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A Further Perspective
No Double Play
The Obama administration sets off religious wars even as if fights its own.
In two areas the Obama Administration has been proving itself too clever by half. It had hoped to score a double play by subsidizing “green” energy companies and forcing Catholic institutions into a once-size-fits-all contraception policy. Instead, both efforts have produced unwanted results.
Almost from Inauguration Day, Obama’s Department of Energy has been giving loans and loan guarantees to solar, wind and car battery companies. Normal due diligence by a private venture capital company would have denied (and probably did) loans to several of these, but this didn’t stop the DoE. It was driven, after all, by the religion of Environmentalism, whose worshipers had given Obama so many votes in 2008 and continued to insist that Americans must be made to use less gasoline and industry must be made to use less energy to produce its goods.
Today seven or so of the energy companies that received the taxpayer-funded loans are now in bankruptcy, led by Solyndra, the solar panel manufacturer, which received half-a-billion dollars.
The fact that the Bush Administration had decided against a loan to Solyndra was ignored by Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Mr. Chu is a respected physicist, but has no known business experience.
What business does the U.S. Government have dabbling in venture capital investments? None.
Private providers are very careful in assessing risks before investing in new ventures. Even then, some don’t pan out. Most do and, in either case, it is private money at risk, not yours.
Just as ideology drove the unwise energy loans, so it has driven the Department of Health and Human Services edict that Catholic-owned hospitals, schools, colleges and charities must provide free contraception devices and services (including “morning after” pills) in all employees’ health insurance policies. This is in opposition to the Catholic Church’s long-held position on contraception.
A huge backlash has ensued following this edict, and it is far from over. Obama’s minions were counting on the fact that many Catholics are not personally opposed to contraception and may practice it. What they overlooked was that this mandate forces Catholic institutions to choose between their consciences and the Department of HHS. Catholic bishops and many lay members — as well as Protestants, Jews and others — see this as an abridgment of religious freedom as protected by the First Amendment.
The pro-abortion forces, led by Planned Parenthood, have tried to frame the issue as one of “women’s health.” It is not. A large number of people — many of them not Catholics — are employed by the Catholic institutions targeted by the administration. Catholic Charities, a network of social services organizations, for example, has more than 70,000 employees. There is no record of an employee of this or any other Catholic institution, quitting because the institution’s health insurance policies did not include free contraception devices. (Note: when we were young, this writer’s wife purchased a contraception device recommended by her doctor. Health insurance policies did not provide free ones.)
Like the energy loans, this edict was driven by the ideology of Obama’s left-liberal base which is driving towards it goal of “single-payer” (that is, federal government-controlled) health care. The edict was a far riskier tactic than the Obama forces had estimated. It could result in a major loss of Catholic votes in November.
Obama and his circle seem intent on forcing all elements of civil society into becoming vassals — if not wards — of the federal government, just as many of its policies seem designed to increase the number of American dependent upon that government. If he is reelected in November, it is likely he will succeed.
About the Author
Peter Hannaford was closely associated for a number of years with the late President Reagan, beginning in the California Governor’s office. His latest book is Presidential Retreats.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
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Appleby| 2.10.12 @ 6:37AM
Time for the Catholics to step up and be Catholic. All eyes are on us now and it's time we led the way.
As for you who espouse the No Child Policy, who's going to pay for your Goodies when your parents are dead and what few children you have are marching in the street alongside you, Demanding?
Alan Brooks| 2.11.12 @ 9:28PM
Ever hear of adoption, Appleby? Christians like adoption.. do you think something is wrong with it? You think America is so unresilient we cannot survive? (note: I wrote 'survive', not build Heaven on Earth...
or perhaps you've got your contrarian hat on today.
Alan Brooks| 2.12.12 @ 12:16AM
Wrote this comment at the Putin piece (they were arguing birth-demographics):
I have seen with my own eyes several foreign children having being adopted. Our neighbors were adoptees from Equador.
Happens all the time.
Now, I'm not exactly the most optimistic person alive, however some of you appear to enjoy sketching negative futures as scare tactic.
Clint| 2.10.12 @ 7:15AM
Dr.Ron Paul,
“I am deeply troubled by the flippancy with which President Obama recently discussed regulations that are alarming and troublesome for many Americans,”
“Not all Americans are comfortable with the Obama administration’s decision to mandate coverage of birth control and morning-after pills, and the considerations of these people, many of them Christian conservatives, are worthy of careful consideration — not mockery.”
“Many, like me, view this rigid regulatory overstep from which there is inadequate opportunity to self-exempt as payback to Planned Parenthood and big pharmaceutical companies for their support of Obamacare,” Paul said. “Many others oppose it out of strict moral conviction, and their voices should be heard at least to the extent that an authentic opportunity to exempt be provided.”
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To Maine.
Dai Alanye | 2.10.12 @ 10:40AM
"Deeply troubled..."
Wow! What a fighter this RonPaul fellow is. What passion! What courage! What a clarion call to battle! Yes, let us all give "careful consideration" to rights enshrined in the First Amendment. Let us all speak of what "Many others oppose" while politely begging the government for an exception.
Or should we choose more stirring language? This shall not stand!
Clint| 2.10.12 @ 8:30PM
Do Your Homework, Israel Firster Smear Bund Bibi Boy, Dai Job.
" LAKE JACKSON, Texas– Congressman and 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul issued the following statement regarding the Obama Administration’s announcement that religious organizations must pay for contraception and sterilization under the national health care law:
“Forcing private religious institutions to pay for contraception and sterilization as part of their health care plans is a direct assault on the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty. On my first day as President, I will reverse this policy. Repealing the unconstitutional monstrosity known as ObamaCare is a major part of my Plan to Restore America.
“I am the only GOP presidential candidate who has consistently opposed the federal promotion, funding, and mandating of contraception and abortion. Unlike Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, I never voted to provide taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood. And unlike Mitt Romney, whose Massachusetts health care plan contained a contraceptive mandate similar to the one contained in ObamaCare, I have never supported any government health care mandates."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In Maine.
c. j. acworth| 2.10.12 @ 7:41AM
Are all you so-called moderates out there listening to this? All you boobs who thought it would be so cool to have a black (OK, half-black) President, even though he is an obvious radical who shares none of your professed values? Are any of you thinking through the consequences of giving this guy 4 more years?
Mike| 2.13.12 @ 1:28AM
You are correct. Obama is not black. He is black-white or white-black. In other words he is indecipherable and totally scrambled. He is the embroyo that was scrambled in the uterus of Stanley Ann Dunham that was stirred by Barak Obama the Senior.
Obama is a street dog without roots brought to you by the liberal mongrels of the Democrat Party.
Von Mises Jr.| 2.10.12 @ 8:25AM
In Crane Brinton's "The Anatomy of Revolution," one of the "Reigns of Terror and Virtue" is to change the names of everything connected with the past. Hence we have "overseas contingency operations, " man made disasters," and "kenetic military operations."
Another is to badger the people outside the revolution with daily, non-stop and endless irritants. They must be harangued and harassed to obey and comply. This is the meaning of attacks on the Church.
Welcome to Obamaworld.
fckewe| 2.13.12 @ 1:56AM
Oh, like the birther BS, the muslim BS, the Rev Wright BS, the paling around with terrorists... 25 years after the fact kind of badgerings about nothing legitimate as irritants?
Go RED Menace!!!
fckewe| 2.13.12 @ 1:57AM
The rephrasing of women's health into ATTACK on Religion!!! The rephrasing of The Attack on Women's Rights to "family values"? That kind of crap?
fckewe| 2.13.12 @ 1:59AM
Oh, I get it, The redistribution of wealth renamed "people who should never have trusted an MBA holding mortgage broker who says "sign here" and "I'll fill in the blanks for you"...
Yeah, those criminal conspirators who made Tony Mozilla rich. Right.
Von Mises Jr.| 2.13.12 @ 7:04AM
fcked, I would respect your opinion if you read the book and had something to contribute.
Ron| 2.10.12 @ 12:40PM
Apparently, NerObama has backpedaled (i.e. flip-flopped) on the pronouncement from on high...yea, the lord and master of the Left has decided that someone else was in error in suggesting this to his hineyness (intended slur there) and he has "fixed" the problem to preserve his left religious base. All praise NerObama, the great healer!
Al Sonnier| 2.10.12 @ 4:43PM
The First Amendment is not negotiable or subject to compromise. Barack is a Communist!
fckewe| 2.13.12 @ 2:00AM
Oh, so you agree that if it has a dollar bill on it, it's protected free speech?
Rick| 2.12.12 @ 11:57AM
Your a bigget and a rasist!
Frank Natoli| 2.12.12 @ 1:01PM
"Catholic bishops and many lay members -- as well as Protestants, Jews and others -- see this as an abridgment of religious freedom as protected by the First Amendment"
Yes, but, the political calculus appears to be based on a majority of women voters, regardless of their ostensible religious affiliation, appreciate Obama sticking his thumb in the male hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
And that's all that matters.
fckewe| 2.13.12 @ 2:04AM
What really matters is the vehement agenda of the few, restricting healthcare for the many. It's not, "uno e infornicato pluribus" in our history books. What part of democracy is it to have a tiny minority dictate the availability of medicine for the other 85% of citizens?
Remember, this same Group imprisoned Galileo for saying the EARH was NOT the center of the Universe, that insisted the Earth is FLAT and that sex is for procreation ONLY? Even if the Bible explains all those things to be false.