Bishops’ complaint an all-out war on contraception
I think it’s important to understand just what the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is demanding in its war against contraception coverage. Here’s USA Today on the matter:
The White House is “all talk, no action” on moving toward compromise, said Anthony Picarello, general counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “There has been a lot of talk in the last couple days about compromise, but it sounds to us like a way to turn down the heat, to placate people without doing anything in particular,” Picarello said. “We’re not going to do anything until this is fixed.”
That means removing the provision from the health care law altogether, he said, not simply changing it for Catholic employers and their insurers. He cited the problem that would create for “good Catholic business people who can’t in good conscience cooperate with this.”
“If I quit this job and opened a Taco Bell, I’d be covered by the mandate,” Picarello said.
In other words, the bishops are not merely demanding that church-affiliated organizations be exempted from the requirement that contraception be covered in health insurance. They are insisting that the contraception requirement be abolished altogether.
The proposed legislative fix endorsed by the bishops, HR 1179, makes that explicitly clear. It states that no insurer or employer can be required to provide coverage if paying for such coverage “is contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan; or (if) such coverage (in the case of individual coverage) is contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of the purchaser or beneficiary of the coverage.”
Again, that is not a fix limited to churches or church-affliated organizations. It would prohibit the contraception requirement across the board, for every employer and insurer.
If you had any doubts about how political this all is, that ought to resolve them. Twenty-eight states, including conservative Georgia, have had laws on the books for years that require contraceptives be covered, with not a squeak of protest or complaint.
And yet now it becomes a threat to religious liberty?
– Jay Bookman
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,108 comments Add your comment
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
Personal responsibility is pure evil. If only the government could step in to help protect all the stupid people from themselves…
JKL2–I’m not sure why, but self-reliance has become a bad thing as well. At least with the Lefties. Force people pay for their own birth control?? Only an evil, heartless person would suggest something so blatantly cruel.
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
they both- “Most here hate America, ’cause they’re lib ilks.” Really? Tell me you are just joking
Most people don’t want to “fundementally transform” something they love.
Just sayin’
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:03 pm
n
Isn’t the downfall–end– of civilization (as we know it) supposed to be that self-fulfilling prophecy of Armageddon.
md
February 9th, 2012
8:05 pm
“Have a cousin that married a Catholic w/prior understanding of two children limit. They’re still happily married some fifty years–w/two grown children half dozen or so grandchildren.”
Did they by chance meet at the Whole Foods store? If they did, it’s a double whammy and your personal friendships and observations are a figment of your imagination………..
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:05 pm
Three bumper stickers:
America, love it or leave it
America, change it or lose it.
America, love it enough to change it before we lose it.
AmVet -
February 9th, 2012
8:06 pm
Is it just me, or is 16 pages of sophist sloganeering and veiled (or not) personal insults enough to call it a day on this one?
Bruno, got turned onto this one yesterday. It’s from a couple of kindred blue-eyed soul Philly types…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlBEIUJIqvI
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:06 pm
good fight
I’ve got most of them…but as blog slang?
Jay
February 9th, 2012
8:06 pm
You’ll be first on the list, ld.
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:07 pm
md
“appear” to be happily married?
does that satisfy your ‘need’ to argue?
0311/1811
February 9th, 2012
8:07 pm
Birth control doesn’t cost a thing …………. only a decision.
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:08 pm
Solution is simple–just end all employee insurance.
Id–I like your reasoning in your 7:56 post. So I understand your overall take on the situation, how do you feel about the upcoming mandate to purchase health insurance??
0311/1811
February 9th, 2012
8:08 pm
Jay:
How about that 8:00pm post, huh ?
TGT
February 9th, 2012
8:09 pm
This is NOT about contraception (and it’s certainly not about a “woman’s health”), as usual when it comes to anything health care related, for the libs it always comes back to their Holy Grail: ABORTION.
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:09 pm
recon- What’s a contract PFC in boot camp?
My guess would be somewith with college credit who entered service as a PFC instead of a private.
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:10 pm
JKL2
you don’t think the founding fathers wanted to assure US could “change” w/times?
why do you think the constitution permits it?
what is the purpose of Congress if it is not to adapt to changing circumstance–including technology?
md
February 9th, 2012
8:10 pm
“Force people pay for their own birth control?? ”
During my younger, poorer days, we used that expensive method called “pull out ‘.
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:12 pm
With the kind of money Jay is pulling down, I think he should consider paying the top bloggers. I would say Doom and I are worth at least $100 per month.
They BOTH suck
February 9th, 2012
8:12 pm
md
And that is exactly what your daddy should have done……….
just kidding….. Nice discussion earlier
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:13 pm
Breeders is messy.
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:15 pm
Does anyone else here hope that the requirement that all Americans that breathe buy a product from a mega-for-profit privately owned industry (Obamacare) will be overturned by the US Supreme Court?
There are currently a number of companies offering medicare alternatives and, after suckering in a bunch of folk that did not understand that these policies replaced medicare, they’ve already started reducing benefits and increasing prices.
The bleeding hearts that supported Obamacare because they want free cradle to grave healthcare are going to be in for a really rude awakening.
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:15 pm
Birth control doesn’t cost a thing …………. only a decision.
Just tie a knot in it!
bman
February 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
This is silly, silly stuff.
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
Bruno
some should be charged for taking up space
md
February 9th, 2012
8:17 pm
“does that satisfy your ‘need’ to argue?”
Not arguing, just an insider joke. Stick around long enough and you’ll see that folks here tend to discount personal observations……..
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:17 pm
id- what is the purpose of Congress if it is not to adapt to changing circumstance–including technology?
Adapt, not change. Vision is based in values, and since the Demwits have abondoned (and are working to outlaw) the values our country was founded upon, change is not a good thing. You can’t have more personal freedom and more government control at the same time. Liberals fail for the same reasons the confederacy did. Too much me and not enough us.
AmVet -
February 9th, 2012
8:17 pm
America, love it enough to change it before we lose it.
I do like that.
Standing pat, doing nothing, catatonic fear of progress, addicted to the failed status quo – these are not options.
If not now, when?
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:19 pm
md- During my younger, poorer days, we used that expensive method called “pull out ‘.
Evidently lost on the African-American culture…
TaxPayer
February 9th, 2012
8:19 pm
Birth control doesn’t cost a thing, except for the headache medicine.
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:19 pm
“This is silly, silly stuff.”
And, your point is . . . ?
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:20 pm
Bruno, got turned onto this one yesterday. It’s from a couple of kindred blue-eyed soul Philly types…
PB and I jammed out on that one, Bro.
We’re working our way through one of the Teaching Company Courses about Classical music. I just had to suffer through 3 hours of opera…..highly effective as a birth control method.
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:21 pm
“Evidently lost on the African-American culture…”
Oooooooh! tick . . . tick . . . tock! Nice knowing you!
Don’t that “doing it towel!”
bman
February 9th, 2012
8:21 pm
Oh hey Sooth! As usual, I have no point. Just taking a break from scrubbing floors
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:21 pm
JKL
Was that really necessary?
Recon 0311 2533
February 9th, 2012
8:21 pm
0311/1811
Those obstructionist Democrats.
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:22 pm
bman
Are you taking roll?
Common Sense
February 9th, 2012
8:23 pm
So the obligation has become that others are responsible for your contraception. So we should be able to stop at the CVS, and pick up a box of Trojans and charge them to our health insurance?
I didn’t think so.
bman
February 9th, 2012
8:23 pm
Josef haha…just poking my head in to see what the fuss is all about.
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:24 pm
JKL
Can’t say that about African Americans….try trailer trash or rednecks hillbillies or crackers…that’s permissible…
md
February 9th, 2012
8:24 pm
“And that is exactly what your daddy should have done……….
just kidding….. Nice discussion earlier”
And he probably tried, just a bit slow on the draw(back)….
And I always enjoy good civil discussions……and some not so civil ones too.
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:24 pm
Now, let me ask you something. Do you think they need contraception?
Recon 0311 2533
February 9th, 2012
8:24 pm
0311/1811,
Back to the “contract PFC” man that scares me. Does that mean we have H1B contractors coming to the U.S. to serve in our military.
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:24 pm
md
oh, mia culpa
sometimes fact and opinion get blurred
just saying I personally know of at least one Catholic couple that believes in birth control
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:25 pm
Id @ 8:15. We’re on the same page.
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:25 pm
bman
It’s supposed to be Catholic bashing… but we’ve moved on…
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:26 pm
sooth- Oooooooh! tick . . . tick . . . tock! Nice knowing you! Don’t that “doing it towel!”
I guess I’m too old fashioned. could I have this translated to english?
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:26 pm
my thinking is that if Viagra is covered, so should be birth control–both or neither for any gov’t purpose, direct or indirect.
for private pay the option should be there, priced accordingly
0311/1811
February 9th, 2012
8:27 pm
Recon, et al:
Here it is re: “Contract” PFC
http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9071945704/m/6380091302001
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96162
Heck, when I enlisted the Corps was DRAFTING ! That was the “contract” then ………………..
md
February 9th, 2012
8:28 pm
“So we should be able to stop at the CVS, and pick up a box of Trojans and charge them to our health insurance?”
Darn tootin…..or we have some real live de…scrim….i…na…tion going on. Or is this just about women and their bodies……like abortion always seems to be.
AmVet -
February 9th, 2012
8:28 pm
B, yoiks! I love classical music and could live on it if I had to. I just don’t want to! And the truth be told, opera is kind of lost on me. But I wish that weren’t the case because there are a few arias (The one in Philadelphia) that have left me speechless.
JKL2, you clearly have some serious racial demons that own you. And your idiom that Republicans love this country and non-Republicans don’t is…….idiotic.
The greatest guitarist from Mexico that I ever heard. Here paired with a darling little songbird…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UIojGDIBvI
0311/1811
February 9th, 2012
8:29 pm
ld:
Viagra is for a “so-called” phyical problem
Birth control is not.
0311/1811
February 9th, 2012
8:29 pm
Excuse me: physical
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:29 pm
josef- Was that really necessary?
nothing is necessary, but out-of-wedlock birth rates would suggest it’s true.
one angry queen
February 9th, 2012
8:29 pm
That josef sure is brilliant!
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:30 pm
md
if you think only women support the right of choice w/regard to abortion, think again
think child support
getalife
February 9th, 2012
8:30 pm
I watched a syrian army unit massacre a town today.
This one might get ugly.
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:30 pm
Why, thank you angry queen. So are you!
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:30 pm
out of wedlock birthrates may also reflect the cost of divorce
md
February 9th, 2012
8:31 pm
“just saying I personally know of at least one Catholic couple that believes in birth control”
Not around here you don’t……here, you don’t know if you know them, you have no clue if their really Catholic, and sure don’t know their stance on birth control……..
Stick around, you’ll see.
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:31 pm
“I guess I’m too old fashioned. could I have this translated to english?”
Those “African-Americans” you denigrate have a similar method to the “pull-out” method. It’s called the “doing-it” towel. Serves the same purpose.
Of course, Rednecks don’t never have no babies what wasn’t planned, so this is a moot point!
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:32 pm
also
out of wedlock birthrates might reflect that older unmarried professional women are having babies w/donated sperm — they want the babies but the men are, well m e n
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:33 pm
I did learn something significant about classical music: Along with PB, I most enjoy the fugue style. The polyphonic repeated fugue subject/counter subject seems to stimulate both sides of the brain simultaneously. The right brain with the melodic grandeur, the left brain with the tightly controlled rhythms.
md
February 9th, 2012
8:34 pm
“my thinking is that if Viagra is covered, so should be birth control–both or neither for any gov’t purpose, direct or indirect.”
last I checked, Viagra wasn’t covered…..neither were glasses or hearing aids….all “lifestyle” choices, so I’m told.
Yet contraceptives are suddenly different…………
bman
February 9th, 2012
8:34 pm
Josef .. .. I see that. I’m having real trouble not “going in”-to this topic with all the Viagra and how to prevent pregnancy stuff. If I said anything, it would be R-rated …and then some
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:35 pm
I can’t find anything on google to confirm, but I remember hearing a stat from a long time ago which claimed that Protestants actually have more kids than Catholics.
barking frog
February 9th, 2012
8:36 pm
Are Protestants still protesting?
Midori
February 9th, 2012
8:37 pm
md- During my younger, poorer days, we used that expensive method called “pull out ‘.
Evidently lost on the African-American culture…
um –WTF???
May I ask why my culture was singled out here?
also, are you aware of the fact that one can get pregnant using that method?
Your ignorance is right there in neon lights.
md
February 9th, 2012
8:37 pm
“if you think only women support the right of choice w/regard to abortion, think again”
Well, you’ll have to go into the archives to understand my stance that the equation goes from one to 3, but I’m too burnt out on that discussion to do it again.
Geo
February 9th, 2012
8:37 pm
“I watched a syrian army unit massacre a town today. This one might get ugly.”
Why? Our Great Warrior stands ready to strike! Well maybe once he’s done with the Catholic Church…
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:38 pm
getalife- I watched a syrian army unit massacre a town today. This one might get ugly.
I thought you liked obama spreading “democracy”?
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:39 pm
Tired of drab old winter? Try the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach on the Golf Channel now on 218 (DirecTV) or 401 (Dish Network). It’s just beautiful!
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:39 pm
getalife
That one’s already gotten messy, but just wait, we ain’t seen nuthin yet…
They BOTH suck
February 9th, 2012
8:39 pm
Soothsayer @ 8:31
You forgot to mention that they do not have abortions either
They BOTH suck
February 9th, 2012
8:41 pm
JKL2
Isn’t Obama just continuing Bush’s doctrine of spreading democracy?
moonbat betty (Ineptocrats for obama)
February 9th, 2012
8:41 pm
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops?
Never heard of them.
Glad the day was spent here hashing that out, given other current events…
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:42 pm
midori
“May I ask why my culture was singled out here?”
Because you’re Black…good L-rd, woman, don’t you ever read the memos either?
The Cloud-Jm
February 9th, 2012
8:42 pm
Josef
If he can’t acknowledge democrat Roland Martin is a bigot, then he’s as bad as the white folks who think the KKK is a civic organization
TaxPayer
February 9th, 2012
8:43 pm
Viagra is for a “so-called” phyical problem
Birth control is not.
Limp… I mean… lame.
AmVet -
February 9th, 2012
8:43 pm
B, Bach’s fugues are wonderful.
And that contrapuntal style, is in some ways the very essence of modern music.
Something about that back and forth between the musical “voices” that does engage the brain fully. And why. I believe they play classical music to infants…
Mick
February 9th, 2012
8:43 pm
bruno
That must be a recent statistic cause during the baby boom, them catholics were cranking em out. I should know, the second of nine and down the street were two other families with eight and seven….yeah, those were the jersey days, some of the best days of my life…..and to think because of einstein’s theory of relativity they are being perpetually played out along the time continuum….however, I firmly believe that the best still might be in front of us…
getalife
February 9th, 2012
8:44 pm
josef,
Yes, I should have said uglier.
Turkey should act already.
Soothsayer
February 9th, 2012
8:44 pm
Here’s a Bach number you’re sure to love!
Recon 0311 2533
February 9th, 2012
8:44 pm
0311/1811,
Okay get your contract go to Parris Island, San Diego or who knows maybe even now Bermuda, shoot a toilet seat or worse, get sent to fat boy platoon or motivation platoon and still get awarded your PFC chevron when you graduate, not if you graduate. Pretty soon they’ll be contracting Gold Bars or higher right out of boot camp. The new transformed United States Marine Corps, compliments of political correctness in our military. No damn wonder so many are getting out.
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:44 pm
Alright cultural heathens, here’s PB’s favorite pianist playing Bach’s “Well Tempered Clavier”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RjebdVKIAM&feature=related
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 9th, 2012
8:44 pm
Seems that we have a lot of geniuses here who know more about what is preventative care than the Institute of Medicine. The IOM report identified 8 services necessary to support women’s optimal health and well being. Each has a foundation of evidence supporting its effectiveness.
Contrast that with the mere blowhardiness of the statements made here.
Oy vey.
TaxPayer
February 9th, 2012
8:47 pm
Last time I checked, condoms did fall under the generic heading of “contraceptive”. I highly recommend against using the blessed version though. They’re holey.
Geo
February 9th, 2012
8:48 pm
Seems we have a few blowhards who have no clue as to religious doctrine or principles either.
AmVet -
February 9th, 2012
8:48 pm
This classical hour is making me miss Dr. Karl Haas. I loved his programs on NPR and he taught me most of what little I know about the genre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhRa3REdozw
getalife
February 9th, 2012
8:48 pm
Like our President does not give the order.
He hangs out in the war room.
Geo
February 9th, 2012
8:49 pm
No – remember – you told us he got Bin Laden and Kadahffi.
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:49 pm
sooth-Of course, Rednecks don’t never have no babies what wasn’t planned, so this is a moot point!
Of course they do, but at half the rate. Don’t let facts get in the way of you making a valid point though. Keep going…
http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/1626/Family-Living-Arrangements-FEWER-TRADITIONAL-FAMILIES.html
They BOTH suck
February 9th, 2012
8:51 pm
Recon
Many are getting out because of the number of deployments to Iraq and Afganistan.
I know a Lt Col who is currently stationed at Fort Benning. He is a West Pointer with 21 yrs and will be getting out this year. He has been to Bosnia, Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan (2 times). He is tired and wants to see his 2nd child finish out school without being deployed again
Friend of mine who is ex military is a contractor in Afghanistan. Saw him two weeks ago when he was home on vacation. He says while most troops know what they signed up for and are gladly doing their duty, they are getting tired.
Bruno
February 9th, 2012
8:52 pm
Gotta run—The Baroque Period awaits……
ld
February 9th, 2012
8:52 pm
Pregnancy itself is a cluster of physical problems (if you’re body is the one pregnant); unwanted or unhealthy pregnancy is a physical crisis, a psychological nightmare and an imminent child tragedy.
AmVet -
February 9th, 2012
8:52 pm
Geo, as you obviously feel such compelling compassion for the suffering Syrian people you could always go there and do your part to help. But all you want to do is put on display your raging ODS, no matter what he does or doesn’t do.
Save it. Neo-cons have zero credibility when it comes to matters of foreign policy…
josef
February 9th, 2012
8:52 pm
getalife
Turkey is walking a real thin line here…that Kurd thingie…they have been allowing a few of the Alawi in, they don’t want the Christians though, especially the Armenian ones (wonder why?)
JKL2
February 9th, 2012
8:53 pm
ld- out of wedlock birthrates might reflect that older unmarried professional women are having babies w/donated sperm — they want the babies but the men are, well m e n
Oh, so now all unwed mothers are old married professionals argument.
Can we get an “all abortions are for rape and inest victims” argument thrown in for good measure…
PS: I’m not laughing with you.
Geo
February 9th, 2012
8:54 pm
AmVet – abandon psychoanalysis and stick to baroque.
0311/1811
February 9th, 2012
8:55 pm
Bumper Sticker:
OMG (Obama Must Go) !
The Cloud-Jm
February 9th, 2012
8:55 pm
Turkey isn’t going to do jack
These people are just going to die
Obama is meditating on it though
That will solve things
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 9th, 2012
8:56 pm
Geo, I wholeheartedly agree. Hope you can do better than they have is discussing constitutional issues. You can of course state the test for determination if there has been an unconstitutional infringment of a religious freedom. Unless I missed it, Bruno ran away each time he was asked and never answered it.