UPDATED 3:15, November 18
The Hill's Michael O'Brien
reports that Diana DeGette (D-CO), co-chairwoman of the
Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, while discussing the viability
of the Stupak Amendment, claimed that the Catholic bishops and
other religious groups should not have a say in the health care
debate.
She also said that religiously-affiliated groups like the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops, which had pushed for the Stupak
provision, should be shut out of the process.
"Last I heard, we had separation of church and state in this
country," she said. "I've got to say that I think the Catholic
bishops and all of the other groups shouldn't have input."
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins responded with a
press release calling DeGette's words "religious bigotry."
Apart from whether DeGette is a religious bigot, it's clear she
is a constitutional ignoramus.
UPDATE:
Apparently The Hill misquoted DeGette. She said "I think
the Catholic bishops and all of the other groups
should have input." Obviously that changes her
point entirely.
Although the line about the separation of church and state was
not a misquote, so the point that she is a constitutional
ignoramus still stands.
