madrchsod]

23. i`ve shopped there a few times so....

from now on it`s micheals. actually i like micheals better.

[NorthCarolina]

25. AC Moore may be another option for you

if they are in your area.

[Jennicut]

28. Who in their right mind would want to shop there to begin with?

"According to the Hobby Lobby website, the store's foundation was built "and will continue to be [built on] strong values, and honoring the Lord in a manner consistent with Biblical principles."
Hobby Lobby plays a mixture of light jazz, classical, bluegrass, and contemporary music styles in stores, distributed by satellite from its Oklahoma headquarters. A large percentage of the music also incorporates instrumental versions of tradition Christian hymns and popular Christian songs by Zoe Girl, Vince Gill, and Jim Brickman.
Hobby Lobby locations have general operating hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday; except for the Distribution Center on certain days during the winter holiday season, all locations are closed on Sundays, as specified by the founder's Christian beliefs. References to Christianity are often made in their stores and advertisements."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby

Unless you are a religious fundamentalist, that is.

[GoCubsGo]

29. Yep. Shopping to church music is damn creepy.

Almost as creepy as all the cheap, useless Chinese-made CRAP they sell. I can't believe people actually buy that shit.

My only choices for crafts are Hobby Lobby, Walmart,or driving 45 minutes and going to Michael's. I hold my nose and go to Walmart. Once in a while, I get lucky and find stuff at the thrift shops or super-duper clearance at Tuesday Morning.

[Jennicut]

34. my mother made crafts for years

She made some extra money and loved doing it. Dolls, pillows, quilts. She would go to Jo-Anne's Fabrics. She goes to Michael's sometimes but doesn't make as much now that she is older. Hobby Lobby would creep anyone out.

[47of74]

36. I used to shop there

Back before I knew about their reich wing religious tendencies. They had a pretty decent selection of clock parts and small wooden pieces for making clocks. Now it's either Michael's or ordering the parts online.

[marshall]

38. Even Al Gore seeks those tax loopholes

They are as American as apple pie!