Carlson: Scalia once saw the absurdity of religious exemptions
By Margaret Carlson | Bloomberg View
First Published 37 minutes ago • Updated 37 minutes ago
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. Let’s concentrate for a moment on the "Inc." part.
Hobby Lobby is a for-profit corporation selling arts and crafts. It is asking the court to declare that its religious beliefs are violated by the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that health-care insurance provided by employers include contraception.
Founder David Green opposes the mandate with a vengeance. If the court finds in his favor, Hobby Lobby would be exempted from providing some contraception coverage — an exemption already carved out for actual churches, religiously affiliated hospitals and genuine religious organizations. If it doesn’t, we will find out what Green’s (or is it Hobby Lobby’s?) deeply held conviction is worth to him (or it). Green estimates it would cost his company $1.3 million a day.
The idea that a corporation can have religious beliefs seems ludicrous on its face, but the nose-in-the-tent ruling that gives this preposterous argument some weight was Citizens United v. FEC in 2010, which gave free-speech rights to corporations. Hobby would take that a step further: If Green has freedom of religion, so does his business. Like him, it worships, sins, is forgiven, reads the Bible and, if it all works out, is going to heaven.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/57738616-82/religious-green-hobby-lobby.html.csp
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