Nothing can stand in the way of liberals holy sacrament of abortion, not even pesky law and Constitutional provisions
(The Federalist) For the past four years, the Obama administration and its friends on the Left were careful to claim that they still strongly support religious libertywhile arguing that Hobby Lobby’s Green family, Conestoga Wood Specialties’ Hahn family, and others like them must lose. Principally, they contended, religious liberty protections could not be applied to Hobby Lobby because (1) It is a for-profit corporation, (2) It isn’t a church (and thus not a true “religious employer,†and (3) It is wrong on the science—Plan B, a copper intrauterine device, et cetera, they claimed, do not cause abortions. They implied, if not claimed outright, that they would surely support religious freedom in another case, but Hobby Lobby was unworthy to claim its protections.
The State of California is now calling their bluff. California’s Department of Managed Health Care has ordered all insurance plans in the state to immediately begin covering elective abortion. Not Plan B. Not contraceptives. Elective surgical dismemberment abortion.
At the insistence of the American Civil Liberties Union, the DMHC concluded that a 40-year-old state law requiring health plans to cover “basic health services†had been misinterpreted all these decades. Every plan in the state was immediately ordered, effective August 22, to cover elective abortion. California had not even applied this test to its own state employee health plans (which covered only “medically necessary†abortions). But this novel reading was nevertheless quietly imposed on every plan in the state by fiat.
Churches are being forced to cover surgical abortion procedures, but not chemical. Regardless, this violates the 1st Amendment, the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act and
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 1 DECLARATION OF RIGHTS SEC. 4. Free exercise and enjoyment of religion without discrimination or preference are guaranteed. This liberty of conscience does not excuse acts that are licentious or inconsistent with the peace or safety of the State. The Legislature shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. A person is not incompetent to be a witness or juror because of his or her opinions on religious beliefs.
That’s pretty clear. Except to abortionistas.
And for the truth, read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/is-california-forcing-churches-to-pay-for-abortions/2014/10/24/60b10e7a-5ba6-11e4-9d6c-756a229d8b18_story.html
“… Michelle Rouillard, director of the California Department of Managed Health Care, sent a letter to Anthem Blue Cross and several other insurance firms in August warning providers that state law requires insurers to not deny women abortions. “Thus, all health plans must treat maternity services and legal abortion neutrally,†she wrote.
Rouillard (also) wrote that state law provides an exemption for religious institutions.
“Although health plans are required to cover legal abortions, no individual health care provider, religiously sponsored health carrier, or health care facility may be required by law or contract in any circumstance to participate in the provision of or payment for a specific service if they object to doing so for reason of conscience or religion,†she wrote.
and…
“No person may be discriminated against in employment or professional privileges because of such objection.â€
What people don’t understand is that government should not be telling anyone what to cover. In doing so, we lose even more liberty.
Jeff,
I am sorry, I forgot to tell you that you are wrong.