WASHINGTON — Democrats are deeply divided over President Barack Obama’s new rule that religious schools and hospitals must provide insurance for free birth control to their employees amid fresh signs that the administration was scrambling for a way out.
“This is not only unacceptable, it is un-American,” says Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a Catholic who faces re-election in November in a state where Wednesday nights are reserved for church services.
Another Catholic senator, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, has pleaded with the administration “to correct this decision which will erode the conscience rights” that have been protected for decades. His opposition echoes the criticism of his bishop in Scranton, Rev. Joseph C. Bambera.
Several Democrats, including Senate candidate Tim Kaine in Virginia and Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski, have been outspoken in assailing the recently announced administration mandate that has angered religious groups and unified Republicans in protest. In a reflection of the party split, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Thursday blocked a GOP effort to debate an amendment on religious freedom.
A day earlier, liberal female senators thanked Obama for the new policy during a closed-door retreat.
“We’re here to stand up for the women of America who deserve to have access to free preventive care through their health insurance,” Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said later at a news conference.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Thursday promised a fierce debate on women’s rights if Republicans tried to repeal the policy.
Even though church-affiliated hospitals, colleges and social service agencies will have one additional year to comply with the requirement, issued last month in regulations under Obama’s health care overhaul, the outcry has been loud and fierce. Facing intense pressure, the White House indicated this week that it is trying to come up with a compromise.
Vice President Joe Biden, a Catholic, said in a radio interview Thursday that “there is going to be a significant attempt to work this out and there is time to do that.” He said the one-year grace period is “to make sure that we do not force the Catholic Church to do something that they fundamentally think is inconsistent with their religious beliefs.”
He spoke with Bill Cunningham of 700 WLW in Cincinnati.
The party break over the contentious issue could reverberate in an election year, with implications not only for Obama in battleground states with significant numbers of Catholic working-class voters such as Ohio and Pennsylvania, but also for Democrats in congressional races. The political upside for Casey or Manchin is a fresh opportunity to show their independence from the president; the political downside is potentially pushing too far on a matter that resonates with female voters critical to the Democrats’ prospects in November.
Comments (2)
Add commentI came to an angry conclusion initially, fueled by headlines
Now, I see this as a masterful stroke by the Obama Administration.
Constitutionally, this will go nowhere.
For weeks and weeks, celibate bishops (who can't control over 80% of their women followers who use contraception) bellyached about the money and being forced to pay for something they don't like.
First, just because someone doesn't like something in this country, doesn't mean they get a free pass. Are there religions who don't like labor laws, or OSHA, or worker's compensation requirements? And weren't there religions who promoted (now illegal) polygamy as being a religious dogma? Perhaps there upstart religions--right now--writing addendums to their canons that paying minimum wage is immoral? That's where that logic leads.
The Constitution does not, to the dismay of many I talk to, provide for unlimited religious liberty. For instance, religious rights do not trump civil rights (Prop 8 anyone?).
So, what happened? Team Obama let the pressure build about this money business and then said, ok, it's free.
I can almost hear the Latin mutterings. Stop the incense! What? He can't do that!
He just did. Now, Catholic leaders are in a dilemma. Either they refuse free insurance (for non-Catholics too keep in mind) and look like uncharitable monsters, or they accept the free insurance for women and risk looking like apostates to their flock (likely only the Mel Gibson-esque followers will cry).
The only people who are scrambling now are the Catholic leaders who were outsmarted as their extreme faith positions are hung out for all to see. It's over. Obama reached across the aisle (as he was elected to do) and won this game with semantics. There will be no practical change to the Health Care Act.
Mike
blue dogs are cowards
I can't stand blue dog DINOs. The middle is where indecisive, cowardly politicians go.
The Bishops are becoming so irrelevant lately. It's nice seeing the demise of the Catholic church. Every speech any Bishop makes on this makes them less credible, especially in light of the fact that a majority of their flock practice birth control and everyone knows this.
And a celibate Bishop is about as common as a gay republican.
Then another thought occurred to me...
What about Bishops in states that have the death penalty? Follow me here...
Do we hear the mighty Bishops screaming at the top of their lungs every time a prisoner is executed in Texas? Wouldn't that be pro-life? I mean, if every life is sacred, even condemned ones? Hmmm? Are they calling their flock to become politically active to abolish the death penalty? If so, it ain't working (which adds to their irrelevance).
I'm guessing the Bishops pick and choose political agendas which might be politically convenient for them at the time.
This is one of those times. It's an election year.