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[Invisible_Insane]

I don't have any problem with Obama letting religious employers enforce their dickery on their employees. Lay with dogs, you sign up for fleas.

I would feel that way if this was just about churches. The story about a female grad student who had birth control prescribed for a condition with her ovaries, couldn't get coverage, and eventually had to have one of the ovaries removed is the kind of story that bothers me.

Single fucking payer. Someday.

 

[thefro]

I don't have any problem with Obama letting religious employers enforce their dickery on their employees. Lay with dogs, you sign up for fleas.

Well, the insurance company's being mandated to cover the contraceptives, not the religious employer being mandated to provide insurance that covers contraceptives.

 

[GhaleonEB]

This is the best decision that could be made.

Only religious nuts and left wing nuts will be outraged over this


On Twitter

More:

White House Announces Contraception Accommodation For Religious Orgs

On a conference call with reporters Friday, a senior administration official announced that the White House will move the onus to provide women free contraceptive services to insurance companies if their religiously-affiliated employers object to providing insurance coverage that covers birth control.

"All women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive services," the official said. "The insurance company will be required to reach out directly and offer her contraceptive coverage free of charge," if the employer objects to providing that coverage in its benefit package.​

That is one damn smart way around it. From the perspective of the employee, it doesn't matter who offers the coverage so long as they are covered. The outrage will have to get even more convoluted - they're going to have to rage that even the employee's own insurance shouldn't provide contraception coverage. That'll go over well.

I'm surprised and impressed.

 

[RustyNails]

I thought WH was just gonna let the church do it's contraceptive circus and make mockery of itself on national TV. Compromiser in chief strikes once again! Either that or it's not sensible to go into a fight with the catholic church in an election year.
Edit: nvm. Looks like WH pitched the church against the insurance companies. Whoever loses, we win!

 

[Invisible_Insane]

Well, the insurance company's being mandated to cover the contraceptives, not the religious employer being mandated to provide insurance that covers contraceptives.

Can't wait for the bishops to argue: if we're allowing you to participate in the coverage, then you shouldn't take the pills.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

its the best news. the best compromise that could be made.

Well, it seems like you're right. Interesting development.

 

[GhaleonEB]

The most extreme reaction I can think of is, well if the health plans are required to offer contraceptive care, then we won't offer health coverage to our employees. Which would be insanity. But I'm guessing someone will argue they should do that today at CPAC or something. For the freedoms.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Whatever the reaction to this is, I'm pretty sure it's going to be hilarious and we'll all have a good laugh looking at them scramble.

 

[Crisco]

Yeah, this "compromise" seems like a giant middle finger to the religious organizations who were objecting about this, and puts the onus on them to say even crazier shit if they want to keep fighting this. GG 'Bams!

 

[Jadedx]

What's really sad is the anti-religious tone of gaf. Gaf says they hate religion because they are forcing their agenda on to everyone, but the super left wing also wants to force their agenda onto everyone. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

 

[maximum360]

I swear to God the man has never heard of getting out in front of an issue.


Yes, but which side are you on? That's all that matters. Just kidding, welcome.

That's why I said it was best for him to get out in front of the cameras, state their intent and move on [yesterday]. The opposition is always willing to take even minor issues and make them seem like an outrageous scandal, etc.

 

[thefro]

From what I'm reading, in the Hawaii the insurance companies agreed to give the contraceptive coverage for free because it saved them money in the long-term.

If that's the case, there's no funding at all from Catholic organizations, women still get free coverage. Win/win.

 

[GhaleonEB]

What's really sad is the anti-religious tone of gaf. Gaf says they hate religion because they are forcing their agenda on to everyone, but the super left wing also wants to force their agenda onto everyone. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

The super left wing agenda of access to contraceptive coverage for women. The horrors!

 

[maximum360]

More:

White House Announces Contraception Accommodation For Religious Orgs

On a conference call with reporters Friday, a senior administration official announced that the White House will move the onus to provide women free contraceptive services to insurance companies if their religiously-affiliated employers object to providing insurance coverage that covers birth control.

"All women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive services," the official said. "The insurance company will be required to reach out directly and offer her contraceptive coverage free of charge," if the employer objects to providing that coverage in its benefit package.​

That is one damn smart way around it. From the perspective of the employee, it doesn't matter who offers the coverage so long as they are covered. The outrage will have to get even more convoluted - they're going to have to rage that even the employee's own insurance shouldn't provide contraception coverage. That'll go over well.

I'm surprised and impressed.

I have no problem with this either. Mission accomplished on both ends. There are other battles worth fighting.

 

[Mike M]

Well I certainly withdraw my complaint. The details of the compromise as I understand them seem eminently reasonable in providing the same end result while disarming the "War on religion" stuff.

Predictable response will probably be outrage at forcing insurers to provide coverage without the employee or employer paying for it.

 

[ToxicAdam]

What's really sad is the anti-religious tone of gaf. Gaf says they hate religion because they are forcing their agenda on to everyone, but the super left wing also wants to force their agenda onto everyone. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

Most of the general hate for religion comes from a small band of strong atheists. The only time the rest of the people pile on is when those religious people try to infuse their man-made morality into legislation.

But, you are right, the far left are just as eager to control people and dictate how they should live. Also, shouting them down and attempting to squelch their free speech if they disagree. It's equally disturbing.

 

[Cloudy]

Obama proves yet again his spine is made of jello.

WTF man, you give up even when you're winning?

Boy does that cartoon of Obama moving to the right, and the Republican smirking and moving further right fit so well right now.

Letting this play out longer only helps te GOP especially with the media not reporting it accurately.

The silver linking here I that this politicking by the Catholic Right allows them to tout a benefit few women knew about.

 

[planar1280]

Most of the general hate for religion comes from a small band of strong atheists. The only time the rest of the people pile on is when those religious people try to infuse their man-made morality into legislation.

But, you are right, the far left are just as eager to control people and dictate how they should live. Also, shouting them down and attempting to squelch their free speech if they disagree. It's equally disturbing.

you should lead the middle of the ground 'sensibility' pact

 

[Jadedx]

The super left wing agenda of access to contraceptive coverage for women. The horrors!

It is still forcing something they don't believe in. What if the government forced you to go to mass everyday? Would you not be upset?

 

[GhaleonEB]

It is still forcing something they don't believe in. What if the government forced you to go to mass everyday? Would you not be upset?

The difference is, the religious organizations would be depriving women of access to health care. My question to you is, why should they be exempted from the law that requires it?

Your example makes no sense, since no one is depriving me from going to mass. I could do so if I wanted to.

 

[cousins]

this contraception issue is so stupid.

 

[Cloudy]

I swear to God the man has never heard of getting out in front of an issue.

They just didn't expect this kind of freak out about something that's already on the books in 28 states. That said, after 3 years of this shit, they should have known the GOP would try to use anything as a wedge issue

 

[Jadedx]

The difference is, the religious organizations would be depriving women of access to health care. My question to you is, why should they be exempted from the law that requires it?

Your example makes no sense, since no one is depriving me from going to mass. I could do so if I wanted to.

Because it goes against what they fundamentally believe, that was my point. Besides women from religious orgs could still get contraception with supplemental insurance or out of pocket. The organizations just don't want to pay for it.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

This is the best decision that could be made.

Only religious nuts and left wing nuts will be outraged over this


On Twitter

Yep! This actually IMO is better than the original.

1) We will most likely see the GOP go after Obama for making the poor Insurance companies carry the load. They'll argue it's another example of the assault on free enterprise and the free market. That it will force the Insurance industry to cut services.

2) I say it should be the insurance company that has to cover it anyway. Make them actually provide service for people who pay for their services.

I am actually pleasantly surprised that the administration didn't just scrap the entire thing altogether.

 

[Dude Abides]

It is still forcing something they don't believe in. What if the government forced you to go to mass everyday? Would you not be upset?

What other laws should you be able to claim an exemption from based on religious belief? Marijuana possession? Animal cruelty?

 

[TestOfTide]

What's really sad is the anti-religious tone of gaf. Gaf says they hate religion because they are forcing their agenda on to everyone, but the super left wing also wants to force their agenda onto everyone. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

God forbid we make sure employees get insurance that covers the only known effective way of reducing unwanted pregnancy (meaning less abortions) as well as the only known effective way of reducing the spread of AIDs and other incurable STDs.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

What's really sad is the anti-religious tone of gaf. Gaf says they hate religion because they are forcing their agenda on to everyone, but the super left wing also wants to force their agenda onto everyone. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

Civilization will continue to progress. We are at the point where religion is, at best, irrelevant to that progress. Inevitably, civilization will discard religion.

Were in kind of an awkward in between phase right now.

It's not the far left forcing their agenda- it's the natural progression of civilization demanding change.

 

[Jadedx]

Civilization will continue to progress. We are at the point where religion is, at best, irrelevant to that progress. Inevitably, civilization will discard religion.

Were in kind of an awkward in between phase right now.

It's not the far left forcing their agenda- it's the natural progression of civilization demanding change.

Pfft. What trite.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

It is still forcing something they don't believe in. What if the government forced you to go to mass everyday? Would you not be upset?

Well how about we let employers who are against bi racial relationships not cover such employees? How about if we let employers who have issues with fat people not have to cover them with health insurance or perhaps they should be able to not hire them because they are fat (for positions where it doesn't affect your requirements). How about we allow employers to not offer equal opportunity for women if they don't believe in it based on the Bible? Why stop here?

 

[RDreamer]

Is it just me or are the crazies coming out more and more on Facebook. I keep getting stupid political cartoons and things like that being shared by my idiot friend. Just had one of them motivation poster things that someone shared that said "Urinalysis: shouldn't you have to pass a urine test to collect a welfare check, since I have to pass one to earn it for you?" I posted a response that I personally don't like wasting government money on useless programs, and pointed to Florida where they lost money to do that. I got a few other crazies from my high school to chime in against me. At the end one of them posted something about being glad to get under my skin, but then she deleted it posted that "Ranting about it doesnt and will not change how I feel because frankly your opinion does not matter to me."

I love people that have opinions that they will readily admit cannot be changed, no matter how much actual factual evidence comes up.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Because it goes against what they fundamentally believe, that was my point. Besides women from religious orgs could still get contraception with supplemental insurance or out of pocket. The organizations just don't want to pay for it.

Now, extend that argument further to things many people also believe and would like to enforce about what kind of services they offer to subsets of the population. You might find the argument has problems.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Pfft. What trite.

I had a feeling you'd like that one.

 

[TestOfTide]

Pfft. What trite.

When the Pope insists that condoms don't help prevent the spread of AIDs and numerous religious organizations keep trying to make sure kids learn intelligent design, it's hard not to think that at the very least progress tends to mean disenfranchising those that take their religion too literally.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

Apparently Santorum supporter Foster Freeze made the following joke at a ralley:

A liberal, moderate, and conservative walk into a bar
The bartender says 'Hey Mitt!'

lol

 

[GaimeGuy]

lol @ trollbama

 

[PhoenixDark]

It's not even about the compromise being acceptable. This is another example of an unforced error on the part of a president who is clearly not a leader or capable of being one. Every poll showed this was largely a media creation yet Obama never spoke out on it. Not one word. This administration is simply unable to get ahead of a story, or address one

Obama is the luckiest US politician of all time. He should go down as a disappointing foot note in history whose legislative victories were quickly overturned; a cautious tale of unmet expectations. Instead republicans might just hand him four more years of recovery and a shot at being the democrat Reagan. Wow

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

It's not even about the compromise being acceptable. This is another example of an unforced error on the part of a president who is clearly not a leader or capable of being one. Every poll showed this was largely a media creation yet Obama never spoke out on it. Not one word. This administration is simply unable to get ahead of a story, or address one

Obama is the luckiest US politician of all time. He should go down as a disappointing foot note in history whose legislative victories were quickly overturned; a cautious tale of unmet expectations. Instead republicans might just hand him four more years of recovery and a shot at being the democrat Reagan. Wow

lol haha oh Konex, you so crazy.

 

[adamsappel]

Pfft. What trite.

I think you mean "tripe"; trite is an adjective.

 

[RustyNails]

It is still forcing something they don't believe in. What if the government forced you to go to mass everyday? Would you not be upset?

In the end, the government is responsible for making sure it's citizens lead a productive, healthy life, not private corporations or religious institutions. The government is taking into account say non-Catholics working for a Catholic institution. The govt cannot say "well you made your choice now become teh preggs!" Ultimately, people who don't want contraceptive coverage, ardent pro-life people will not use contraceptive benefits whereas people who want to practice contraception will use it. What's the problem? The Church should be more welcoming to people of other beliefs, but we all know that's rarely the case.

 

[GaimeGuy]

It's not even about the compromise being acceptable. This is another example of an unforced error on the part of a president who is clearly not a leader or capable of being one. Every poll showed this was largely a media creation yet Obama never spoke out on it. Not one word. This administration is simply unable to get ahead of a story, or address one

Obama is the luckiest US politician of all time. He should go down as a disappointing foot note in history whose legislative victories were quickly overturned; a cautious tale of unmet expectations. Instead republicans might just hand him four more years of recovery and a shot at being the democrat Reagan. Wow

the only disappointment has been congress (namely, senate leadership and the obstructionist republicans).

Obama has been doing his job as an executive quite well. Congress needs to learn to stand on its own two feet though

 

[RustyNails]

It's not even about the compromise being acceptable. This is another example of an unforced error on the part of a president who is clearly not a leader or capable of being one. Every poll showed this was largely a media creation yet Obama never spoke out on it. Not one word. This administration is simply unable to get ahead of a story, or address one

Obama is the luckiest US politician of all time. He should go down as a disappointing foot note in history whose legislative victories were quickly overturned; a cautious tale of unmet expectations. Instead republicans might just hand him four more years of recovery and a shot at being the democrat Reagan. Wow

Please tell us more about how Obama's father left him when he was a kid and he has deep psychological issues when presented with conflict

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

It's not even about the compromise being acceptable. This is another example of an unforced error on the part of a president who is clearly not a leader or capable of being one. Every poll showed this was largely a media creation yet Obama never spoke out on it. Not one word. This administration is simply unable to get ahead of a story, or address one

Obama is the luckiest US politician of all time. He should go down as a disappointing foot note in history whose legislative victories were quickly overturned; a cautious tale of unmet expectations. Instead republicans might just hand him four more years of recovery and a shot at being the democrat Reagan. Wow

It almost makes you miss GWB, doesn't it.

 

[Ashitaka]

The most extreme reaction I can think of is, well if the health plans are required to offer contraceptive care, then we won't offer health coverage to our employees. Which would be insanity. But I'm guessing someone will argue they should do that today at CPAC or something. For the freedoms.

Which just becomes a better argument for single payer. "Oh, the hospital you work for doesn't want to offer health insurance? May the government should do it."

 

[RDreamer]

What's really sad is the anti-religious tone of gaf. Gaf says they hate religion because they are forcing their agenda on to everyone, but the super left wing also wants to force their agenda onto everyone. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

Wait a second. No one is forcing someone who doesn't believe in using contraceptives to use them. If there's a religious person working for an organization they are completely free to not use contraceptives. If someone needs contraceptives but works for, say a religious university that decides they're not going to cover it, then what? What this measure would do isn't forcing a left agenda on religious people, it's forcing religious organizations to not force their agenda on others.

 

[Mike M]

Apparently Santorum supporter Foster Freeze made the following joke at a ralley:

A liberal, moderate, and conservative walk into a bar
The bartender says 'Hey Mitt!'

lol

Wait, this is a real person?

I thought it was some sort of joke about getting his support from a fast-food chain.

 

[BotoxAgent]

It's not even about the compromise being acceptable. This is another example of an unforced error on the part of a president who is clearly not a leader or capable of being one. Every poll showed this was largely a media creation yet Obama never spoke out on it. Not one word. This administration is simply unable to get ahead of a story, or address one

Obama is the luckiest US politician of all time. He should go down as a disappointing foot note in history whose legislative victories were quickly overturned; a cautious tale of unmet expectations. Instead republicans might just hand him four more years of recovery and a shot at being the democrat Reagan. Wow

aww, that's cute

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Time for some important legislation
Gulf of Mexico will be renamed Gulf of America

If a Mississippi lawmaker gets his way, the Gulf of Mexico will become the “Gulf of America.”
Mississippi State Rep. Steve Holland, a Democrat, has introduced a bill calling for the part of the Gulf of Mexico that is bordered by Mississippi to be renamed the “Gulf of America.”
The measure, known as HB 150 and introduced to the state House Marine Resources Committee, says the body of water will have its new name beginning July 1.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

Wait, this is a real person?

I thought it was some sort of joke about getting his support from a fast-food chain.

I was shocked too lol. I use to love going to Fosters Freeze and getting their chocolate shell covered vanilla ice cream cones.

Fuck yea.

Go back to Mexico, ocean!

LOL!

 

[RDreamer]

Fuck yea.

Go back to Mexico, ocean!

We're done here. This is the best and only response possible. Next topic.

 

[Mike M]

We're done here. This is the best and only response possible. Next topic.

Seconded.