The news and social media have been alive for some time with discussions about Hobby Lobby's determination to defy the Obama Care requirements that they provide certain contraceptive medications as part of their employee health care plan. In particular they are opposed to making available the morning-after pill and similar emergency contraception pills. Local news stories tend to be supportive of their position portraying it as a fight for religious freedom. Social media discussions are largely dominated by "pro-life" voices who oppose any type of abortion and in some cases birth control.
Without taking a position on this issue one way or the other, I am not certain that I see a great deal of difference between the tactics of the federal government or Hobby Lobby in this instance. The government is portrayed as using the force of law to require the Greens to provide a medical benefit to their employees which conflicts with their religious beliefs. The Greens, however, choose to use the force of company policy to deny employees access to a medical service that has (morality aside) been determined to be a constitutionally protected right.
Pro-life advocates make a compelling moral argument; however, they cannot and will not carry the day through either force of law or company policy. Existing court rulings are not going to be overturned. If their case is to be won it needs to be won from the pulpit, on the street corner and through moral persuasion. Hobby Lobby is a major retailer with a large number of employees. They operate under the laws of the United States and have been quite profitable. Once laws are enacted they really cannot pick and choose. They really have to "...give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar..."
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Except that Hobby Lobby is not using company policy to deny employees access to a medical service. If they were doing that, they would be firing employees who use these services. But they are not doing so, they are merely refusing to pay for drugs which would result in the death of their employee's children. To do so is not a use of force against their employees.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the administration is concerned, it is attempting to enforce a law which has the explicit aim of increasing the murders of innocent children. Increasing the murders of innocent children is the exact opposite of government's role, which is to protect citizens. Therefore, the administration has no right enforce the law and this money which they claim as their own is not rightfully theirs. Jesus said to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's. But Caesar has no right to apply that fine, so the money for those fines does not belong to Caesar.
Jeremy - Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I suppose part of my concern relates to any organization, secular or nonsecular, that becomes very profitable by operating within and with the assistance of the laws and then wants to opt of only those with which they differ. HL is not unique. I am confident they have fleets of CPAs seeking out every tax advantage in the federal tax code. Their buyers and marketers work tariff and trade agreements to maximum advantage. When you ally yourself with Caesar for financial advantage you cannot be surprised when he turns on you and demands you do his bidding. claiming otherwise smacks of at least some degree of disengenuousness at best, hypocrisy at worst.
DeleteInteresting commentary from both sides of the fence. On the one hand HL is forcing their employees to make a decision about working for a company that forces their moral positions on them. On the other, the government is forcing HL to support that individuals right towards self determination. In either case it appears you can not have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteBob - Businesses ask the government to help them gain every marketplace advantage they can devise and then try to take exception whe the government requires them to do something they don't like. They should watch the complete "The Sopranos" series and remember that the federal government operates much like Tony. He will give you what you want but in the long run he will take soooo much more and destroy you if you resist.
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