Welcome to CNH’s Water Cooler, where fellow Hubsters commiserate and comment on current events, or whatever you like, while our boys Jon and Stephen are away.
Happy Independence Day!
Hey Hubsters! Hope you’re having a great July 4th so far. The weather in Chicago is beautiful, and I see strange sights such as people out of doors, looking…happy…This is the last independence day break for The Colbert Report, and we have 75 eps left to go. Of course, while our boys Jon and Stephen are away, the news cycle erupted with some pretty important stories. Enjoy the eye candy above, but this post is about to get down to business. Let’s delve in.
Obviously, the activity by the Supreme Court this week has dominated headlines. In the 5-4 decision in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby, the Court gave family-run businesses run on “closely held” religious principles exemption from providing their employees access to birth control. The majority opinion is, in essence, as follows:
“Under RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act), a Government action that imposes a substantial burden on religious exercise must serve a compelling government interest, and we assume that the HHS regulations satisfy this requirement. But in order for the HHS (Department of Human, Health & Services) mandate to be sustained, it must also constitute the least restrictive means of serving that interest, and the mandate plainly fails that test. There are other ways in which Congress or HHS could equally ensure that every woman has cost-free access to the particular contraceptives at issue here and, indeed, to all FDA-approved contraceptives.”
All three female justices and Justice Breyer held the dissenting opinion, basically saying that for-profit institutions should not be allowed to distinguish between what health services it would or would not provide, religious beliefs or no.
Further adding fuel to the fire, a second decision Thursday in Wheaton College vs. Burwell granted the college temporary exemption against providing certain forms of birth control (i.e., IUDs) under the Affordable Care Act. The fact that the College used the Supreme Court to grant an emergency injunction enraged the female justices of the court, leading to a particularly scathing reaction from Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She stated, “Those who are bound by our decisions usually believe they can take us at our word. Not so today.”
As a Catholic, I can understand the reluctance of organizations, both profit and non-for-profit, being forced to pay for services that violate their principles. This debate is rather interesting, because it is a real test of the Affordable Care Act in the real, corporate world. Can corporations stifle personal liberty? Where do personal rights begin and corporate rights end? On a day celebrating our liberty, this question is particularly poignant.
Now it’s your turn, let us know your thoughts:
What stories do you think Stephen and/or Jon would cover right now? Was there anything that happened this week which prompted you think, “Stephen would have totally talked about that”?
Have a great holiday!
© beeishappy | tumblr
Water Cooler — Independence day 2014 Edition
Welcome to CNH’s Water Cooler, where fellow Hubsters commiserate and comment on current events, or whatever you like, while our boys Jon and Stephen are away.
Happy Independence Day!
Hey Hubsters! Hope you’re having a great July 4th so far. The weather in Chicago is beautiful, and I see strange sights such as people out of doors, looking…happy…This is the last independence day break for The Colbert Report, and we have 75 eps left to go. Of course, while our boys Jon and Stephen are away, the news cycle erupted with some pretty important stories. Enjoy the eye candy above, but this post is about to get down to business. Let’s delve in.
Obviously, the activity by the Supreme Court this week has dominated headlines. In the 5-4 decision in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby, the Court gave family-run businesses run on “closely held” religious principles exemption from providing their employees access to birth control. The majority opinion is, in essence, as follows:
All three female justices and Justice Breyer held the dissenting opinion, basically saying that for-profit institutions should not be allowed to distinguish between what health services it would or would not provide, religious beliefs or no.
Further adding fuel to the fire, a second decision Thursday in Wheaton College vs. Burwell granted the college temporary exemption against providing certain forms of birth control (i.e., IUDs) under the Affordable Care Act. The fact that the College used the Supreme Court to grant an emergency injunction enraged the female justices of the court, leading to a particularly scathing reaction from Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She stated, “Those who are bound by our decisions usually believe they can take us at our word. Not so today.”
As a Catholic, I can understand the reluctance of organizations, both profit and non-for-profit, being forced to pay for services that violate their principles. This debate is rather interesting, because it is a real test of the Affordable Care Act in the real, corporate world. Can corporations stifle personal liberty? Where do personal rights begin and corporate rights end? On a day celebrating our liberty, this question is particularly poignant.
Now it’s your turn, let us know your thoughts:
What stories do you think Stephen and/or Jon would cover right now? Was there anything that happened this week which prompted you think, “Stephen would have totally talked about that”?
Have a great holiday!
© beeishappy | tumblr