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Challenge to birth control mandate

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    All-Star panel weighs in

  • Duration 5:36
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It's not about contraception it is about government compulsion it is about making our university and an agent of the government and you look at two -- the first criteria.

You must serve primarily Catholics.

Can you must -- primarily Catholics neither of which we do and as many wiser people have said it changes the church from saying are you hungry -- are you Catholic under this unprecedented.

Definition of what is and what is not religious ministry.

Even the work of Mother Teresa and caring for the poorest.

And and most needy people would not qualify.

As religious enough.

Well 43 Catholic institutions are challenging the the administration's health care law the president's health care law we called the agent -- S health and human services today.

The response we have we declined to comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuits is a basically are filed about the decision.

Two that only Catholic institution such as churches are exempted from providing.

Wide ranging contraception.

Contraceptive coverage.

And not schools universities hospitals charities.

And therein lies the problem they say it's about religious freedom.

We're back with the panel Steve how big a deal is this that all of these groups have now filed lawsuits.

Against the administration.

Well at this point it's a big deal in terms of public relations -- -- you have yet another.

Attempt to delegitimize.

What the administration -- -- -- -- and look this we should say this was a long time coming.

The leadership of the Catholic Church work work hand in hand.

With the administration to try to avoid precisely this outcome and you had a series of meetings that took place in the late fall and in the early part of the winner.

Before this decision was announced on January 20 in which the leaders of the church said.

We don't want this to come to a head this way.

And then you have the president make his announcement and then I think from that point on.

You saw things deteriorate and remember -- -- bishop -- out a letter on March 1 in which he declared that he was shocked.

That this was the outcome because President Obama he said.

Had personally assured me that he would do nothing to impede the good work.

Of the church that's suggested if he thinks the president was an honest with them and there was subsequent meetings.

From that point in which they tried to to talk about this compromise the church was not satisfied.

And the administration eventually declared both from it in the person of Kathleen Sebelius in Jay -- from the podium.

That this was a fait accompli that they were done talking about this -- church felt basically we have reached the point we have no other options and we're gonna continue to fight -- This this is a number of shots fired against this health care law as the supreme court of course one gets ready to make its ruling sometime in June likely.

The number of schools have dropped health insurance insurance for students.

Not only because they say it's morally objectionable objectionable this ruling but also because.

Premiums 66%.

-- right so you have a situation where.

Some of the interim steps that are taken on the way to full.

You know to -- engagement in the health Caroline in the health care law which will come in 2014.

Our people have objections to -- in some cases especially with people who were students or part time employees as insurance companies say it's just too.

Prohibitive in terms of costs -- you have people make decisions to cut back.

These -- these are all on the way to the big decision comes from the court that's what that's where we'll -- it now with regard to this lawsuit.

I just find this intriguing we -- country of civil laws you know if the Muslim communities that are you know what we -- -- certainly treatment of men from women -- hospitals.

If you had people who were orthodox Jews say -- we cannot allow.

Certain people to come into our rooms because we are -- You know OK it's your church conductor -- as you well.

But why would you expect that the government should somehow.

Say oh -- what will follow what every rules you want for -- for hospitals universities.

For charities.

And then also that you should take government money at the same time.

Think that's right.

-- I think that the lawsuits and what Steve describe assists as the church's effort to work with the administration.

-- to no avail.

I I think it it's.

You know it sounds terrible -- they feel that the regulations have violated their first -- to freely express or religion the exemptions.

Farce are extremely restrictive because they only apply to.

Activities between Catholics and so -- -- and and offering services non Catholics they're still violating their beliefs.

But you know politically this is a wash I mean if we're just talking about the policy of this for the administration.

It is true that people who are on one side of the argument are gonna get all.

Energized by -- and and and give money and work hard and people on the other side.

It was a fund raising opportunity for -- sides you can be sure the administration and Democrats will find a way to say this.

Violates a women's -- you.

Access to contraception and health care coverage and it is literally -- -- -- political so one you don't see.

The religious freedom aspect.

Now because it's nobody's trying to tell you what you can worship for what happens in your church -- synagogue in the -- that's exactly what you know you know not even the bishops says.

If you are in the church if you worth talking about.

Relations with other Catholics that the government that spot right when you have constant hi you're treating somebody other than cattle -- so then you weren't ready and taking government money and then you say open government -- we have our own rules don't tell us what to -- wait a minute --

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