Obama's Shocking Slap to Catholics

I must admit that I was not even aware of this most recent controversy until I saw Morning Joe today. When both Mika and Joe agree that this is bad policy you know that The President might have boxed himself in.

The issue is complex. However to Catholics it is not. Nor should it be. Under the new Health Care law starting this year all insurance plans must provide free preventive services. This includes contraceptives, birth control, and the like. As the Catholic church does not believe in contraception this places them in a quandary. Certainly the Catholic church has employees. Certainly not all of them are Catholic. It should also be noted that many Catholics, including those that work in some capacity for the church use birth control.

For the Catholic church as a hierarchy this is unacceptable. I certainly understand this point of view. On it's face it does seem ridiculous. Why should a religeous organization have to pay for services that it beleives are against its faith.

The problem is that in writng this into the health care law the administration has little choice. One can envision other corporations and insurance companies vying for exceptions based on who knows what.

Still common sense says that this should be easy to fix. The Obama administration already facing a Supreme Court showdown on the healthcare law and the mandate provision does not want to open up another issue. If an exemption, not written into the law, is provided to Catholic organizations one could certainly see other orgainzations crying foul. In short using a common sense approach in this one case could doom the whole law.

Still it easy to see that when the Bishops and Cardinals view this issue it is a case of religeous liberty. Which mandate will win when this goes to court. I would not be liking my chances were I the Obama administration. It would seem that a little forethought could have prevented this.

Losing Catholic votes could hurt Obama very badly in the Midwest.