WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has dealt President Obama another blow, this time ruling that for-profit companies with certain religious beliefs cannot be forced to offer some forms of contraceptives for their employees in health plans.
In the 5-4 ruling, the court said that the federal government can’t require employers with religious objections to provide insurance coverage for methods of birth control and emergency contraception that go against their religious beliefs.
The suit began when the owners of three closely held for-profit corporations (Hobby Lobby Stores, Mardel and Conestoga Wood Specialties) that have sincere Christian beliefs that life begins at conception and that it would violate their religion to facilitate access to contraceptive drugs or devices that operate after that point filed suit. In separate actions, they sued the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal officials and agencies (collectively HHS) under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA).
In short, the Supreme Court ruled that as applied to closely held corporations, the HHS regulations imposing the contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) violate RFRA.
Hobby Lobby said in a statement Monday “Thank you to all of our supporters. Your prayers and words of encouragement have been such a blessing.”
Hobby Lobby co-founders David and Barbara Green statement:
httpv://youtu.be/fNYJHCxwx9E
In a press briefing following the ruling on Monday, a White House spokesman said that “President Obama believes women should make personal health care decisions for themselves” and that Congress should take action to assist women affected by the decision.
Some legal experts said that the ruling “allows bosses to force their personal beliefs on employees” and that the ruling takes another step toward declaring corporations to be people. In fact, the court wrote that “Nothing in RFRA suggests a congressional intent to depart from the Dictionary Act definition of “person,” which “include[s] corporations, as well as individuals.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the strongest dissent to the decision, saying she fears the court “has ventured into a minefield.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Approving some religious claims while deeming others unworthy of accommodation could be ‘perceived as favoring one religion over another,’ the very ‘risk the [Constitution’s] Establishment Clause was designed to preclude,” Ginsburg said. “Would the exemption … extend to employers with religiously grounded objections to blood transfusions (Jehovah’s Witnesses); antidepressants (Scientologists); medications derived from pigs, including anesthesia, intravenous fluids, and pills coated with gelatin (certain Muslims, Jews, and Hindus); and vaccinations[?] Religious organizations exist to foster the interests of persons subscribing to the same religious faith. Not so of for-profit corporations. Workers who sustain the operations of those corporations commonly are not drawn from one religious community.”
Planned Parenthood tried to look on the bright side of the ruling, tweeting “That’s FOUR Supreme Court Justices who stood up for women. Cheers!”
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas called the decision a “landmark victory for religious liberty”:
Ted Cruz
The decision affirms that Americans, contrary to what the Obama Administration attempted to impose, have a right to live and work in accordance to their conscience and can’t be forced to surrender their religious freedom once they open a business.This ruling is a repudiation of the Obama Administration’s untenable position that people with sincerely held religious beliefs should be forced to comply with an unconstitutional mandate while a parade of waivers, exemptions, and delays are granted for purely commercial and political interests.
In making this ruling the Court relied on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was passed with broad bipartisan support, proving the strength and necessity of the legislation and showing the nation the effectiveness members of Congress can have when they work together to protect religious liberty.
The White House indicated Monday that it would go to Congress to seek a remedy to the new ruling.
According to published reports, the ruling doesn’t affect: Most birth control pills, Condoms, Sponges, Sterilization.
It does affect: Plan B “morning-after pill”, Ella “morning-after pill”, Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs), Copper IUDs.
Last week, the court struck down the President’s ability to use recess appointments of judicial and executive nominees to circumvent Congress.
@maybe-all they have to do is keep their legs together unless there is protection and they won’t have a problem. The best form of birth control is a aspirin squeezed beneath the knees.
Allen
9 years ago
I don’t understand why a business is responsible for women going out and having unprotected sex. Are we that far into becoming sheeple that there is no more personal responsibility…. If I make a mistake, or do something wrong, who’s fault is it.
JB Johnson
9 years ago
mother nature, you have no idea what you are talking about. If they have no benefits why the fight over paying for the morning after pill? The fight was over what benefit they were going to pay for. And as far as wage, don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion. http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Hobby-Lobby-Salaries-E7537.htm
Mother Nature
9 years ago
Hobby Lobby Won! They sell merchandise that was made by children from third world countries who are paid a hand full of rice and work in conditions that are less than we would accept for our dogs. Store employees are paid minimum wage and get no benefits. I challenge you to shop there and find any item that was American Made. The victory against Obama care came at a great price.
Ah, I see.
So that was an infantile and feeble attempt at slandering the Presidents name.
Hmmm….
Well there is about as much chance of President Obama getting impeached as there is of LVS becoming intelligent.
So let’s face the facts, neither one of those things is going to ever happen.
No doubt. These people are like 3 year olds aren’t they. It’s incredulous. I cannot believe such people were allowed to comprise the military. It’s what happens when males grow out in body, but don’t develop in mind.
That’s what rednecks are: big overgrown children with Motorsport playtoys and (more unnerving) guns. They know just enough to work a job and pay their bills, and within this elementary designed school system…it was all they needed to insemninate females, build homes and raise children. The collective progression of our nation has been held back, due to the proliferation and prosperity of the homo slantus sangria neckus subspecies of homo erectus…aka the American Redneck.
@Philly-come on and admit it. You are an expert at nothing. You have no experience because you have never held a job and are book smart only with no common sense whatsoever. In other words, you should live in a basement or a hole in the ground and have no contact with the rest of the world.
It’s a slap to women most of all.
Ignorance is bliss
@maybe-all they have to do is keep their legs together unless there is protection and they won’t have a problem. The best form of birth control is a aspirin squeezed beneath the knees.
I don’t understand why a business is responsible for women going out and having unprotected sex. Are we that far into becoming sheeple that there is no more personal responsibility…. If I make a mistake, or do something wrong, who’s fault is it.
mother nature, you have no idea what you are talking about. If they have no benefits why the fight over paying for the morning after pill? The fight was over what benefit they were going to pay for. And as far as wage, don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion.
http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Hobby-Lobby-Salaries-E7537.htm
Hobby Lobby Won! They sell merchandise that was made by children from third world countries who are paid a hand full of rice and work in conditions that are less than we would accept for our dogs. Store employees are paid minimum wage and get no benefits. I challenge you to shop there and find any item that was American Made. The victory against Obama care came at a great price.
All in the name of religious freedom.
mother nature is another one of those, my opinion has to be fact because it is my opinion.
http://madworldnews.com/read-else-hobby-lobby-forces-employees/
We should recall all those Supreme Court justices. Oh wait, we can’t do that.
Mostly, we should impeach Osama and all of his henchman.
Huh?
Osama bin laden is dead and why would you want to impeach him?
I think he meant Osama obama
Ah, I see.
So that was an infantile and feeble attempt at slandering the Presidents name.
Hmmm….
Well there is about as much chance of President Obama getting impeached as there is of LVS becoming intelligent.
So let’s face the facts, neither one of those things is going to ever happen.
No doubt. These people are like 3 year olds aren’t they. It’s incredulous. I cannot believe such people were allowed to comprise the military. It’s what happens when males grow out in body, but don’t develop in mind.
That’s what rednecks are: big overgrown children with Motorsport playtoys and (more unnerving) guns. They know just enough to work a job and pay their bills, and within this elementary designed school system…it was all they needed to insemninate females, build homes and raise children. The collective progression of our nation has been held back, due to the proliferation and prosperity of the homo slantus sangria neckus subspecies of homo erectus…aka the American Redneck.
@Philly-come on and admit it. You are an expert at nothing. You have no experience because you have never held a job and are book smart only with no common sense whatsoever. In other words, you should live in a basement or a hole in the ground and have no contact with the rest of the world.
They should slap Obama with more than this.