AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s attorney general has joined several other state attorneys general in signing a letter recently that asks President Barack Obama to reverse his administration’s stance on requiring health insurance companies to provide contraception coverage.
“A recently proposed federal mandate requiring religious employers that provide health insurance coverage to their employees to include coverage for contraceptives, sterilization, and related services fails to preserve a sufficient exemption for religious affiliated organizations and is therefore unconstitutional,” Attorney General William Schneider said in a statement Wednesday. “As a result of this federal mandate, many religiously affiliated organizations could now find that they have to act contrary to their religious beliefs and provide for free contraceptive coverage in their health plans.
“This is precisely the kind of federal mandate that the First Amendment is intended to prohibit.”
Schneider’s position has angered some women’s groups. The Maine Choice Coalition said Wednesday that it’s disappointed and argued that by signing the letter, Schneider appears to be reversing his own position.
In 1999, when Schneider was a member of the Maine House of Representatives, he voted in favor of Maine’s contraception equity law. Since then, Maine law has required all health insurance policies that provide prescription drug coverage to include contraceptive coverage, with a limited exception for churches and religiously-affiliated schools.
“This is so disappointing,” said Charlotte Warren of the Maine Women’s Lobby. “At a time when so many Mainers are hurting already and organizations like ours are working to improve women’s health, we are now forced to fight against these bills that aim to reverse decades of progress for women’s health.”
Schneider is among 13 state attorneys general — all Republicans — who are threatening to sue the Obama administration for its recent policy position on birth control. The letter was sent Feb. 10 to the president.
Schneider’s office did not announce earlier this month that he would sign the letter but put out a statement Wednesday in response to media requests.
Obama endured criticism recently when he proposed a new federal policy that would have required all employers to provide contraception at no cost. Shortly after his proposal was announced, the president softened his stance and said religiously affiliated hospitals and universities would not have to contribute to the cost of birth control coverage.
Republicans, including presidential candidate Rick Santorum, have seized on the issue and have accused Obama of trampling religious freedoms.
“Religious liberty does not mean the right to impose religious views on others,” said Shenna Bellows, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. “Employers should not be able to impose their moral views about birth control on the women who work for them.”
There are bills pending in Congress that would allow employers to prohibit their employees from accessing health care coverage for procedures they deem morally objectionable.
Women’s groups in Maine and across the country say those bills would move the country backward.
“All women should have access to contraception, have it without a co-pay, and have it no matter where they work,” said Ruth Lockhart, executive director of the Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center. “Asking for anything else is unfair — and flies in the face of what the vast majority of Mainers feel about the issue.”
Just one question Mr. Schneider–Who are you representing with this stance? I will have to guess that it is not the people of the state of Maine so much as your out of state corporate sponsors.
Mr. Schneider is obviously protecting the 1st Amendment Right of Freedom of Religion being trampled on by Obamacare’s mandate requiring all health insurance providers, with the exception of churches, to pay for contraception, abortion inducing drugs, and sterilizations coverage. The exemption provision in the law does not extend to individuals and religious organizations who for reasons of conscience may not participate in such insurance plans. Anyone or any organization that refuses to participate will be subject to hefty penalities. Obama has in effect gone back on his promise not to force tax payers to pay for abortions.
Simple…you don’t have to ask your doctor to fill the prescription. Since 2009 insurances have been mandated to cover colonoscopies. That doesn’t mean you have to have one.
Sally, you’re missing the point totally. Employers are given no choice under Obamacare but to provide objectionable insurance coverage to their employees. Unlike before when they had a choice of insurance plans; one that offered coverage for contraceptives, abortion inducing drugs, and sterilization; or one that did not offer that coverage; that choice is no longer possible unless the employer is a church. In effect the law forces employers (except churches) and individuals to pay for insurance coverage that is against their conscience. Would you want, for instance, to pay for a hit man to kill someone else?
No, I’m NOT missing the point. This is something that the Republicans are using for political purposes. And your hit man sentence is ridiculous!
I would urge you to reread my comment slowly so you fully understand what I am saying. I don’t think you are getting the import of my statement. Mark my word, the exemption in Obamacare will be struck down by the Supreme Court for being too narrow if it is not broadened to include individuals and religious organizations. You can copy this comment to set it aside if you think you can make me eat crow with it later.
Your condescending attitude speaks volumns.
No, I’m not condescending by saying, “I don’t think you are getting the import of my statement”. But whether you fully understand my point or not, there is no sense in going on with this argument.
I totally agree with the last half of your last sentence!
Now that was condescending and expected.
Read this statement slowly, ” Employers are given no choice under Obamacare but to provide objectionable insurance coverage to their employers.”
It makes no sense whatsoever. First, Employers are not providing insurance to employers. The person who wrote that was neither reading nor writing slowly enough to make sense.
Secondly, the person who wrote it said that all insurers will be forced to provide objectionable coverage to all their employees. That is such a stupid statement. It says that everybody will be forced to accept objectionable coverage. So if I don’t have a problem with my current insurance, will they have to come up with something objectionable in there? Like will they make me go to the doctor wearing a Tea Party button? That would be objectionable.
Whawell, you wrote an incomprehensible sentence and then berated somebody who wondered what it means. Re-read it and use the edit button, it will make us think your IQ jumped a dozen points!
Thank you for pointing out a typo mistake. My statement should have read “Employers are given no choice under Obamacare but to provide objectionable insurance coverage to their employees.”
As to your second objection, I certainly did not state ALL insurers are being forced to provide objectionable coverage to all their employees. The mandate applies to all employers (except churches) who are required by law to insure all their employees. It also applies to individual self-insurers.
And, if I remember correctly, once the full Health Care law is in effect, employers will be fined if they do not provide a company insurance plan–and if they do offer a plan to avoid those fines, they must offer coverage that violates their faith.
In the land of the free, this is unconscionable. A woman is free to use whatever contraception she wants, she is not free to order someone else to pay for it.
You’re right, a woman is free to use and buy contraceptives. But under Obamncare, employers, with the exception of churches, have NO CHOICE but to pay for those contraceptives through their insurances policies.
If churches can’t meet the labor laws then should they be employers ?
If they are employers, where does a tax free status for employers come from ?
A church is a church.
The compensation is in lieu of services provide by the insured via the employer employee relationship.
The insureds “Labor” paid for the insurance !
“Mr. Schneider is obvikously protecting the 1st Amendment Right of Freedom of Religion being trampled on by Obamacare’s mandate” …. that offers (ed) coverage for contraceptives ….on the same basis as currently covers Viagra.
So relative to God’s plan, God’s will, or to anyone claiming to either know it,
or that it matters in the conception arena,
what could possibly be more against the will of God or otherwise …
… wacked ?.. than Viagra ?
Need, I spell out the details of why it might be unnaturally foolhardy,
on any level, in any aspect of making this effort to reduce health costs in America, being about high ideas and principles,
without equating how contraception should be handled differently than a drug
used to remedy male impotency
…. is so fundamentally flawed, that is too embarrassing to need be addressed.
So, let’s your leave faith out of it.
Let’s just look at it from a Darwinist point of view, shall we ?
Woman controlling when to have a child, for both her and her off spring’s
best advantage is far sounder a practice than one where males,
who for whatever reasons are incapable of breeding, breed anyway.
Even the most conservative Darwinist would see that.
On any level it is equally flawed by that same sort of boldfaced hypocrisy
to even consider treating contraception differently than how Viagra is handled
and just as easily dismissed
…. at least in a Nation where principles like individual liberty, freedom, equality, equal treatment under the law, and fair play for all are stilled valued.
That is a place you can know because my freedom from your religion
is equal to, but not greater than, your freedom of religion.
My America is still like that.
Than as a different point Re; Government interference with anyone’s rights,
Should woman have a similar choice, just out of respect like you demand for your beliefs, about what conservative passed laws require be stuck into you,
or not in your opinion, Whatwell ?
VA House Passes Transvaginal Ultrasound Bill
… ( and might have backed away from it as bad politics,)
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2012/02/22/abortion-virginia-ultrasound
That’s another topic of discussion that has nothing to do with the current discussion.
Which part, sandbagger ?
lol.
You brought in the discussion of theology in your comment. That topic has nothing to do with the objection to the Obamacare mandate.
Oh, by the way, no more name-calling. It’s against the rules for posting.
Name calling ?
It being the obvious truth is a positive defense
So to avoid the point you need to avoid, IS FALSE WITNESS AGAINST ANY RULES THAT YOU
KNOW OF ?
… and I brought up Darwinism, too.
Is that were you got lost ?
You are missing the point. AG Schneider would have one church dictate what kind of health care coverage people get, and that would be a violation of the establishment clause of the First Amendment, a violation of our religious freedom! Remember, the hospitals in question serve the general public and employ the general public.
Under Obama’s plan, churches themselves and their insurance companies would not have to cover anything they disagree with. And religiously related hospitals would not directly cover contraception, either. Insurance companies would, however, because their (the hospitals) employees come from the general public and so do their patients. You would have one church dictate the health coverage those people get. That’s a violation of their freedom of religion. My church supports contraception, but you would have the Catholic Church dictate the coverage that members of my church get if they go to the hospital. Stop violating our religious freedom, please.
Someone still has to offer ,and pay for, this coverage.
So ?
Insurance companies have no morals ? What is your point ?
“Mr. Schneider is obvikously protecting the 1st Amendment…”
I think he getting in bed with the Bishop, politically,
even though the Bishop supports Unions because they are both Godly and natural :
“Malone also explained why the church takes positions and lobbies on political issues, but he did not urge legislators to support any particular bills or initiatives.”
( then ) …
“People of faith would be remiss in our duty were we to remain silent in this regard,” Malone said at the event, held at the Governor Hill Mansion, not far from the State House. “Religion is not simply a private, personal thing, as some would argue. The church is not a political party, nor do we ever endorse political parties or candidates for office. Our role is to inform public debate about the universal truths and principles of a just and compassionate society.
“The principles that the church proposes and defends in public life are not strictly religious principles known only through divine revelation — Scripture — but are derived from natural law, which can be known by right reason,” he continued. “These natural law principles can be discussed by all people of good will who are open to rational discourse and truth. And the conviction that there are, in fact, absolute unchanging truths, knowable by reason ….”
… “The diocese opposed a bill that would prevent workers at the former DeCoster egg farms from unionizing. The bill passed Tuesday in the House along party lines. “
I see the unions and democrats want to get rid of the egg industry much like the paper and shoe industry.
Did you poll the hens, too ?
Just as much as the the unions and democrats, did you say ?
I trust you to speak for them more that I do for you speak for those others.
So what do you know about what they think, Timmy ?
I see they are trying to unionize the workforce.We all know that run the paper industry out of maine.
Oh, see Timmy.
Oh, see Timmy run.
Oh, see Timmy desperately trying to change the subject.
Glad you agree the dems and unions ran the good paying jobs off.
You better not quit the day job, and try to play the market, or anything like that which requires you to be right, Boss.
http://www.theroot.com/buzz/obamas-birth-control-rule-was-law-during-bush-years
Good article.
untrue, simply untrue
what part is untrue? I’m not really expecting an answer from you on this one.
Pleas read suprme court rulings
I have, extensively. There is no freedom from religion stated in even in those rulings .
Oh here’s one for you:Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation, 551 U.S. 587 (2007. They lost that one.
You might find several that deal with public monies and the spending of it, but you will find non that expressly give an individual the Freedom From Religion.Atheist and other like minded groups have tried, and cry about it all the time, but haven’t gotten there yet.
churches are not required to pay although many do including some catholic-
“Health insurance is another form of compensation provided to an employee. Employer-sponsored or -provided insurance policies are a form of non-monetary compensation in which the employer contracts with an insurance company and pays a portion of the premiums to the insurer, which holds the money to be paid out only as directed by the employee. We know that this non-monetary form of compensation is substantively and legally no different from monetary compensation (salary) because, without the specific exemption in the IRS Code, the employer-paid cost of the health insurance policy would be taxed as ordinary income to the employee even though the employee receives it in the form of non-monetary insurance benefits.”
get a clue laddie
LOL, I have a clue . So you have established that Employer contributions are a form of compensation as the I.R.S rules state, so what’s your point? The Employer set’s the terms and amount of wages, not the Government.The Employer,for now, decides what the Insurance company might cover and negotiates the plan.. So you have actually supported my view on this matter.Thank you Lassie.
IMO, taxpayers should be paying for abortions. Why should someone’s religious beliefs interfere with the rights of others to choose whether or not to have an abortion? The Catholic Church and other extreme right-wing conservative religious sects are more than a little hypocritical: ” don’t interfere with our religous freedom but we should be able to force you to act in ways that are based on our religious faith.”
When is the Catholic Church going to start paying taxes, BTW? They are very much a political entity with their own private “country” in Vatican City.
The church’s position on Obamacare’s mandate will not take away the choice to have an abortion. It simply states that people and religious organizations should not be forced to pay for these directly or indirect through insurance policies.
They already do sterilizations
“Trampled on”? Really?
That’s the phrase you want to use? Really?
Yes, really. People and religious organizations should not be forced to pay for something directly or indirectly through health insurance they are opposed to for reasons of conscience. Right now some employers under Obamacare law are being required to pay for aspects of health coverage for their employees that they are opposed to.
If your religion prevents you from treating your employees without prejudice, you shouldn’t be allowed to have any.
Freedom of religion. Not freedom to employ people.
There is no prejudice in not giving something for free, if you want an abortion, fine it is your right, but don’t ask others to pay for it.
People who honestly disagree with you are not “trampling on” anything.
They disagree.
No need for the hyperbole, is there?
The “trampling on” comes in when we have Obama Care shoved down our throats . You have a right to an opinion, just not to illegally force it on the rest of us.
Freedom from religion is what makes the USA great.
The First Amendment protects our freedom from Religion so people can practice any, all or no Religion.
LOL, wow. The funny thing is, I think you actually believe there is some sort of Freedom from religion clause in the Constitution , Unbelievable. I blame the teachers.
I think he meant freedom OF religion.
I think he meant freedom FROM religion. When we get to the point that religious organizations can dictate public policy, we’re entering the land of the mullahs. Tax exempt religious institutions should not be in a position to dictate secular laws. Are we to kowtow to every whim of the churches?
We did away with Blue Laws (everything closed on Sunday). See how the sky fell!
We did away with religious tests for office. Malls are open on Sunday since 1990. Next will come car dealerships. Welcome to the 21st century!
Religious organizations, like any other organizations, cannot dictate public policy but they free to influence it! Anyway, the current exemption in the Obamacare mandate is too narrow. It violates the 1st Amendment. If not broadened sufficiently, the exemption will end up being be challenged before the Supreme Court. The sooner this happens, the better.
Well, when you put it that way, why pay me at all? God only knows what I’ll do with that money. It may be something that my boss (or his religion– the one I’m sure he practices to perfection in every other part of his life) might object to!
We gals should just get vouchers from our employers. A rent voucher. A food voucher. A clothing voucher. That way our employers can go to heaven. And isn’t that the whole point of a woman’s life anyhow? To labor for an approved cause and be rewarded only after the Pope gives his blessing?
This way, boys! The road to paradise runs right through my cervix!!!!
Great plan.
Mr. Schneider is a pandering hack just like the man who appointed him to his post.
It is such a Republican issue that I am shocked! shocked I tell you, to see you write an opinion in lockstep with your leaders! Trampling on the 1st Amendment! Forcing taxpayer funded abortions!
Where did that last one come from, this matter is about private insurers!! The AG is trying to curry favor with people like you, who only echo what the worst of the Republican Party says. That’s what Schneider is doing, and you can’t figure it out.
Why, if it is so contrary to the Catholic Church, do other Catholic institutions already have policies that include contraception?
” Why, if it is so contrary to the Catholic Church, do other Catholic institutions already have policies that include contraception”
Right on, Acountian !.
AND given your fine point; ” this matter is about private insurers!! “… how do feel about expecting it be treated in same way they treat Viagra ?
Is it a fair point to raise in your opinion ?
The fight to protect our 1st Amendment Right is a human rights issue to the core. For me, it has little to do with the Church. My earnest hope is that the Obamacare mandate violating the right of conscience of many Americans will be put on trial before the US Supreme Court, the sooner the better.
If the church does not want to obey federal law, it can stop accepting federal money. Simple as that.
Schneider, who voted for a bill identical to Obama’s position, is flip-flopping in order to impose a narrow religious doctrine on the general public — the hospitals employ and serve the general public. Schneider’s position violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Obama got the constitutional question right, and Schneider is getting it wrong. Schneider would violate our freedom of religion by having one particular church dictate what kind of health coverage people get.
He’s speaking for me.
We are all so sorry for you then.
So what kind of disability keeps a man from speaking for himself, then ?
Mr. Schneider is threatening to sue the federal government to negate a law that is the same as a state law he is charged with enforcing and which he voted for when in the legislature.
Like Mitt, I guess, he was for it before he was against it.
These Republicans keep getting curiouser and curiouser.
As a life long Republican I am really disheartned by the way my party is acting towards a woman’s humans rights….protect and take care of herself. My party has gone to far to the left on these issues and will lose the woman’s vote in November, along with many Republicans switching to independant.
Woman need to start voicing there concerns now before jokers like Mr. Schneider start making fools of themselves by trying to disallow a law that he already swore to up hold. And second Mr. Schneider, President Obama is way out of your league. You better stick with trying to bully Maine citizens like our wonderful Governor….seems like this is all my Republican Party can do for now is go around bullying people and whining instead of creating solutions to loss of jobs, unemployment etc. Whay petty politics is this….
And the GOP war on women, and people in general continues.
They think we can’t think for ourselves.
That hasn’t worked out well so far.
Well that may be a learned perception they’ve developed since childhood. Did you see Newt’s third/current/wife today? When asked what she was giving up for Lent she responded with a smile, “I’m giving up my opinion.” For her the price for that appears to have been a half million in diamonds. “Just nod your helmet head and smile dear, okay master.” This is how conservatives are created. It’s also how others who may have lost their way and lived for a time under a philosophy of service to someone other than themselves, are “Born Again” into conservatism.
I actually wonder if women do think for themselves. I find some of the most independent thinking women out there are the ones who haven’t let themselves become slaves to “the man”. They work for themselves, raise and educate their own children. Aren’t putting harmful drugs (birth control pills) into their bodies, having as many children as they want to and giving birth they way they want to.
Your talking about a real women.Not one of obamas new entitled creations.
Some vote for Republicans!
{They think we can’t think for ourselves.}
Thats a given!
So true. It’s amazing that a political party would believe that treating their citizens as such would cause anyone but the most wacky to support them (I see a few here) in the coming elections. It’s almost as though they see that their time in power is quickly coming to an end and they want to shove as much ultra conservative ideology down the nation’s throat before being shown the door. Which makes no sense since, 1. They’re about to lose and lose big, and 2. Much of the wackiness they’ve already forced upon us will all be overturned as soon as that door hits them on their behinds. Then they can be left to wonder, “Do ya think we should try moderating some of our policies the next time someone actually shows up to listen to us?” Sadly, some people never learn from their mistakes.
Whats amazing is people believing that the democrats are concerned about citizens and their rights.They sit back dream up programs that politically look great.Suck all the money out of it with (administration cost) and very little ever reach’s the needy.This country has spent trillions on these plans.They have not helped anyone other than the democrats that sponsored the bill.Yet the poor still believes they want to help them.Keep them poor and wanting more that will get us votes.
The poor are usually the undereducated. As a kid I watched my dad ( a democratic politician ) worry about the little guy , the poor , the hungry , in his speaches and when it did not cost him anything. He did however promise them everything while running for re-election. I grew up with tons of broken promises and lies. You might guess I study the character of the politician I vote for carefully. I’d advise anyone to know who you are voting for before listening to ” party” preferences.
Thank god,
that the Democrat, FDR Enacted the Social Security System , Employers have been raiding pension promises for the last Twenty Years throwing good hard working citezens to the street!
And he still found time to round up those sneaky Japanese folks and lock the up in camp’s on the West Coast, quite a guy that F.D.R was.
He won that war, did Bush win any ?
So who got OBL, dead or alive ?
Correction, it’s the Democrat’s war on religious freedom and it will cost them heavily at the polls.
Correction, if the Republican/Tea Party wants to discuss religion, birth control, “probing” of women and the DEVIL as part of a Presidential election Mr. Obama who once looked weak and open to defeat will win in a landslide and bring along hundreds of other Democrats on his coat tails. This is 2012 not the Dark Ages. Go Rick Santorum! Every Democrat in the country is pulling for ya to roll over Mitt.
What the Democrats are forgetting is that there are many Catholics among your ranks. These Catholic Democrats were also attacked by Obama’s secular agenda. These Catholics do not appreciate the government mandating them to do something that violates their personal religious beliefs. As a result, Obama will LOSE this November and I will be happy.
What the Republicans are forgetting is that there are many more women of EVERY political and religious persuasion that are astonished that a political party would infuse a Presidential political campaign with discussions of one person’s religion over another’s and by making threats against their right to use birth control. In 2012!!! Somehow I don’t think all these women are leaning to the right on this issue. The results of that will pain you and your party greatly next November.
Stop your distortions and stop attempting to deceive the public. Of course Republicans favor birth control rights. Birth control IS NOT the issue and anyone who claims it is the issue is a deceiver. The issue is Obama is forcing the Catholic Church’s institutions to distribute birth control, which is a SIN according to their religious beliefs. Obama is prepared to jail the Catholic priests, bishops, and cardinals if they do not comply with his demand. The issue is about religious freedom and nothing else.
Obama is not forcing the Catholic Church to distribute birth control. Where did you read that? Many institutions that are Catholic already have insurance policies that include contraception care, so why is it all of a sudden an emergency that the public caves in to an institution that has a lot more pressing things to worry about?
As this is written, the Philadelphia diocese faces trial for crimes. The hierarchy of the church still refuses to turn over evidence in the Msgr. sex abuse trial, and therefore have been indicted as a co-conspirator. This is not old news, this is going on as we speak. I assume that the church also thinks child sex abuse is wrong, so why are they still dragging their feet on this? Why, after so much pain, so many parishes bankrupted, so many Catholics disgusted, does the Church still think it can have its way? The same leaders who are crying the loudest on the women’s rights issue (and women do have rights concerning birth control) are at the same time trying to keep the trial from happening.
So for the Republicans to pose this as a religious question does nobody any good except to people who don’t question what their leaders are saying. Linking the Church with sex issues (and reproduction involves sex) continues the link with the on-going sex abuse cases, and the Church is still getting a self-inflicted black eye on that one.
You are mistaken. The President is telling the Catholic church (and some evangelicals who jumped on the anti-health insurance bandwagon) that they must follow Federal laws.
They do not get to strip coverage for birth control from the health insurance policies of their employees–many of whom are NOT Catholics.
Employees who follow Catholic dictates and do not use birth control will not suddenly feel they must start taking the Pill, just because it would be covered by insurance. Priests won’t be mandated to hand out condoms along with communion wafers…
This whole flap is part of a coordinated effort by Republicans to hobble health insurance reform in the US. They want their CEO pals in the for-profit insurance industry to keep getting their multi-million dollar salaries.
The issue is AG Schneider flip-flopping for partisan purposes and to impose a narrow religious doctrine on the general public that is employed and served by the hospitals. Schneider’s position violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
“The issue is” … “SIN according to their religious beliefs.”
You know what else is a SIN, raping young boys and then trying to hid it because you would rather save millions of dollars. That is a SIN. These rules don’t affect there churches, but their BUSINESSES. If they want to operarte a Business then they must play by the rules, You are telling me these people have never sined? They pay personal taxes for WAR, which kill many innocent people.
I’ll donate $100 to your favorite charity for every priest, bishop, or cardinal that Obama has jailed for not complying with this so called “demand”. I don’t think I’ll have to sell my home to pay off this debt.Hmmm maybe I should have bet $10,00 which would better suit a republican.
“fails to preserve a sufficient exemption for religious affiliated organizations and is therefore unconstitutional”….so are they going to want exemptions for child sexual abuse next? It is a slipper slop.Flag
Your hoping the uniformed and gullible buy what you know to be a false account of what is taking place.,it’s the Liberal/Progressive play book in action.
Once again you spread your left wing lies and dribble. This entire argument has nothing to do with birth control. It is completely about the seperation of church and state and the government trying to violate the First Amendment. You, like the main stream media can spin this all you want but come November, I believe it will be you and Obama who find out that the voters in this country, especially the women are smarter than you think.
Separation of church and state — AG Schneider, who voted for a plan identical to the one he now opposes, is trying to impose a narrow religious doctrine on the general public that is employed and served by the hospitals. Schneider’s position violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Don’t impose your religious doctrines on the general public that is employed and served by the hospitals. Yes, this is a religious freedom issue, and Schneider is on the wrong side.
Catholic Charities and the Catholic Health Association say Obama’s compromise — which does not require religious-affiliated hospitals to pay for contraception, and never required churches to do so — is a good compromise. After an initial stumble, Obama found the correct balance in the separation of church and state issue. But Schneider is flip-flopping in order to gain partisan advantage for his party in an election year, and to sabotage health care reform.
You can have Seperation of Church and State but when you start to run a business and cater and employee different groups of people then and try and make profits. I’m sorry you then can’t claim you are trying to be religious.
I certainly don’t want any company to dictate that women who do NOT belong to the boss’s religion must have their healthcare benefits re-organized to support the boss’s beliefs.
If your boss belongs to a relion (one such religion does exist) that says people must absolutely not have a blood transfusion, even if they are sure to die without it, do you really want that boss to be able to make you pay out of pocket for a blood transfusion?
Most Catholic women use contraception, and disagree with the elitist unmarried male Church hierarchy that tells them not to do so.
The Catholic Health Association and Catholic Charities say Obama’s compromise is a good one. Even State Attorney General Schneider voted for a bill identical to Obama’s plan when Schneider was a legislator — his current flip-flop is an obvious partisan political posture in an election year. He is pandering to the extreme right wing of his increasingly hard-right party. In doing so he is trying to impose a narrow religious view on the general public that is served by the hospitals.
Contraception reduces the incidence of abortion. Schneider’s — and the bishops’ — position is counterproductive.
Who’s worried about Catholics that have ever used birth control.
What % is that ?
Whatever happen to job creation? But the r’s will stop to do some more social legislation because they really don’t want to help create jobs.Their true colors are showing!
You have to be kidding! 98% of Catholic women use birth control, do you really think they want that denied to their daughters?
LOL. good luck with that, Bye the way , It was Obama’s administration who brought this up as political Gamesmanship. But, you know that and choose to mislead any way.
Can’t remember where I heard it but it’s very apt for Santorum,”He’s one of the most brilliant minds of the 13th century”, but isn’t it strange how much like lemmings many of the r’s are that will follow it lock and step even if it’s a huge losing issue.
Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. If the church wants to play politics, if should loose it’s tax exempt status.
Sixty-five percent of Americans are in favor of birth control being included in insurance
Poll results can easily be skewed by how the question is asked. How about we ask this question instead?
“Do you support a government mandate that forces religious institutions into violating their sacred religious beliefs, which are protected under the First Amendment?”
Or how about we asked “Do you support a political party that wants to give religious groups a veto on your rights?” (The mullahs in Iran say this works well.)
Or “Do you support a religious group that picks and chooses which one of its ‘sacred’ beliefs it holds the government hostage to?”
Or how about” Do you support the right of a religious group that calls other Christian beliefs “defective” and “incomplete” the right to inflict its beliefs on others?”
1st amendment. Freedom of speech. The church is free to talk about their beliefs, but not to force them on others.
Talk about a biased question…
The poll cited by pbmann above (65% of Americans say birth control coverage should be included in insurance), that you say was skewed, was conducted by Fox News. Just thought you might want to know who you say is doing the skewing.
How come my thyroid medicine isn’t covered by my insurance? Fertility isn’t an illness, if you don’t want children grow up and pay for it yourself.
Your thyroid medication most certainly ought to be covered. If it isn’t, then you must have one of those “fake insurance” policies. Is it MEGA?
It’s the typical lousy insurance that most companies are offering, high deductible . Actually it has made me look into alternative medicine. Feeling much better, I have learned to stay away from the useless, big pharm controlled doctors.
Right, so most likely you can apply the expense toward the deductible. By the way I take a generic thyroid hormone called Levothyroxine that’s only around $9 a month.
Have you ever considered taking Amour Thyroid instead?
No, because I think it’s much more expensive, I’m not sure. But the levothyroxine works fine for me.
Insurance has to cover all FDA approved medications, if your insurance carrier does not cover your thyroid medication you should take it up with them.
The cost goes towards our deductible which is $4000
So your insurance does cover it. If you are unfortunate enough to use up your deductable you will no longer have to pay for your thyroid medicine.
Wow $4000 later, I doubt it
Ugh! Huge deductibles. That’s the price you and many others are paying for the Republican dream of having all health insurance have to be processed by for-profit corporations.
Here’s what Physicians for a Naitonal Health Program says (http://www.pnhp.org/)–
“The U.S. spends twice as much as other industrialized nations on health care, $8,160 per capita. Yet our system performs poorly in comparison and still leaves 50 million without health coverage and millions more inadequately covered. This is because private insurance bureaucracy and paperwork consume one-third (31 percent) of every health care dollar. Streamlining payment through a single nonprofit payer would save more than $400 billion per year, enough to provide comprehensive, high-quality coverage for all Americans.”
Actually Liz it has made me become more responsibly for our own health. Most medication physicians prescribe are just putting a band-aid on the problem, not finding the source . The best thing health wise my family has done has been to seek alternative care and at a much cheaper cost. We will use our high deductible insurance for emergencies only.
We need to put the big pharm health care system out of business in this country. I must ask you why do you support such a dysfunction health care system that really doesn’t want people to be well. They just want to keep people medicated?
Medications help many people. I hope you will use genuine medication for your thyroid disorder, and not some “alternative” potion. Untreated hypothyroidism can cause serious symptoms, and if it goes on long enough it can cause confusion and even (eventually) dementia. (I know this because one of my kids had thyroid failure as a young teen, and it wasn’t caught for years.)
Yes it does and it kills people too. Hypothyroidism is very common among women, but how your typical doctor is treating it is leading to many other health issues with people. Why are you not open to alternative health care remember your doctor is in a practice, medicine is not a science it is a practice.
Medication is based in science. “Alternative” practices are generally not science-based. In my view they are often dangerous quackery. Let’s you and me agree to disagree on this.
Your thyroid medication should be covered by insurance. If it is not, blame the Republican leaders who want to keep you chained to a for-profit insurance corporation that makes its money by denying you even basic things such as that.
Are you suggesting that insurance should not be covering a routine checkup or physical? Insurance isn’t just for treating disease; it’s for preventive measures as well.
It’s laughable, well almost anyway. The r’s don’t wish women to have the roght to birth control. Poor women are the ones who can least afford to get the pill, and therefore have more babies, and if they just happen to be on welfare , are going to be criticized by the r’s for ripping off the system. You can’t have it both ways r’s.The r’s talk about personal freedom , but only by their own standards.Again , women will stand up and now more of them than ever will vote. They see who the enemy is and it begins with an R.
To try and make it a religious thing, when most women , religious or not, see it as a personal thing and it will serve only to be another thing that will bite them in November. Great job, guys, another group you’ve managed to alienate!
Can you not Worship how you want? Can the owners of these BUSINESSES not worship how they want? Answers is yes they still can. We are not telling them how to practice their religion, it is what they need to do for the business.
It does not play that way with anyone except people who would
vote for even Pol Pot over Obama.
http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/upload/lori-testimony-for-oversight-on-religious-freedom-2012-02-16.pdf
“All 13 AG’s that oppose are Republicans.” I guess there can’t be many more of this “endangered species” to still join in the suit….Mr. Schneider,find something else to do to occupy your time.
Ask yourself who in this phony wedge issue is :
1) for individual freedom
2) willing to compromise
3) working to lower all American’s health care costs
4) actually stands on the majority opinion, never minding how about 98% of sexually active Catholic women have used contraceptives, but in that that they are mirroring the existing policies in a majority of the States.
Many Catholic Universities, Hospitals Already Cover Contraception …
thinkprogress.org/…/many-catholic-universities-hospitals-already-off…
7 Feb 2012 – Twenty-eight states already require organizations that offer prescriptioninsurance to cover contraception and since 98 percent of Catholic …
“98% of sexually active Catholic women have used contraceptives” is a fully made up sound byte. Look at who was included in this “poll” and ,more importantly , who was excluded.
btw that’s catholic church pooling!!!
No, It is not. Not even close. Try Planned Parenthood.
The 98-percent figure first appeared in an April 2011 study
written by Rachel K. Jones and Joerg Dreweke of the Guttmacher
Institute, which is a non-profit organization that promotes reproductive
health and had started as an arm of Planned Parenthood. The study is
titled “Countering Conventional Wisdom: New Evidence on Religion and
Contraceptive Use.”
This “study” omitted sexually active Woman who are pregnant,have been pregnant or trying to get pregnant. How’s that “98%’ number looking now?
We’ve already established that you make stuff up, so…
No, WE haven’t, so look it up . Ive given you the study name, it’s writers , the date of the study and the non-profit who funded it, even you should be able to look this up.
Okay so they stopped using it to plan a family.
Or they never used it due to reasons of Faith, but we will never know.
Leaving points 1 thur 3 …
“Ask yourself who in this phony wedge issue is :
1) for individual freedom
2) willing to compromise
3) working to lower all American’s health care costs”
|
… uncontested, right, Rocky ?
Thank you, AND remember, I said:
“NEVER MIND how about 98% of sexually active Catholic women have used contraceptives …
BUT in that that they are mirroring the existing policies in a majority of the States. ”
So in reality #4 stands as presented, too.
(Me 4 Rocky, a swing and miss.)
LOL, lets look at your record again.
1) for individual freedom-unless that includes religious freedoms, then notso much. -1
2) willing to compromise- the President’s ‘accommodation’ announcement, are a blatant infringement on Americans’ First Amendment religious freedoms, enforced by mandate.-2
3) working to lower all American’s health care costs” Nope, Even Obamacare’s
chief architect admitting defeat, telling states that preiums will rise
– even with the subsidy for individual insurance – by 31%.
4) I cover this below.
So. what was the “score “again. Oh yeah- Rocky 4,you “YOUR OUTTO THERE)
Rational people, please skip to “Dang “, far below…
Rocky:
1) for individual freedom-unless that includes religious freedoms …
INCLUDING FREEDOM FROM RELIGION< SO INDIVIDUALS DECIDE< AND C N LIKE, you know, YOU CAN GET CONTRACTION EVEN IF BISHOP JUST SAYS NO ? , then pretty much, sure, individual rights trumps the Bishops collective socialist decisions.
2) willing to compromise- the President’s ‘accommodation’ announcement, are a blatant infringement on Americans’ First Amendment religious freedoms, enforced by mandate … yada, yada, yada…
SO SUDDENLY ?
MORALS CHANGE OVER NITE LIKE WITH NEWS CYCLE ?
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/07/420114/many-catholic-universities-hospitals-already-offer-contraception-as-part-of-their-health-insurance-plans/
PLEASE, IT'S JUST POLITICS, NOW, THAT THE PRESIDENT DID WHAT MOST STATES DO ANYHOW…
AND NOT VERY MORAL POLITICS AT THAT.
3) working to lower all American's health care costs
"Here's the way the new plan is being explained: Employers that object to paying for birth control — like a Catholic hospital — will no longer have to do so. Instead, their insurer will foot the bill.
White House officials, like chief of staff Jacob Lew, say insurance companies don't mind paying for contraception because it actually saves them money.
"If you look at the overall cost of providing health care to a woman the cost goes up, not down, if you take contraceptives out," Lew said Sunday on ABC's This Week. "This is not going to cost the insurance companies money because, on an overall health care cost basis, it won't cost more."
http://m.npr.org/news/Health/146920376
___________________________________________
DANG !!!!!!!
Dang , they're just like zombies.
They keep coming at you, mindlessly, wanting to eat your brain,
to destroy your right to believe in reason,
because the light of reason threatens their mindless faith
… their faith
… their faith in what ?
… a guy who rose the death !?
… are you being serious ?
… Yeah, and some think they are "born again"
…. but they all think they are followers of one of several versions of some Zombie guy who cheated death.
… the comedy just writes itself,
as soon as you must respect my faith in reason
as much as you demand I must respect your faith.
…your political faith
…. in WHAT ?
… are you serious ?
If it IS factual can it be argue it might be "more" rational ?
… are you serious ?
1)There is no “FREEDOM FROM RELIGION”,another made-up liberal talking point, so the rest of your conclusions are at least as meaningless.
2) “Most states do” this in preparation for Obamacare, and most of them exclude those who are the focus of this article , so another meaningless argument.
3)Insurance companies will have no choice but to cover these by mandate of Obama care, and Lew’s opinions on this are meaningless. Obamacare will raise the overall cost of Health care , so this one goes into the win column for Rocky also.
Anything else?
You do k now that providing free birth control actually saves the insurance company money right? It is way cheaper then insuring the cost of a unwanted pregnacy.
If so, they can choose to cover it, But that is not true.
In fact —
There would be no consideration of cost effectiveness.
That was the explicit condition that the Department of Health
and Human Services imposed on the panel of health-care experts it
commissioned to develop the “preventive services” mandate that will
require virtually all health-insurance plans in the United States to
cover sterilizations and contraceptives—including those that cause
abortions.
One of the 16 members of the panel—Prof. Anthony Lo Sasso an economist
at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health–—Readers of the Report should be clear on the facts that the
recommendations were made without high quality, systematic evidence of
the preventive nature of the services considered,” Lo Sasso wrote. “Put
differently, evidence that use of the services in question leads to
lower rates of disability or disease and increased rates of well-being
is generally absent.
So no , it will not save money and the Obama Administration specifically banned this from even being talked about.Funny how that worked out.
No freedom from religion? Well then, how do you feel about Sharia law?
We have a constitution and it’s amendments to protect against that, for now. Now it’s the Catholic Church and the Faithful in general, what will it be next time? Whole foods? Under the guise of the Affordable Care Act, what other Rights and Pursuits will be next? Kids on Bicycles , Sky diving, Pro Foot Ball, Salt, Cheese Burgers, Turkey and cheese sandwich for your brown bag lunch?
How many protections are going to be considered acceptable losses ? What will you do when another President gets a hold of all of this power, one who does not think like you? What will you do then, because it’s coming.
Or that GOP guy running for POTUS who wants Biblical Law ?
Sometimes I figure , okay if they are all right, it is because there is some place in Hell,
The Office of Earthly Religious Affairs, may-be, which has given all the religious extremists,
worldwide, the same game plan.
So if we could locate where in Hell that office is,
we could send in Seal Team Six and take it out.
There is no “FREEDOM FROM RELIGION”
oh, so which is mandatory, then, in your little world ?
repeating something over and over dose not make it so, perverting the Constitution and it’s amendments is a fun exercise in the coffee house, but has little basis in fact.
As in “One Holy Apostolic Church” ?
I do have to give you credit for one thing. It is refreshing to have a lib/Progressive to come out and publicly say what you believe . Usually we just hear the dismissive comments or Anti religion innuendo. So I give you credit for coming out and saying that you think people of faith are backwards idiot’s, it would be helpful if more of you did.
“Usually we just hear the dismissive comments or Anti religion innuendo.”
Your biased condescension is not refreshing.
It is typical, in fact, but thank you, anyway.
Have you considered the possibility that the Universal Ethic is at play
and you are getting back what you put out,
such that until you take the log out of your own eye
you will only see the earthly fruits of your own efforts ?
Pray on it, Rocky.
“Have you considered the possibility that the Universal Ethic is at play
and you are getting back what you put out” a clever(ish) way of saying “shut up and take it,it’s what you deserve”
If you would speak honestly,openly, of your goals, I wonder how successful you would be?
P.S I’m not a religious person
“Have you considered the possibility that the Universal Ethic is at play
and you are getting back what you put out” a clever(ish) way of saying “shut up and take it,it’s what you deserve”
Or is it just as the wisdom of the ages has been written:
> you reap what you sow
> do unto others … because what goes around comes around
Now, do you still contend that an individual’s right to free of someone else’s religion is NOT equal to than another’s right to their religion ?
It is in your best personal best interest to change your position on that because you are “not religious”.
I always laugh at how people of faith, of all the faiths, all have faith in the fact that their religion will just naturally be that of the King.
The fact is that in a theocracy the most devout of the wrong religion is in more trouble than the godless heathens.
So have you ever noticed it only class warfare when the middle class, the woman, the majority
fight back ?
But this war on a woman is not “pro-Life” it is just politics as usual for conservatives.
Big Brother tried to control the language like that, too.
So does the Bishop, the Ayatollah and the lying conservatives
If you ask me what this is really is about I’d say it is the well deserved blow back the lying conservative deserve for their double talk, double standards and never ending wedge issues
that have divided and weakened America.
So now, the bottom line, politically, has become why is “no compromise” bad for liberals like me, now, Rocky ?
Given we know what we are up against, because the Neo-Know Nothings were so vocal about never compromising. Fine, let’s play our hand that way, too, but shhhh, in that game the winner is the one with no “tells”.
Who are the losers this news cycle :
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/virginia-legislature-expected-to-debate-ultrasound-bill/ ?
You betcha, and the thing is the Va Governor still has his poker in the fire.
In the world of no compromise politics that the conservative wanted,
as the GOP/conservative poster boy he is showing us all who is sticking their noses into women’s procedures, really passing more big government laws, under the thumb of the the false prophets/profiteers AND raising health care costs for Americans.
So it goes.
Wow, you used NPR as a reference Really!
“Wow, you used NPR as a reference Really!”
Is it illegal, immoral, or not the facts IYO , Timmy ?
Some people use Bishop Malone, can you imagine ?
So you have any questions you should be questioning the facts presented,.
ARE YOU ?
Voter ID laws, infringed on our right to vote.
No they don’t, If you are a citizen that is.
If you don’t know who was included in this poll how can you say it’s a fully made up sound byte?
A rational person would get the facts first and then make up his or her mind.
I do know who was included,and who was excluded, (read below) so I can say confidently that is a made up for a sound byte.
Sounds like you were excluded!!
They tried, but I told them I have been on a gender reassignment list since I was 18 months old, they didn’t dare.
Talking about included / excluded……
Did you see the panel the Republican House of Representatives in D.C. fielded to talk about women’s reproductive rights? 10 men! 10 freaking men, most of whom were not married or past the age when most men have children! Not a single woman on the panel, and they did not allow the only woman who asked to testify! (They said she wasn’t an expert.)
How do you feel if 10 women declared themselves religious experts on testosterone? Sounds as silly as what the Republicans did in Washington.
I feel just fine about it. The one woman who wanted to testify was not an expert in the field. The announced focus and agenda he hearing was titled: “Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom
of Conscience?”, not the story she wanted to tell about “her friend who died because she didn’t receive these services for free” So, no, I have no problem with her not Testifying. I do find it amusing that the two Female Law makers on the panel, in protest over the lack of woman in the discussion, removed themselves from the discussion, good job ladies.
We know you hate religion, and we know you think the faithful to be fools of lesser intellect. , and we know you will be successful in scamming some of the uninformed into thinking this is about those scary Conservatives taking away their Birth control pills. This is about is an affront to religious liberty and freedom.
What would thier policy on Viagra be ?
And this issue negatively impacts all of the citizens of Maine in what way, Mr. Schneider?
What’s the true agenda here?
….
It is outrageous that in the year 2012 that we have a President and his Administration making an open, aggressive attack on religious freedom in our country.
….
LOL, your amusing .,
….
“oppression of women” as it relates to this article is a joke, and hyperbole. You are not oppressed because you cant get something that you want for free.Your statement is a disgrace, and a slap in the face to those who have truly been oppressed.
….
Of course it’s the oppression of women. Men get viagra covered without anyone asking if they are single or married– no religion issues there. Women want birth control and suddenly people have conscientious objections to it.
“You are not oppressed because you can’t get something that you want for free.”
No, you’re just either intellectually lazy, easily confused, or part of the oppression of women.
E-Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y
How about an anal probe before a doctor can write or renew a Viagra prescription?
That would be pointless.
lol, Wow. Must be a rally of some sort you are late for. What’s intellectually lazy is using “I am Woman Hear Me Roar” talking points to try to make a point on this matter.
“Women want birth control and suddenly people have conscientious objections to it.” “Want” is the key word here. And, if you want it, go get it. Birth control, including abortions are rarely ,very very rarely ,a medical necessity
There is nothing “Sudden” about this matter of Conscience , it is as it has been for centuries, and protected throughout this Country’s history. This was brought up as a political calculation by the Obama administration to wind up their base and to con the uniformed into thinking the Catholics were trying to ban the Pill.
Now, there must be some sort of “I want what I want now give it to me now” rally or protest you are late for ,now take that GloryBox and hurry along now. ROAR!!!!!
Look, I know it was unseemly the way insurance companies jumped on the Viagra coverage bandwagon, but let’s be clear. Viagra is a drug to assist with ED, which is a treatable disorder. Most birth control is not prescribed to treat a problem, but to prevent a “problem”. There is no connection between the two meds.
A more logical comparison would be if they found a drug that treated vaginal dryness in women, and insurance companies did not cover it but they did cover Viagra. That is a comparable situation.
You know, screaming for equality always seems to mean let’s do and be everything men are. Women can do better than that. I need to come up with a snappy term for it, something that encapsulates: hey, women have babies and breastfeed them and they ought to be able to do that without having to give up everything else in the world and they shouldn’t be looked down upon because they do that, and society could be much more supportive of women than it is and women should lose the guilt over the fact that they get pregnant when they have sex and they want to love the baby, but everyone tells them it is a problem so they feel pressured to abort the child.
With peoples high deductibles today Viagra is a very expensive out of pocket expence.
In the US we have Freedom from religion along with the other freedoms. If you work for me, no Rush Limbaugh, no supporting LePage or any Republican because it is against my Gaea worshiping. You can still have Fox news, you will need some comedy.
lol, wow. No, there is no “Freedom FROM religion” ,I blame your teachers for that, and maybe that crowd your hanging with.
And if you set those rules,following the liberal/Progressive Hand book, I would sue you and then own the Company.
Wrong, try going back to school and study the First Amendment. This time pay attention.
Its an attack on freedoms.As an employer i am being mandated that if i want to offer insurance to my employees i must cover contraception.Why must i be forced to give something to my employees i do not want to offer. Why is contraception just a woman thing? Are condoms just for women?
….
Women have actually become slaves to men,why is this just a women’s issue? Why aren’t women demanding, before they get used by the next guy, that he be responsible for the birth control. Remember the pill, patch, IUD … doesn’t protect a women from a man giving her VD or her giving it to him. Getting pregnant isn’t going to kill you, but HIV/AIDS will.
….
Then don’t open a business. Do you support Vote ID laws? You can vote but we are going to mandate ID’s
I think he just needs to be very up front, and ask any woman if she uses contraception at the very beginning of a job interview,
and then not waste anyones times if they are morally objectionable to you,
or you to them, too, Timmy.
Nice! Do not open a business unless you want to give it away to the employees. Spoken like a true entitlement deserving Obamacrat.
The whole “attack on religious freedom” thing is so inane it is laughable. As Jon Stewart said last week, you guys are confusing “war on religion” with “not getting your way all the time.” If religious organizations/employers don’t want to provide equitable insurance coverage to all employees if it “goes against their moral beliefs,” then they should only employ people whose minds are as narrow and uneducated as their own. As to whether it is an all-out attack on women, stop and ask yourself how much you are hearing about not paying for insurance coverage of Viagra, Cialis, and vasectomies.
“then they should only employ people whose minds are as narrow and uneducated as their own” awesome idea, how do you think that will work out? How long til you give them that exception before you charge them with illegal hiring practices?
“minds are as narrow and uneducated as their own” -pretty arrogant statement, putting your “intellect” above that of a very long list of the sharpest minds in the history Humankind.
So religious profit making business should have different rules?
Like the money changers….
“then they should only employ people whose minds are as narrow and
uneducated as their own” awesome idea, how do you think that will work
out?
Ask all of the former LePage appointees that have quit and that should show you how hiring like minds (narrow) works out. If by sharpest minds you mean religious leaders that brought us the inquisition, thousands of pro slavery sermons, the condemnation and burning of women as witches, a long history of murdering, gay, and over sexed popes and preists, then do you mean it takes a great mind to rise to the top of that type of organization?
Yes, we get that you fancy yourself to be smartest kid in the class, but I’ll play your silly Game.
let’s ask Dale MacCormick What happens when the like minds, who have been shielding your actions from the light of day, loose power and there is no one there to help hide the evidance, let’s see how those like minds feel when yet another one of them is fired and faces possible prosecution once their little club is disbanded and they are hit with reality.
Let’s now talk about the Democratic party fighting tooth and nail against the end of slavery, equal rights, and the end of segregation .
Now we can talk about Margret Sanger and Planned Parenthood, we can talk about her using PP for her Eugenics agenda and how it has gone exactly as she planned.
We can talk about the oversexed Presidents the liberals have elected, a couple accused of violations against woman, including Rape.
We Can talk about Internment Camps, and the rounding up of folks because of their ethnicity.
We can talk about Liberal/Progressives and how they must hide their true intentions to get elected,must Lie and deceive in hopes of confusing the uniformed to vote for them.
Or we can stick to the subject , that is , if you have anything relevant to this issue to argue, or a counter to any of mine.
“Yes, we get that you fancy yourself to be smartest kid in the class, but I’ll play your silly Game.”
But our freedom from your religion suggests we need not be forced to play yours, kid .
I am not a” Religious” person, never have been. But if i don’t stand up for these folks , who will stand for me,when it’s my turn?You and Yours are the ones doing the forcing, demanding others do what they are told. Tossing out the Freedoms,protections and liberties when you find their loss acceptable for the achievement of your version of “the greater good”. You and Yours do not get to decide these thing, and it’s time you were stopped.
Your Grand social experiment is doomed to fail, as all similar have throughout history. The power of your will and ability to elevate your intellectual self worth will not change this,we are tired of your oppressive views and mandates,Gramps, we have had enough.
Really? I can still worship any way I want, However if I open a business should I be exempt from laws because I put Catholic in front of it?
I’m more concern about the Virginia House’s position on what those Neo- Know Nothings think
the government has the right to search.
Thank you, very much. .
Yes, that sounds more sexy than actually keeping to the subject at hand.
Rape sounds sexy to you ?
Hyperbole much?
As a lawyer Schneider should be able to understand that this is about the rights of employees to have the sort of healthcare insurance that they want. It should not be up to any employer to make such choices for them. All of this demonstrates once again that our US health insurance system is backwards. Insurance should be matter between the individuels and their insurer, no one else.
That would my point # 1 “(who)
for individual freedom ? ”
Of course it is up to the employer to decide what type of policy he or she wants to offer as a benefit to attract employees! There is no right to health insurance.
I agree that insurance would be better removed from the workplace. What seemed like a great benefit at one time, has become a noose around the employee and employer’s neck.
As an employer and I can certainly determine what sort of basic policy I want to offer but I have absolutely NO right to make moral or religion-based decisions about my employees’ personal lives and that would include anything to do with contraceptives. Slavery ended well over a century ago.
The Republicans have no answers for anything important like jobs, the economey, the debt so they need to bring up other foolishness to divert your attention from their ineptness.
Funny, it has been only the Republicans who have come up with answers on these issues, and the Dem’s who have blocked them at every turn. When was the last Senate Budget again? Job’s bill? Debt reduction bill? Never mind, I know the answer.
They all have been filibustered. IE the new Corp tax plan Obama rolled out, Republicans are already planning to oppose it.
have you read it? They, and some Dem’s will oppose it.
Re: Budget- Unfortunatley the Senate learned from the Republicans from 1998, 2004 and 2006 and did not pass a bill. The Democrats have not had real good relations with the Republicans and the two have not been able to come to a compromise.
Jobs bill– For some reason the Republicans didn’t want to pass the last one presented to them it seems the R’s rather not tax the so called 1% for jobs so therefore no jobs bill passed.
As luck would have it the orginal Recovery Act included some jobs bill along with tax cuts and it
worked as shown by 23 straight months of jobs being added.
Debt reduction–as stated by your “Jesus Christ Romney Super Star” this is not the time for
government to stop spending. Obama had a $4 trillion deal with John Bonehead( spelling) but
he couldn’t sell it to the tea people they were at some party I guess.
If you believe that Recovery Act worked, and that for 23 straight months jobs have been created, then there is no point to continue this conversation. We have Far,Far, fewer jobs than we did 23 months ago, the only reason the Unemployment numbers are where they are is Obama has stopped counting millions of people who have given up looking and has removed almost 1.5 million jobs from the figures.
First when Obama became President in Jan. 2009 the US was loosing jobs at an average of 750,000 per month it took a little while to stop the bleeding from the previou people. If you would check the Bureau of Labor Statics you will see that jobs have been created for 23 straight months in the private sector. Sorry to bust your little bubble! If you are getting your info from
Fox I would suggest checking other places to verify. Just recently I hear one of the nuts still saying Obama lent Brazil money for oil drilling. This is so old and such a lie that I can’t understand anybody believing anything they say. It was Karl Rove by the way.
Yes, we drop folks off the Rolls and eliminate a couple million jobs that previously were figured in, then SHAZAM!! we have gained jobs.
No, Obama did not “Loan Brazil money for Oil drilling” , our the Export-Import Bank did, at the same time Obama stalled our drilling off our Southern coast. Brazil’s Petrobras recived the money to help with exploration and production expenses. Considering that China has made agreements to purchase the Oil and that Soro’s owned a major stake in Petrobras, it did upset many.
I guess you don’t believe the Bureau Of Labor, probably there were no jobs lost until Obama took office, they were just lieing about that.
The loan by the Export-Import Bank was started long before Obama took office and was approved by a majority of appointees by the war starter GWB. It had nothing to do with the mess
BP was causing in the Gulf. The loans are to help US companies in exporting their goods.
I suppose we should have let all the oil companies continue drilling willy-nilly with no reguards to safety or small little leaks like the BP one. So they loose a few men when things go wrong, just a cost of doing business.
“There are bills pending in Congress that would allow employers to
prohibit their employees from accessing health care coverage for
procedures they deem morally objectionable.”
Past misleading , this statement is just false.
Why, here’s one of those pesky bills now… do you bother having facts, or does that whole write first, think later thing work for you?
http://articles.boston.com/2012-02-15/news/31063922_1_health-coverage-contraception-religious-groups
lol, owned by Maine011!
lol, Ah, notso much. Anything else you want to say to the class?
Reading comprehension not your strongest course of study?
This Bill would not keep an employee from doing anything, they just couldn’t get it for free.If they would like to pay for it, they are free to do so.Nice try though. Next…
This is just another waste of time, brought to you by the lepudge administration…..I thought the campaign promise was to create jobs …….where are the jobs?
Cate Street
Mr.. Schneider what business is it of your. If a woman wants to use this it’s none of your business. No one will be forcing these woman to use this unless they want too. You republicans are a bunch of hypocrites .How many children do you have? What were you doing pulling out before you shot, used a rubber or just didn’t do your wife?
In support of my Point 4, ”
mirroring the existing policies in a majority of the States ”
sort of … but way too graphically.
It’s not the sexual images so much … natural one can be meaningful
and have social value, but hypocritical Republican sex is obscene.
Thinking about it, even as they defend laws in VA. where their brand
of Big Government is requiring wands in women’s hoo hoo
even if she and her doctor don’t to do it,
just makes me wanna shower.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-february-21-2012/punanny-state—virginia-s-transvaginal-ultrasound-bill
Hooray for AG Schneider for standing up to our ill advised President. Kudos to you sir and keep up the good work.
I remember Maine joined a law suit to defeat the entire Affordable Care Act. So why must the AG now single out this part of the law when the matter of the first suit hasn’t been heard yet by the US Supreme Court? What am I missing? Does he think the rest of the Affordable Care Act will be upheld? And why can’t religious organizations hire their own lawyers to represent their complaint of first amendment violations?
Is it to waste tax dollar ?
Ruth Lockhart, are you saying that a woman has a right to free contraception? I don’t think many Mainers would agree with you on that.
Insurance is a benefit offered by an employer. No employee is entitled to an insurance plan that covers anything just because they work at a place.
Ms. Bellows, employers impose their moral views on employees all the time. My employer doesn’t think swearing is okay so I am not allowed to cuss in the office. My right to free speech does not extend to being able to hold a job and say whatever I want. I can say it, but I can also lose my job.
A woman has a Constitutional “penumbra of privacy” around her body. She does not have the right to make everyone pay for what goes on in that space.
right on
No prescritions are free, there are co-payments of $5 to $20 or more depending on the medication.
Secondly, Free Speech is only protected from the Federal, state and local government. Individuals are not required to follow any of the constitutional mandates unless required by law. Your employer could not fire you for swearing at work. He/she would have to come up with a better reason than that.
Wrong,again, An employee CAN be fired for swearing, and any number of other reasons the Employer set into place and practice.
It’s time people:
1. Get rid of this administration in its entirety. First step is to cut off their majority in the House and Senate. We can do that this year and it will minimize the damage going forward.
2. let’s get single payer universal health care. You take the insurance companies and conglomerate health care out of it and health care will be way cheaper than were paying now. Let’s be clear that I advocate universal health care, NOT universal insurance coverage.
He’s just following orders from the leadership in the Texas oil billionaire party.
Check the URL.
Where are their marching orders really coming from ?
“If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell.” – Philip Sheridan
Unless I’m wrong, Maine is one of the 28 states that already require employers provide health insurance that covers birth control, and we’re one of 8 states with no religious exemption–even churches in this state must provide insurance that covers contraception for their employees. Maybe he should learn about his own state before he joins an ill-advised manufactured controversy.
It’s paradoxical that conservatives want less people on welfare, but they don’t want less people. Birth control is not used solely to prevent pregnancy; it is also used to alleviate the symptoms of PMS and menopause. Lepage wants to use my tax dollars to support schools affiliated with religious institutions that promulgate the subjugation and subservience of women. These religious groups can’t have it both ways. If they are going to accept my tax dollars for their own issues (many of which I find offensive), they need to concede on issues that they find offensive.
To all those screaming about ‘religious liberty’ you’re right: it must be SO hard being a Christian in the United States! Go to China if you want to learn something about REAL religious persecution (or for that matter, try having your civil liberties put to a popular vote). I’m sick of angry fundamentalists claiming to be ‘victims’. Call me crazy, but I don’t want to live in a country where religion determines the kind of health care we receive. That politically-fueled anger and resentment you’re feeling isn’t from being persecuted–it’s from not getting your way. This is about WOMEN’S HEALTH, not religious liberty, and I’m confident this is a losing issue for Republicans.
Speaking of which, if this election cycle was supposed to be about the economy, why are Republicans reigniting the culture wars? I smell trouble and panic on the right…
Think you are spot on about reigniting republican culture wars. They smelled so bad the last time around its hard to believe their up for another go at it, pandering and sliming. Intellectually bankrupt; I guess thats all their good for when the chips are down.
It IS panic you smell….the economy has improved (relative to a spin cycle) so there must be something else………anything else…..PLEASE!
Woman’s reproductive issues are a favorite once every four years,
but nothing is ever done the rest of the time.
Conservatives need the wedge issue.
Hmmm….seems like there are churches with ideologies that do not permit blood transfusions either. Can I join one and refuse to provide that coverage in my employee health plans?
No doubt… blood transfusions sound expensive–uh– I mean immoral. Blood transfusions are definitely against my religion so…. that’s gonna save me a ton of money.
Great point.
A.G. Schneider, perhaps you ought to consider this: “Pope, church leaders call for guaranteed health care for all people,” published over a year ago. Where is your allegiance to the church on this issue?
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1004736.htm
The Maine AG needs to worry ABOUT MAINE BUSINESS!!!!!
Another Republican White Man telling women that they cant have Birth Control. Hey buddy, stick an aspirin between your knees.
How are women supposed to be able to homeschool their children or do anything else if they have to hold an aspirin between their knees? I suppose then they would have to roll around in a wheelchair like the A.G. Will that be covered? Will we all get free wheelchairs? Hey, why not go all out and just declare “being female” as a disability. Then we can all just sit around at home and eat bon bons doing nothing, and childless I might add.
This is not about church employees, It is about health care for employees… etc.
It might be that beating up on woman has a certain appeal to the conservative base, too.
“This is precisely the kind of federal mandate that the First Amendment is intended to prohibit.”
No. This is precisely the kind of federal mandate that the First Amendment is intended to ensure.
Why would anyone imagine that my employer’s right to subject me to his religion is more important than my right to equal healthcare access? If your religion forces you to subject employees to prejudice and discrimination, then you shouldn’t be allowed to have employees.
We have freedom of religion in this country— not freedom to do whatever the hell you think your religion justifies you doing. Ask a Rastafarian.
BTW Schneider-what is the latest with Dale McCormick?
OK Ladies just feel free to lapse into a persistent vegetative state. A.G. Schenider and his party are ready and willing to assume all those bothersome decisions about your own bodies for you. For a party that decry ‘s government intrusion and then goes this route; I’m thinking they have cards the’re not showing. He always so jolly in his pictures, why is that?
Looks like the liberal censor is working overtime today—–
I had previously commented that it looks like the name calling is ok against our governor, but not against Obama. I guess that explains ProfessorWags
I dont give a furry rodents other end about who objects about the AG’s letter,,, most of us support the letter..!
As far as that crook in the oval office, he will never be able to make me buy anything.
Deal with it; Mr. one-term is gone at the end of the year… :-P
Free diapers coming to your insurance company soon as well.
Well, if not contraception, then why not diapers, and formula to boot? Don’t forget pre-natal, birth and delivery, and post-natal care, vitamins, immunizations, pediatric care. How about a visiting nurse for the first month as well?
please Mr insurance man give me everything i want free.Can you send the bill to my neighbor he makes more money than i do so he should pay the bills.
Umm… you realize that if it’s insurance, it’s not free. There are premiums involved.
Secondly, if that neighbor is getting unquestioned coverage for his viagra, then yes– there should be no question that birth control should be covered.
That’s not about a handout. That’s about discrimination.
Wow. now its discrimination if i do not offer birth control and for free.It is amazing what this president has started.Everyone deserves something for free. He has opened the entitlement box and everyone feels deserving.
You’re deliberately being ridiculous in an effort to distract from the legitimate argument.
One cannot say, “I will not allow for health insurance that provides birth control for women because it is against my religion.” And then say, “I will support insurance that provides a sexual aid for men, regardless of their marital status, even though that is against my religion.”
It’s discrimination.
not trying to distract. Just want the freedom of offering what i can to my employees.Not what the government tells me . I guess those freedoms are gone now the employee dictates what the employer has to do. I would think an employee would like getting any kind of benifit from the employer.It must be all or nothing now. These things are going to keep the unemployment rate high.Unless of course Obama can pass a bill where every employee is unionized then ability or work ethic does not count.
Again, being dramatic and ridiculous.
It’s not all or nothing. It’s equal… period. You can’t use your religion to deny one person a benefit and then ignore your religion to provide benefits to someone else… how is this not absolutely clear and understandable?
So now you’re smearing unions to continue and attack on Obama? Completely unrelated to this discussion. That absurdity deserves its own headline.
First the AG flip flop’s of the Penguin’s beach club racket and tax issue. Then he sits on the sidelines to stay away from LePage when Paulie starts running off at the mouth about illegally seizing the DOE’s Budget if he doesn’t get his way with the HHS Budget. The AG knows, or had better know with the writing on the wall, full well that he’s sitting on a political, and legal, time bomb the more and longer he keeps trying to rationalize and defend LePage’s action’s and position’s. The Affordable Care Act is going to The Court in June. Between then and now it would behoove the AG to start looking at what his responsibilities are to the citizen’s of Maine, not the Governor. The Law is applicable to everyone, not just those who decide they are covered or not.
And in case he’s forgotten, the minute LePage tries to seize the DOE Budget, that’s over 75% Federal Funding, he’s going to have to be the one to start drafting the charges for Maine to remove LePage from office for Exceeding Lawful Authority. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the Federal Charge’s. Given the current U.S. Attorney, not to mention the head start that Wisconsin is giving everyone in this process, the Fed’s are no doubt just waiting in the wings to start their engine’s.
Why do people insist on repeating the lie that the morning after pill is an abortion inducing pill? Say it often enough and maybe you’ll believe it? Why do the religious insist that women have as many babies as possible with no regard to how these children will be taken care of once they are born? They don’t want the government to be responsible for their well being(think welfare baby). It’s simple really. Population in the minds of some, equates power. The more people, the more powerful a group, religious sect, government, foreign country.
Humans attempt to control the population of everything but ourselves. We need more contraceptives and choices, not more regulation.
Excellent post, but I think you missed the biggest reason they support pregnancy for all woman. As a mother, I can say first-hand that nothing pacifies like parenthood. It’s much more difficult to attend a protest, occupy a park, or go on strike when you have the responsibility of a child.
Seriously, motherhood=’sit down and shut the hell up’ for most women. Ain’t that convenient.
Of course, this is a purely political move. They’re all opportunists and it’s disgusting.
Sucks either way doesn’t it. Wonder if Obama will tell the Muslims to pass out contraceptives at their mosques?
There is a religious exemption (as well as for church, etc.) for that already. Pay attention.
Horse Hockey
How are they different than Bishop Malone ?
It’s 2012 and Rick Santorum wants to discuss religion, birth control, “probing” of women and the DEVIL as part of a Presidential election. Every Democrat in the country is now saying, “Thank you God for sending us Rick Santorum!”
””’
More pandering to the Frothy Santorum wing of the Big Government In My Womb Party.
yessah
I am a Christian as much as the GOP moralists, evangelicals, Rick Santorum, etc. In fact, I do not agree with abortion on demand, but am not opposed to contraceptives. They are not the same thing.
However, it is “interesting” that they cite the First Amendment’s religious free exercise and establishment clauses when it suits their ideology; yet, also promote policy after policy, legislation after legislation to mold our country and it’s diverse sectarian population into their version and interpretation of Christianity.
They spread fear and prejudice that there is a risk of Muslim Sharia law somehow supplanting the U.S. judicial system – an utterly ridiculous and preposterous supposition – while at the same time pushing their brand of “Christian” morality on everyone.
Rick Santorum has written and stated on numerous occasions that U.S. laws should be based on the Bible. He and others would turn this country into a theocracy. That belief is manifesting itself in numerous states under Republican control. Check out what is happening in Virginia and several other states – draconian legislation that demeans women and legalizes invasive procedures to their bodies that by the FBI’s definition is rape.
Whose Bible? Which version(s)? Whose interpretations? Apparently, the First Amendment doesn’t apply to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, agnostics, atheists, et al.
These hypocritical “Christians”, “protectors not only of the unborn, but of the possibility of birth”, don’t want to spend an extra cent on the poor who are living, will bomb the daylights out of anyone who is “the enemy”, and condemn and vilify anyone who is not “Christian” by their standards.
Wrath, greed, pride, and gluttony are four of the seven deadly sins. How many of them apply?
The religious groups who object to contraceptives as part of insurance coverage could rely on the firmness of their adherents beliefs to keep them from engaging in acts which would require contraception. Oh, ye of little faith.
Maine Attorney General William Schneider, please give up the viagra and let’s get the deadbeat dads that will come from keeping birth control from women.
I wondered how the Supreme Court would justify prohibiting a religious act when religious freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution. 130 years ago or so the Supreme Court ruled on the prohibition of polygamy then being practiced by the Mormons. The Supreme Court upheld the prohibition with the justification that a religious group could not do anything which citizens could not in general do. State laws against bigamy were constitutional. Polygamy was a form of bigamy. So if a non-Mormon couldn’t practice bigamy, a Mormon couldn’t practice polygamy. (Someone up above must have been watching the deliberations of the Supreme Court because word quickly came down to the Mormons to stop.)
If Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins do not speak out against this (having co- sponsored a bill in 2001 requiring that insurance companies pay for contraception) they are both spineless and both deserve to be kicked out of Congress.
I believe they are both now supporting the Obama compromise.
They’d better be doing it LOUDLY. Especially since their bill had NO religious exemptions.
time for the real, decent, intelligent republicans to take back their party once and for all. I for one am sick of the extreme right wing GOP trying to legislate my values.
I think we’re all tired of the GOP extreme team, the problem is they’re so dug in it will be like trying to take ticks off a dog, most of the time ….. they have to be removed by force. Exercise your vote!
They both need to be voted out anyway. They still supported the Party of No and it’s effort to stall any recovery.
Funny how BDN sat on this story and choose to run it today instead of the real news of the day ,Dale McCormick and her Carbon offset scam.
Ba Bye Extreme GOP, they prove every day that it’s their blind faith and psychotic ideology which drives them to say or do anything all in an effort to unseat a President.
We get it …. We don’t count.
The entire Republican Party has declared war on women. Recently the
women haters have tried to pass legislation that would require women to be
subjected to a Transvaginal ultrasound before deciding on an
abortion. Look up the equipment they
use, it’s not like being raped it is being raped.
Please vote as many republicans out of office as possible when you have
the opportunity. The bible thumping
haters have taken over the party. Vote
independent if you can’t find anyone else or don’t vote if you hate all the
choices.
You’re absolutely right. Especially about the forced transvaginal ultrasound being rape.
It is rape. It is rape. It is rape. It is rape. It is rape. It is rape.
If you don’t believe that, you’re lying (to yourself or everyone else).
Then there the fact that Viagra is covered by Catholic insurance.
How is that stuff not not counter natural law relative to reproductive issues ?
At this moment in time the GOP is only throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks. This has nothing to do with reproductive issues per se. Their sky is falling and it’s about to squash them.
Your GOP ….. the party of God, brown shirts, jack boots and Liberty for all.
What if the Church decides it’s a sin to hire women at all, will the AG go along with that too? Slippery slope you’re on, there, buddy.
Well that’s the thing. They are free to discriminate among employees of an actual church, but not of a hospital or university, etc.
Exactly. As far as I’m concerned, discrimination by an actual church is worse. But that’s not the discussion here. The discussion is, in hospitals and universities, etc., they want to take some of the standard benefits out of women employees’ health insurance. Only the women, who as a result will get less than the full coverage the policy would otherwise offer. Because — say it with me — they’re women. This is discrimination, and it should not be allowed, case closed, end of story.
The AG needs to focus on his fellow Republican “Poliquin ”
Who is Violating the Constitution!
Face it righties. Religion in the US is a shadow. How many go to church every Sunday, or Saturday, or pray 5 times a day? Do all of your friends and neighbors help the poor every day? Are you overweight and committing gluttony? Watch football all day and eat burgers, maybe sloth?
Read the swimsuit issue? Enough said.
Sorry guys, in this country religion is loud but on the whole except for a faithful few it is hypocritical.
Come on back after you have done for Christ what Christ asked for. Toss any money changers out of the temple lately? Donated your snowmobile to support a hospital?
Some few will be able to answer yes and I praise them, the small numbers that can be truthful only prove my point. God is not dead, but he has a lousy time slot playing against the Patriots.
Mandate trans-anal probes for men before any prescription for Viagra is written, mandate charges for spilling sperm anywhere besides a woman’s vagina, mandate anal probes for politicians to see how far their heads are up their backsides!
There’s no other way to put it, this is a war on womens rights. Please get your head out of my reproductive tract and use it to do the job you were hired to do. It’s the economy, the rising cost of living, decaying infrastructure and jobs that you should be working on, not attempting to run my organs! So far this administration is batting ZERO!
Here we go again. Republicans AGs are saying to Hell with the women, treating them like second class citizen. Women do have civil rights and BIG insurance companies of which the party is trying to protect is at it again. Women have rights too.
I’ve started a new religion while typing this. The new religion has only one precept, “Thou shall
not allow the extreme Republicans to remain in office.”
You know what that means …… pack your bags and git.
Will women at least get free Bayer Aspirin?
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Religious exemptions are “. . . an establishment of religion . . .”
In 2008 Sanitarium was concerned that the Devil was taking over America.
When asked about the comment resently, his reply was that that was then and this is now,
We have more Important Issues today!
We women need to intiate an action by women TO CONTROL MEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS and CHOICES, and any costs associated with them. Fair is fair. This action would include stopping any insurance coverage for erectile dysfunction and medications like Viagra.
“fails to preserve a sufficient exemption for religious affiliated organizations and is therefore unconstitutional”….so are they going to want exemptions for child sexual abuse next? It is a slipper slop.
Schneider seems to have plenty of time to conduct a partisan crusade against the Obama administration yet can’t seem to stay ahead of LePage appointees’ conflicts with Federal and Maine law. Mainer taxpayers aren’t getting the full attention of this well-paid public servant.