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Those old men on the Supreme Court hate women

The Internet and lame stream media’s democratic political pundits have lost their collective minds over the Hobby Lobby decision.  The Hobby Lobby case was the one that challenged ObamaCare on religious grounds.  Hobby Lobby claimed that they should not be forced to pay for (4) out of the 20 covered birth control procedures in The Affordable Care Act on religious grounds.  The Supreme Court decision agreed with Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties.  So much has been written over that past few days by Republicans, Libertarians, Democrats, Progressives – and nearly all of it is fundamentally wrong.

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The democrats, liberals, and progressives are fanning the flames amongst their core constituency with the assertion that this decision is a direct attack on women and reproductive rights.  From all the corners of the Internet their team inhabits they cry  “Stay out of my womb”, and we see clever graphics about how the right wing is trying to hurt women.

Hobby Lobby decision birth control

 

No less than Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Chair of the Democratic National Committee, blasted the decision stating turning “the dial back” and “financially impacts women; it prevents them from being able to join the middle class … this is going to turn back the dial”.  Her comments are pretty clear, if your a woman working for Hobby Lobby you are going to have to pay for your own birth control.

 

So the Republicans must be rejoicing for the Christian constituents, right?  Yes, yes they are … putting together some great graphics like this one.

 

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Here’s the thing, this decision will have no consequences for female Hobby Lobby employees.  The decision states that Hobby Lobby and other closely held corporations, meaning privately owned businesses, do not have to pay for morally objectionable services based on their religious values.  The employees of these organizations are still covered for all of the services in the same manner as an employee of a business with no religious objection.

Wait, What, How?

The effect of the HHS-created accommodation on the women employed by Hobby Lobby and other companies involved in these cases would be precisely zero. Under that accommodation, these woman would still be entitled to all FDA-approved contraceptives without cost sharing.- from the majority opinion

Simply read the ruling!   You can find the ruling here.

The opinion of the court outlines how exceptions have been granted corporations and individuals from many of  provisions in the  Obama Care law.  Providing exemptions for unions, religious organizations and many more, it then quotes the RFRA act – a law that defines what groups are eligible for protection on religious grounds, and the strict adherence to that law congress intended when it passed RFRA.  Given that the Affordable Care Act already provides exemptions for religious groups, and exemptions for many reasons to all kinds organizations, companies, and unions.  It was short trip to a ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby’s objections.  In fact, a reading of the religious exemptions under the Affordable Care Act – would lead most sane people to assume that congress had always intended for exemptions to be available on religious grounds.  Of course, political pundits rarely have the word “sane” attached to their punditry.

So how does this effect anyone.  It does not affect a female employee at Hobby Lobby by one thin dime.  Hobby Lobby would not pay for the (4) out of (20) procedures they find objectionable, but just like in the already existing religious exemptions passed in by congress, the insurance company would cover all procedures and pills 100 percent.

Why all the fuss then – because the democrats are facing a very tough mid-term election, and they have very few motivational messages for their core supporters – a small white lie, and maybe a few more make it to the polls in November.  Hey it’s not like voters use facts to make their decisions.

Why do the Republican’s miss this important point, that hobby lobby is not an anti-abortion decision, that it did not strike down any portion of the Affordable Care Act.  It is useful propaganda, for  conservatives, a story about a  President  constantly having his laws overturned by the Supreme Court.  Unfortunately for conservatives,  they are missing the bigger picture, and re-telling the Democrat party’s propaganda.

So when you hear this non-sense about “turning back the clock”, is it a lie, is it stupidity  or is it propaganda?