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Marcia Segelstein and Lino Rulli debate if they have a case against the White House
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And welcome back to spirited debate -- the nation's Catholic bishops are wrapping up their three day general meeting in Atlanta today.
The top item on the agenda is religious liberty and specifically the fight over health care mandate which is put them in a struggle with the Obama administration.
Take a listen to the president of the visions conference -- cardinal Dolan.
Well from the beginning we bishops have tried our best two delineate our strategy -- prayer which for us is always the first -- Number 22.
Education to let our people know the urgency here which I think they do I'm so grateful to our people from -- unity and support.
Thirdly you have to concede so we continue or -- with the White House -- not -- give we accept every invitation for dialogue.
-- the topic is the first for the PayPal today -- on the panel Marcia Siegel Stein senior editor of sell a magazine.
And -- will lead author and it.
Serious radio host of the Catholic guy so welcomed -- about that a series -- SE RIA units but look at face going and serious enough that can't be serious about.
Okay so.
I needed ladies first actually and Monica and comment on what's going on with -- with the with the Catholic Church because.
For a lot of people this is an ongoing struggle that just seems not to go away and -- did that happen a few months ago why -- we still talking about it but in a sense.
You know are the bishops overstepping their boundaries here I mean in terms -- you know they're trying to force their faith on the rest of the world.
No I don't think so I think they're trying to force anything I think the Obama administration is trying to force its will on.
The freedom of religion I think that's the problem and I think somehow the media's got -- all around.
And they've taken it from a different perspective I'm outside of the discussions about.
Contraception -- how but a discussion about.
Just freedom for the Catholic Church to protect its its own teachings I mean.
Somehow it's all gotten mixed up and possibly other but the thing I'd like to say is.
This year about contraception but then they never mentioned -- never mention abortion that's another part of this whole thing that Catholic hospitals and Catholic universities.
Catholic institutions would be forced to go against their own religious teachings and the bishops are overstepping their bounds that there just responding to.
And attack on there and religious freedom right right.
You know well we have a couple full screens because I want to.
We we asked Tom.
-- a couple of people we have stay in -- Fox News -- About requiring religious affiliated groups to provide birth control in the health plans and of we a graphic about businesses.
47 that it's a 47% of the people actually agreed with the government -- green wound that the government should.
Require these religious affiliated groups to provide health care benefits like birth control.
And then only 41%.
And agreed with the Catholic church and 12% aren't sure I've.
I thought that was -- little bit.
Interesting in that not many people actually I would think he would majority.
Would of agreed with the -- with it with a -- is apparently not what do you think about that.
What I think one of the things a ball that even the way the question was posed was should it these religious institution -- giving birth control.
I think it's a different question would be should listen institutions have religious freedom to determine what they're gonna be doing so -- it comes to birth control for different types of reasons.
There could be an argument for well we see we see your reason for that why this or that could happen however when it comes to should the religious institution whatever might be have a religious freedom I think there's a lot more people siding with yes they should have religious freedom.
-- -- also the you know this is what we're waiting for -- is the Supreme Court to rule on the health care law.
Completely -- were still waiting for that either going to take out part of it or throughout the whole law.
So we album also asked people in a Fox News poll how should the Supreme Court -- on a new health care law.
To overturn the whole law 38%.
Now say over tribal law rise in forty in in April it was 42% so.
There is it seems to be in acquiescence that the whole law is spinning coming along just fine.
Or uphold as -- as constitutional 30% to 27% and keep most invalidate the mandate.
-- -- twenty for the clearly that the biggest numbers are for -- you know either all or nothing.
But Marshall what do you think about this mean that people are kind of on the fence about this whole health -- -- Maybe for the reasons we don't really know all of what's it in the hole.
Maybe not but also I think that there's just been some momentum lost I think at the beginning.
The people on one side were maybe more vocal and -- their forces have been able to not so vocal lately.
I think -- people you know this.
Stood back and really took a long hard look again if he did at the beginning about the health care law those numbers would be different.
And -- and it just -- back to the you know attitudes to the contraception thing can you know it it is a matter of perception I mean I think most people.
Assumed that everybody can get contraception and Americans -- think that is a right.
And and I think that's.
You know this this came up because -- of -- of the Obama administration for -- If you ask Alice is someone on the street -- who do you think that know what may your health care should pay for contraception -- say yes but.
If you went to Catholic working for Catholic university should years we shouldn't they pay for that they think they hopefully -- -- no.
I mean it's -- The -- that's gotten me framed into a discussion about contraception whether you have a right twit or not and it's to -- -- that it's been re framed.
You -- it is also an earlier flight -- everything any argument there is an actual on.
The head of one of the.
The united way I think we're ready to the next one but the idea's like if it's almost like there's -- there'd -- applicants and language.
Because the Obama administration is defining the issue in terms of contraceptives in a -- of -- Don't definition of contraceptives and Tom -- reproductive rights.
And so that's the argument they're making and the bishops are now are expanding this definition of the conflict this is about -- -- -- liberty.
This is -- so much more then contraceptives -- about immigration it's about you know.
Marriage is about schools about -- -- hospitals and all of us and you mentioned so.
Is that a problem -- where they just not speaking even the same language.
Yeah I think that's completely the problem is they're they're talking past each other when they're talking and all the talking past each other and if if one person says this is a -- Helpful it's tough to be like now what -- for health.
The bishops over health -- a question of that it's.
Can we before religious freedom and I think the other thing which is oftentimes lost in this discussion -- a little crazy.
There are exemptions the administration has given exemptions but the problem is the administration to find woman and religious institution is so.
The -- and -- part of bought all of this is Catholic Charities let's say.
If Catholic Charities all employed Catholics and only served homeless Catholics hungry Catholics -- Catholics.
All this would go away because the exemption for birth control and everything else would be in place so the weird thing as the government is in a sense almost publishing.
The Catholic Church event would.
I think is -- Didn't somebody in the Obama administration trying to think ahead think you know that's a step that they should have anticipated and made it does it does it say anything about.
The advisors in the White House.
Yes I think it just I think it does although I think it's in some ways they've worked it -- to -- to their advantage you just use the term reproductive rights that's.
A phrase that we now use -- -- -- -- what does that really mean reproductive rights.
Try to right to have sex with anybody I want not get pregnant what does that mean we've done to -- but we're really talking about religious rights and he wouldn't we.
-- there is no firm definition of reproductive rights.
But there is such a thing as religious rights and religious liberty it's what our country is founded on -- go to war for reproductive rights -- I think you should read an article about.
Bill how this -- has tried to redefine a lot of stuff like freedom of worship freedom from religion.
And reproductive rights you have set all it.
