In the days since the Supreme Court ruled on the Burwell v Hobby Lobby case, one would think that modern day witch hunts had been instituted in America. Breathless progressive activists have been panning the decision as an infringement on women’s rights, that “bosses are dictating women’s healthcare decisions”, and blaming the Justices, the company, the Republicans, and everybody but themselves and George W. Bush (or maybe I missed it).
The facts remain as follows:
- Before the Affordable Care Act was enacted (with zero Republican support), Hobby Lobby provided coverage for over 16 types of birth control, including the abortifacient drugs and devices at the heart of the case.
- While reviewing their coverage in preparation for compliance with the new health care law, they realized they were providing coverage for birth control methods that they believe destroys life after conception. In accordance with their religious views, they discontinued the coverage. However, they continued to cover the other forms of birth control.
- Nobody has had any rights taken away, and in fact the owners’ religious rights were protected. Nobody has been denied access to the abortifacients, but women who wish to use them now have to obtain them through other means which might require that they pay for them themselves.
- The fact that now, due to this ruling, other closely-held companies are moving to limit or eliminate coverage for birth control is a DIRECT RESULT of the Affordable Care Act, and is one of the more glaring unintended consequences of this law.
- Once the progressives put the federal government in charge of EVERYBODY’s healthcare decisions and choices, litigation of this nature became inevitable. They have nobody to blame but themselves for this one.
Democrat candidates for office in Colorado and I presume elsewhere are flogging this ruling as part of the mythical “War on Women” and vowing to protect “womens’ rights” if they are elected or re-elected. Activists and bloggers continue to push this agenda despite the absence of facts from their arguments.
The reason why the progressives and Democrats are so shrill about this one issue is simple. They are in disarray, they are running scared, and they have nothing to run on in the elections this year.
They are desperate because unless something drastic happens, they are poised to experience dramatic losses in this election. The reasons are manifest and all have to do with their President and one-time messiah, Barack Obama, who is proving to be a complete failure at his job.
- The economy is still struggling after five years of Obama. Progressive economics have resulted in slow growth, chronic under- and unemployment, and even a contraction of almost 3% in the first quarter of this year, signaling a possible recession just in time for the election.
- The world is always a dangerous place, but is becoming more so under the failed leadership of Barack Obama. Between Russia and China flexing their muscles, North Korean and Iranian mischief, Middle Eastern turmoil, and other disasters, it is clear that either through incompetence, arrogance, ignorance or just plain neglect, our enemies are growing stronger and more bold while our friends suffer.
- The national debt is now greater than the value of the entire economy. Interest costs are massive, and if interest rates go up could crash the economy. The United States is effectively bankrupt and everybody in Washington ignores it.
- The Affordable Care Act – the flagship legislation of this Presidency and the progressive movement, is deeply unpopular, fatally flawed, and is causing many more problems than it was intended to fix. There are real human costs to this law, and they are mounting.
- Contempt for the law. President Obama has made it clear that he intends to push the envelope with regard to “rule” by executive order, and the Congress lets him get away with it. This administration is responsible for many scandals, yet the lapdog mainstream media (part of the Third Left themselves) lets him get by with it. I am old enough to remember when the press was howling for Richard Nixon’s head in the early 1970s, and for much less.
The Democratic Party is in disarray, and by all indications, the GOP is poised to win an historic victory in November, on par or more than in 1994. My only hope is that they don’t sabotage their chances of long-term governance by focusing on social issues once elected. There are too many problems facing this country and fighting losing battles over abortion and gay rights is reckless and irresponsible.
I expect to hear a lot more about Hobby Lobby in the days ahead. It’s all the Democrats have to talk about.
By Richard D. Turnquist
July 8, 2014
