Simcha, thank you for this post.  I spent the day yesterday exchanging emails with my good friend while we were both at work, both of us rapidly expressing various shades of negative reaction to the ruling (think vomit, tears, etc.  She even stated she should NOT have worn mascara yesterday!)  Add to that the angry phone calls and text messages to my husband and mom, and you get the gist of the state of my heart yesterday.  And yet this morning, this little gem of a post speaks to the part of my soul yearning to keep my country free.  It tells me ultimately, our goal is Heaven.  Let’s set our sights on that, and remember that we need to focus on our day to day lives in making sure our actions and prayer, and reception of Christ in the Eucharist, prepares our souls to reach Paradise.  That being said, as members of the Church Militant, this ruling reminds us that our work on Earth is not done.  Onward, Soldiers of Christ!

Thank you, Simcha.  After yesterday I really needed to hear this.

Thank you so much for this column that sets things aright in terms of perspective.  All true, what you say, and as Jennifer Fulwiler has said, God is not a wish-granting genie.  I might add the old saying that He works in mysterious ways. 
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However, I am also hopeful about the striking down of the HHS mandate based on First Amendment violations, per the Becket Fund’s analysis of the majority decision.  Note the vital comments written by no less than Justice Ginsburg (!):
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http://www.becketfund.org/key-quotes-from-today-decision-that-signal-the-courts-willingness-to-strike-down-the-hhs-mandate/.
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QUOTE: “The second quote, from Justice Ginsburg’s opinion, is even more clear: “A mandate to purchase a particular product would be unconstitutional if, for example, the edict impermissibly abridged the freedom of speech, interfered with the free exercise of religion, or infringed on a liberty interest protected by the Due Process Clause.” Again, that is just what the HHS mandate does: It “interfere[s] with the free exercise of religion” by forcing religious organizations across the country to violate their religious beliefs.(SC Opinion Part II which was joined by Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan. p 29)” END QUOTE

I’m trying to be charitable in thought re. Justice Roberts who is a devout & prolife Christian.As you say, maybe there was something good he was trying to attempt & down the road it will become more clear, but right now it still remains a mystery to me.

There is one reason we have this healthcare provision, there were no others on the table, no one came up with a better plan and there are 41M people without healthcare.  Have you read the beatitudes?

We all need to trust God.  He’s working his plan and all is right with the world.

As we’re fond of pointing out,CATHOLIC (in name, anyway) legislators helped craft and push this monstrosity through Congress, thanks to CATHOLICS who voted for them. We have a CATHOLIC (in name, anyway)  running Health and Human Services who has yet to be publicly rebuked by the Archdiocese in Washington DC.
I am trying to be hopeful, hopeful that the “sleeping giant” that is the American middle class will turn off TV, get off the couch, and pay attention to what is happening to their freedoms.
Maybe we as a people are too fat and sassy to care. Maybe our national motto should be changed from “E Pluribus Unum” to “Ubi Es Mea”, or “where’s mine?”
I am trying to remain hopeful. I really am.

As Christians, why do we even have respect for founding fathers who murdered the Native people? In all seriousness, why? I love my country, but I do not hold these people in high regard. Am I missing something?

Timshel!

@Andrea:  Applying today’s politically correct views to events that happened over two centuries ago is not exactly kosher.  The very different context of those times has to be taken into consideration.  We can thus throw out the baby with the bathwater and dump into the Potomac everything that has to do with the Founding Fathers’ accomplishments - or lack of them, or retain what was right and just in them while keeping a more nuanced perspective on historical events.

This may sound absolutely insane, but after I read parts of Chief Justice Roberts opinion, I think he was merely interpreting that law on its own. I don’t think he had any master plan, any hidden agenda. I truly believe that his logic was that the government can hit you with an additional tax unless you buy health insurance. After all, government has given out tax breaks and credits and exemptions to all classes of society for decades.

I don’t like the result, but one of the pernicious effects of Roe vs. Wade is the widespread belief that the Justices just get to make up whatever they want in support of whatever agenda they have. I truly think that Chief Justice Roberts was doing what a justice should: look at a given law in the context of American jurisprudence and the Constitution and rule on it and it alone.

Of course, that means we’ve ended up with an insane conglomeration of laws.

Very well-done, Simmy!

As horrific as this ruling is, our hope is always in God, whose plan is perfect—usually beyond my understanding, but perfect nonetheless.
 
My hope is that President Obama is blatant, audacious, and polarizing enough (let’s not forget arrogant, too!)to remove the gray area from political issues, and we Americans, and especially Catholics, will wake from our lethargy to finally see Obama’s agenda for what it truly is—socialistic tyranny.  He is no respecter of freedom, religion, America or its people. I believe that freedom and independence are too deeply ingrained in the American psyche for his heavy-handed politics to succeed long-term.  Let us hope and pray that the Independent American Spirit is still stronger than the current Entitlement culture.

This, I hope, will bring about his well-earned defeat in November.

I am also buoyed by the fact that Romney’s campaign has picked up $4 million since the SCOTUS ruling yesterday. 

Independence Day is my birthday; I refuse to cede it to this travesty.  We are still the Land of the Free, under God, and “we know that all things work for good for those who love God…” (Rom 8:28) Typically, I find that God’s “good” doesn’t look at all like my idea of “good”, but He tends to know what He is doing.

You are so right; it is personal and all about changing our own hearts. When hearts change, great things can happen—all by the Grace of God.

Thanks again, for the balanced perspective on this issue and helping us(me!) refocus on what is truly important.

Happy July 4th!

Let’s all celebrate independence with enthusiasm this July 4. We do have an election and this ruling will galvanize those who love freedom and religous liberty. If the mandate was struck down and the law was upheld, we would still be in a difficult spot and the left would have also be energized. We can now move forward with our lawsuit against HHS and use it as an opportunity to bring all Catholics home to the Church in a four month fight for religous liberty.

Remember, the Declaration of Independence was in 1776, the constitution was not adopeted until 1787, and we did not have freedom for all until 1865, and really not until 1964. We must perservere and fight for liberty. Let us all be thankful that we are still free. Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ live in oppressive lands like Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Somalia, Nigeria, China, and much of the world. Let us not forget John Paul the Great staring down communinsm.

We have a repsonsibility to be active and not take our liberty for granted, we are only one generation away from losing our freedom if we take it for granted. Will you fight for your children so they have the same freedom that you grew up with post World War 2? Let us all pray, be tahnkful, and fight the good fight. Happy Independence Day to all. God Bless.

That’s what I believe too, Steve.  I think he was just trying to deliver an honest decision.  I deliberately tried to avoid building up any expectations so I wouldn’t be disappointed either way.  Justice Roberts did remark that the Court was not ruling on whether it is good policy, which suggests there is reason to think otherwise.  Obama has indeed been outed for having implemented a tax, which I think will be highly unpopular.

Linda Quirk, I agree with you. The fight against the HHS mandate and federal funding for abortion must not waver, but the ACA is a first step towards meeting the desperate needs of millions of Americans. I would only add that I have quite a few friends and colleagues who are uninsured, and to my knowledge not a single one of them considers insurance to be something they “don’t want.” They are all ecstatic that “Obamacare” will help make it possible for them to get it.

There are still plenty of awful gaps in Obamacare, just logistically speaking. May I ask—when was the last time anyone was single, living month to month, and working full time? Trust me, you don’t HAVE any extra money to buy insurance. You don’t WANT to buy insurance until you have enough money to make sure your rent, utilities, AND groceries are covered. That you have enough to get another pair of sneakers to wear for work, since your old ones have holes. That you have enough for car insurance to get to work, since afforable housing only exists a town away. I deeply resent having choices taken from me. My dignity as a human being means that I have the right to determine whether or not to buy insurance. I have the right to decide if I want death panels deciding my medical fate for me or not. I have the right to decide if I want to buy into a program, whose definition of personhood is taken from a man who thinks that murdering newborns and having sex with animals is O.K. This health care program is NOT the solution. It’s a gateway to far worse than many can imagine. We should have pushed and pushed and pushed until they came back from the drawing board with something that took care of people AND maintained dignity AND didn’t violate human rights AND didn’t violate religious freedom.

Elizabeth, I agree with you!  We can like that more people will have access to healthcare and still HATE the mandate that kills.  And that fight will not waiver.

May I suggest that many are confusing a mandate to have universal insurance coverage (or take the consequences of a tax penalty) is being confused with the contraceptive mandate?

One is a law.  The other is an HHS regulation.  One can be changed by Congress.  The other can be changed by executive order.

I actually think that however we get to universal insurance coverage is about as pro-life as we can go, since one of the reasons many women abort is the fear of being able to provide adequately for a child (or even provide maternity care for themselves.)

I would suggest that we look more carefully at what the bishops have said about the debate - that the coverage doesn’t go far enough, and that no one be killed.  Universal coverage is a good thing, in their view.  And like the obligation to tithe to our churches, it means that we group our money to pay for a good.  It is part of the cost of being alive.

@Elizabeth, and those that need health insurance don’t understand that if they vote for something that gives them what they want, but takes away many other people’s freedom, then it won’t be long before they lose freedoms that they depend on now.  If the sitting government can ignore the constitution to get a benefit, then nothing will stop them from stamping on it again when they want some other ‘benefit’ that just happens hurt this group this time.

Have you ever watched someone that you love hurt their own health as they get really worked up over these issues?  One can’t help but feel that something is amiss…
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“It’s not enough to say no to the darkness—you have to actively look for a source of light.”...
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Yes, yes, yes.  Thank you for this.
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It reminded me of the beautiful sermon our wonderful, young, Jesuit priest gave this morning on the gospel…“Lord, if you want, you can make me clean”.  HOPE.
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What privilege to receive the SOURCE of this healing every day.
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Awe.
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What a blessing to be one of the “little ones” who sees past the tumult of worldly affairs and seeks His healing out at the source.

Let nothing disturb you
Nothing frighten you
All things are passing away
God never changes
Patience endures
and attains to all things
The one who possesses God
lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

- Found written in St. Teresa of Avila’s breviary
after her death in 1582

We’re in need of independence once again, so I won’t be celebrating a thing, just re-reading that part about tyranny and how we don’t have to take it.

I am so grateful that true freedom comes from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Insured drivers.  Now insured people.  I guess Blue Cross will be mailing out condoms as promotionals for families now.  I wonder who they are going to be banking with ... maybe they’ll start buying and selling short in the next six months, and we’ll never hear from them again.

(Long time fan, first time commenter.)

“Can’t we just win one for a change?”

We win one every day by living in America and not Somalia. 

I agree with you completely on the Christianity/internal soul part, but maybe we need a little perspective on the whole politics thing.

Posted by Elizabeth on Friday, Jun 29, 2012 9:40 AM (EST):Linda Quirk, I agree with you. The fight against the HHS mandate and federal funding for abortion must not waver, but the ACA is a first step towards meeting the desperate needs of millions of Americans.”
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Why not just come up with a plan for the uninsured since they’re a much smaller portion of the population?
I can’t help but think the ultimate goal is to have govt. run healthcare with no private insurance available.I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust expanded govt. If they run healthcare the way they run our public schools, we’re in trouble.

I love you and your writing, Simcha; that’s why I’m here.  But I don’t really understand your argument today.  I feel pretty free, myself—free to not use contraception, free to practice NFP.  The only thing I am no longer free to do (as of 2014) is to refuse to purchase health insurance and expect others to foot the bill when I (inevitably) become sick/injured.  I can accept that limitation on my liberty, cheerfully.  After all, we all do so already—car insurance works the same way.

Team Roberts, right here!

The insurance provided would be through Blue Cross.  They are private.  It’s like bicylce helmets:  government policy says, wear a helmet.  Bell the helmet manufacturer makes a killing on government policy.  Yeah, sure, you get $45 billion from the Fed. to CA, and other states, but rest assured private industries, financial, medical, etc., are making as much of a buck as any other private corporation with a government contract keeping the U.S. Armed Forces machine rolling along.  Those planes, trucks, and missiles, and everything else are not government made, but private. 

So far as the comment about respect for Founding Father is concerned:  I don’t think I respect Alexander Hamilton much because he was such a die-hard Federalist, but Thomas Jefferson was alright and I don’t mind so many of the British having been killed, a lot of them were indians.  You’ve heard:  do not judge?  That’s so people can kill their enemies without condemning them to hell.

I really enjoyed a whole lot the opinion of Roberts, that said in so many words, The U.S. Supreme Court does not exist to protect voters against the effects of what they voted to support, but nice try people!

For those of you who appreciate and agree with Justice Roberts.  I just want to know - if it is a tax, why was it even decided by the court when tax rulings are not allowed until after the tax has been levied and paid?

J H, not sure I understand what you are saying, my limited understanding of Robert’s decision, and the court’s,—it respected the constitutional authority of the U.S. House of Reps. to legislate taxes—simultaneously, it upheld the constitutional authority of the states to be represented and therefore, The Tea Party Patriots have been given a great triumph against ObamaCare, and won their fight:  taxation must be represented and Obama, lost his mandate as did The Democratic Party.  The battle now is at the ballot, and congress.

Last night at a Fortnight for Freedom talk by Brian Burch of Catholic Vote.org. we were discussing specific actions we could take.  It was an absolute given that prayer and fasting are a necessity.
Then, a column you had a few months ago on bumper stickers came to mind.  Remember - you and most of your commenters were against them. I disagree.  I find them a very effective tool for getting a message across. I am not stopped by the argument that someone doesn’t like or “may not be ready to hear” the message.
I think that now is the time to “preach…use words.”  Pray for the courage and put a bumper sticker (or two) on your vehicle.  (They are easily removed with the help of a hand-held hair dryer.)
It’s time for a national Catholic Bumper Sticker campaign.

Remember, most people follow the crowd in thought - and then voting.

Therese, where can we get these bumper stickers?

So, seriously—everyone who supports Obamacare is o.k. with how personhood is defined? As in, who made the definition (and what other atrocities they stand for) and who is allowed to be a person and who is not? It’s not just the mandate that is from Hell.

@Andrea:  which of the founding fathers murdered native peoples? (It’s a real question.)

@Kathleen:  I agree with you.  I naively believed, four years ago, that the purpose of “health care reform” was to make sure basic health care would be available to those who needed it.  I never thought that there would be an individual mandate, because Barack Obama himself had said that he was OPPOSED to such a thing, because of the unfair impact it would have on the poor.  Naively, I believed him.  I never dreamed that the bill would force my own religious entities to pay for contraception or else; I never imagined that the HHS would take its power, in the meantime, and gut programs run by Catholics better than anyone else because they won’t pay for abortions. 

I thought it was about people helping the poor, not getting increased coverage for adult children and free birth control pills.  I was a moron.

So yeah, I now do think this was about power and control, about bringing everybody on board to a one size fits all policy where lives are held in the hands of government officials.  It seems odd if you don’t like that sort of thing; but lots of people do, and I’m at a loss to try to get inside their heads.

I think we haven’t even seen how bad this going to get.  This doesn’t negate anything at all that Simcha wrote, which is more important than ever.

Unfortunatley, I believe this is the beginning of the end for Catholic institutions that have always faithfully assisted the poorest of the poor in this country. They can’t in good conscience stay in business being forced to pay for abortion and birth control—and I think yesterday is an early preview of the decision that will come down on the HHS mandate—with a conservative judge now siding with the liberals.

Let us pray for the changes of hearts to make this happen:

January 3, 2013, New congress with huge majorities of conservatives/constitutionalists, men and women of faith.

January 4, Rep. “Jones” introduces the “Restore America from the Oppression of the Affordable Care Act Act.”  A two-liner, one quarter of a page.

January 5, committee hearings and favorable report out.

January 6, Whole House Passes the act.  Senate takes it up, committee, passes it in a special evening session on January 20, forgoeing all the inauguration parties.

January 21, president signs the bill.  Joy breaks out everywhere.

Amen.

How does the ACA “oppress” you specifically?

You know the tax will affect around 2% of tax payers and cost much less than the insurance policy. The entire tax code is full of penalties and benefits.
In all the above rants not a single number was provided to back up an assertion. Why do you all worry about something you are likely never you experience?
How many of you presently uninsured?
As for repeal as suggested above, would you support the return to the prior condition that allow an insurer to drop you for prior conditions or for congenital medical issues?

A variety of Catholic or Pro-Life sites have bumper stickers for sale.  Catholicvote.org has one that says: “I’m Catholic and I vote.”  A prolife sticker (I like the ones from Feminists for Life.) combined with a “Catholic bumper” sticker (radio, tv station, etc,)blend the concepts that Catholics are pro-life and pro-people.
I started to get negative horn blasts when I added my Romney sticker.  Too bad!
As the early church father stated: “Not only for every idle word, but for every idle silence, must man render an account.”  St. Ambrose

I’m afraid I don’t understand exactly how this is a “Catholic” issue.  I understand the opposition to abortion and contraception - but much of the opposition I’m seeing seems to be about the idea of required insurance itself.  This seems to me to be a matter of political philosophy, rather than faith.

Personally, as someone who has always been in the high-risk category, I appreciate having some guarantee that I’ll be able to afford the insurance I need, even if I end up working the same part-time job circuit that many of my friends have.  I don’t consider being required to buy insurance any more of an affront to freedom than many of the other laws I follow for the good of society.  It frustrates me the way I often get treated as though I am a “bad Catholic” if my political views don’t line up with the standard conservative lines - even if they follow from principles of the faith!

As far as I am concerned this is another piece of socialism creeping in, little by little, until we no longer have the freedom that my husband fought and died for in WWII. We will become another U.K. and Canada. Unfortunately there are people in this world who will not take care of themselves: for instance I have auto ins. but I have to pay for the uninsured also. People should learn to be self-efficient. Yes, there are some poor people in this country, who really are being cared for, and there are others who are on the take all the time. Read about Argentina and the Dirty War, when their government controlled the Catholic Church and what happened. Through this healthcare the government has some control on the CC and we all know it. This is what I mean when I say it is creeping in little by little. I personally knew a Canadian doctor   who moved to the U.S. some time ago “because I cannot treat my patients the way I want” I personally, recently called four doctors for my Argentinian friend and once I said she was 70, they said the M.D. no longer takes Medicare Pts. I can go on and on and on. Obama’s background and his cohorts have a Marxist background.  Read about it. You had one on his professors on EWTN the other day. It was the first time I heard of anyone knowing him in school. Remember, just recently Obama said this healthcare bill will require 5,000 more employees for the IRS.  Hmmmmm

This is blunt, but true:  Never trust anyone who thinks it ought to be legal to suck the brain out of a baby.

Simcha, first of all I love your blog. Secondly, I too felt defeated after the decision but the psalm for one of the day’s this week (I’m a new mom, I have no idea what day it is… lol)  was Psalm 34. I thought that summed up our position. We just have to keep on. You are an inspiration to this new Catholic (formerly unchurched heathen). Thanks so much for your honesty, sense of humor and take on life. :)

A few random but appropriate thoughts here:  I believe that Justice Roberts made his decision after much thought.  He is sending this law back to the American people and Congress because he will not legislate from the bench.  Although it does not seem like much, his accomplishment is in getting the other supporters to admit that the ‘penalty’ for not obtaining insurance is indeed a tax.  This law does need to be overhauled; no one read it at all before they voted on it, at least not in its entirety.  This is where we come in - we must find out what is in the law (600+ pages, there’s plenty in there) and point out the many flaws to our elected officials, demanding that the flaws be addressed.
A dear friend of mine who homeschools now is fearful that her home will be entered by government officials under the auspices of this law, to ensure that she is teaching health properly. That would mean that she must teach about same sex attraction and contraception even though they are devout Catholics and do not accept the current popular teachings of the world on those topics.  If by chance one of her six children does have same sex attraction, she and her husband are praying that that child will be able to live a celibate life - the same way that they pray their children will live celibately until they enter a sacramental marriage.  Yes, that’s difficult to do, but it can be done.
Finally, what are we doing as Catholics and Christians to witness that we actually believe what we are taught?  Are we living in sacramental marriages if we are married?  Are we good examples of single life if we are not? Are we practicing artificial birth control or are we trusting God to show us a better way?  Are we faithful and true witnesses to and for Christ?  If we are not doing all these things, no matter how much opposition we face, then how can we stand up and demand that our beliefs be respected?  Let us learn and respect the teachings of our faith and then take them to the world, demonstrating that our lives are joyful and fulfilling because we truly follow Christ. By our example we will make our words more powerful.  Take up your crosses, Catholics, and follow Him!

To DarkLight,

I can only speak for myself, but I am against ACA for many reasons, including but not limited to:

• Expanding the funding of Planned Parenthood
• Push toward euthanasia
• Broadening abortion, and the funding of it
• President and the Congress have exempted themselves from being part of it.
• It will cost the tax payers (moderate guess,) 2.5 trillion
• It cripples small business, which is what we need to grow the economy.
• Increases Federal Government control
And then, of course, we have the HHS Mandate that is a part of this.
I personally have worked very hard in the pro-life movement.  Abortion is an intrinsic evil, and I will fight with every ounce of strength I have to stop it.  I will certainly do all in my power to not be complicit with the spread of abortion.  AND, for the Gov. to demand that the Catholic Church (and of course our other Christian and Jewish Sisters and Brothers,) PAY for contraception/sterilization/ and abortion inducing drugs, or face crippling fines is an intentional maneuver designed to crush the opposition in this battle of cultures.

Basically, there is a very real war of ideas going on in this country.  The culture of Live vs the culture of Death.  The ACA advances the culture of Death.

(It should also be mentioned that the Bishops have called for health care reform for years.  The Church wants to see everyone’s health needs met.  BUT, this in not the way to do it.)

Patty Bennett, how right you are! If a person, especially a politician, doesn’t get Life right, from natural conception to natural death, then his conscience is too clouded to get much of anything that really matters right.

Kathy,
I am vry sorry for you.  RAPE IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE PERFORMED AGAINST A WOMAN’S WILL.  YES, you DID HEAR CORRECTLY:  RAPE IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE PERFORMED ON A WOMAN AGAINST HER WILL.  INCEST IS also CRIMINAL ACT PERFORMED ON A WOMAN BY A MALE RELATIVE AGAINST THE WOMAN’S WILL. OBVIOUSLY, THE FEMALE INVOLVED did NOT seek the CRIMINAL ACTIONS OF THE THE RAPISTS…..........SHE WAS/IS THE VICTIM OF CRIMINAL ACTIONS…....... I DON’T UNDERSTAND JUST why BRAINWASHED FEMALES openly SUPPORT VIOLENT, FEMALE-HATING MISOGYNISTS WHO BELIEVE THAT they DO HAVE A RIGHT TO RAPE A FEMALE AGAINST HER WILL….......... AND/OR THAT THEY should NOT be LEGALLY PUNISHED FOR THEIR VIOLENCE AGAINST FEMALES. NOR DO I COMPREHEND MISOGYNIST, FEMALEHATINGCLERICS WHO PROCLAIM THAT VICTIMS OF MALE-INSTIGATED criminal ACTIONS AGAINST FEMALES must/should BE LEGALLY COERCED INTO BEARING THE FETUS OF THE RAPIST.  ONE FEMALE-HATING/MISOGYNIST (IE, CATHOLIC CLERICS) SUPPORTING MISOGYNIST CRIMINALS WHO OBVIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT RAPE IS ah, ‘ACCEPTABLE’ AS A METHOD OF INTERACTING WITH FEMALES….........

Ah, Historian,

I see you’ve followed me over here, too.

You’ll have to peddle your vitriol to someone else, I’m done talking with you.

Kathy16670 ,
It’s weird.
I see the same folk posting across the internet on any site where there are certain subjects being discussed.
Free speech is great but it sure gets strange sometimes.
God bless!

Just a thought re articles,comments & safety.I saw a disturbing article in “Life News” about a pro-life family in Colorado whose home had been vandalized:

“The profile was also featured on The Daily Beast and, in comments at the bottom of the post, the notoriously liberal audience took exception to the pro-life beliefs of the Masons, resulting in several physical threats posted in the comments beneath the article. After viewing these threats, one reader tracked down the Mason’s home address and posted it in the comment section. Mason indicates he thinks that was the genesis of the vandalism and attack on his home.”
You see some scary posts from time to time.I hope someone at NCR scans through them to be sure something like this doesn’t happen.

@Kathleen - yes, at least two people at The Register read every comment that comes through.  Not every bizarre, ugly, or insulting comment is erased, but those that cross the line are - and posting someone’s address (or any other remotely threatening or dangerous comment) would certainly be deleted, and any other appropriate legal action would be taken!

Thanks, Simcha. I’m glad to hear that.

To Kathleen,

I do agree, it gets strange sometimes!

I had never thought about the vulnerability of posting comments before.  Glad to hear that there is a safety net in place here.

I have to agree with those who point out that Justice Roberts seems to have truly looked at the case at hand and decided it on its legal merits.  As a few others have pointed out, the government already gives us tax credits for “good” behavior (buying solar panels, having children, taking on a mortgage), so it stands to reason that they would be allowed to do the opposite.  Would I like to see a simplified tax code?  Sure.  Would I have liked to see the politicians admit that, yes, something the IRS is collecting is in fact a tax, rather than playing a silly shell game?  Of course.  But I’m not holding my breath on transparency in politics from the left or the right. 

What this would seem to mean is that the religious liberty suits will make their way to the Supreme Court, and I am confident that justice will prevail there (and will apply to so much more than just the HHS mandate).  The quote that someone included above from Justice Ginsberg is heartening, and the unanimous verdict in the Hosanna Tabor case back in January has me convinced that the Court will see the religious freedom issue that so many others are pretending is not there. 

And by the way, I live about half a mile from the Potomac in Virginia, so I’m rather glad that your prayer for the town being flooded didn’t come through.  I’ll try to move to a town that meets your moral standards before your next set of prayers get answered.

Sorry.  My last paragraph was a bit ill-tempered there.  I do know that you were using hyperbole in the article.

HISTORIAN,

I’m so glad I found you over here.  I feel so concerned when I hear you continually turn the subject back to rape.  I’m so sorry if this ever happened to you, and can only imagine the hurt your must feel.  I can tell, as can the others reading what you write, that you are only lashing out because you feel so hurt inside.  Were you forced to carry a baby you conceived and now hate it?  If so, please contact you nearest Catholic Social Services office.  They can help you get the counseling that you need to break out of this cycle of shame and hatred that you’re in.