Obama Wrong on Health Insurance Requirements

Well, it seems that the separation of Church and State is a very strong belief among the liberals of our great nation. Very strong, indeed: until the state decides the Church must kowtow to it. We see no better example of this than in the Obama Administration's decision to make Catholic institutions pay for sterilization and contraceptives for their employees through the health plans of Catholic companies and organizations.

Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron deplores the action as "discrimination against Americans exercising their right of conscience." He is quite right. To act within the bounds of our clear and certain consciences is as much of a right as freedom of speech and expression. If we cannot express our rights in our daily actions, then we are not free. The White House claims that the ruling is an effective balance of religious beliefs and women's health concerns.

Not in the eyes of the Church. But the eyes of religion don't matter when the eyes of the state are turned upon them. "We're being told to violate our conscience or be in violation of the law," says Msgr. Robert McClory, vicar-general of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He's quite right, of course. But right and wrong do not matter when a liberal wants his way. Liberals don't care about right and wrong. They about getting what they want. And what they want here is to bully the Church.

Perhaps, Mr. President, the Church already has determined the right balance of religion and health care issues. Perhaps women and men who work for Catholic societies should not be looking for the type of health care which they should not be seeking, if they are Catholics in good conscience. Yet these points are easily ignored when government, that supreme protector of the individual gets involved in areas such as health care. They hold the reigns, which must mean they know better.

This is one of the key yet less discussed matters when it comes to national health care, indeed of any government involvement in such intimate areas of life. When the government runs it, it gets to decide what is moral. You need no conscience when you have Washington in your corner. Barack Obama will take of that for you.

In light of all this, no Catholic in good conscience should vote for that man. If you have a problem with that statement, then perhaps you need to look inside yourself and find your conscience. That is, unless the conscience of Big Brother is good enough for you.