Bonus FOD 2012.02.13

Regarding the tempest over his off, then on, then kinda sorta off and on at the same time requirement that churches must provide contraceptive, sterilization, and abortive products and services to their employees, regardless of the religious institution's beliefs on the matter, there has been a tendency of commentators to focus on the nuances of the church vs. state issue. However, there is a bigger issue to worry about - one with potentially dangerous and long-term consequences.

This gal gets it.

I expect President Obama will come out and say something that sounds wonderful and conciliatory and that seems reasonable to people who are eager to reconcile with the president and give themselves permission to vote for him again in November. I also expect that beyond the words, what the President offers will be too little — the government miserly granting to us pieces of freedom we are utterly entitled to own outright — but it will be “enough” for some.

And with that, Obama will have done the thing he needs to do, here, which is re-divide the Catholics who have apparently surprised him with their nearly unanimous condemnation of his HHS Mandate.

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But the thing to remember is this: Obama has now demonstrated that he cannot be trusted to deal in good faith with the churches (or with anyone else, for that matter). Even if he gives a “full exemption”, one needs to worry whether he can be trusted if he wins re-election, and is no longer constrained by the need to please anyone.

Of course he can't be trusted. And that's the bigger issue.

It's not just about religion, contraceptives, health care, or even the constitutional issues involved. It's about obama's sleaziness. He promised religious institutions, including but not limited to the Catholic Church, one thing - a religious exemption from the government requirement to provide employees with contraceptive and abortive health care. He subsequently reneged on that promise. Surprised and concerned by the backlash, he then offered them an "accommodation" that is really no accommodation at all.

The new rule still requires religious institutions to pay for insurance coverage that provides those same objectionable goods and services. Since some of those religious institutions are self-insured, this has the net effect of making them pay directly for those services.

The larger issue that looms over this is the specter of an unfettered obama running amok in his second term with no fear of political consequences to restrain him.

That's why the three-ring circus that the republican primary has become is so worrisome. Obama simply must be stopped at all costs from a second term.

The consequences for this country would be beyond catastrophic...