- Aug 4, 2011
- 81,129
- 14,024
- 2,190
"This is a very strange case. The government has argued that signing the form is meaningless because the nuns' insurer, the Christian Brothers Employee Benefits Trust, is exempt from the mandate. Yet it has fought the Sisters all the way to the Supreme Court to make them sign it. What's going on?
Dragon-slaying nuns
"The government's brief to the Colorado court provides a clue. It drips with contempt. The Obama administration finds the nuns' complaint "implausible" and alleges that the Sisters are "fighting an invisible dragon." Oh, you silly, simple-minded nuns! Just stop imagining things and do what the government tells you.
"The Sisters reject the government's contention that the form does nothing, as did all six lower courts to consider the claim in other church plan cases. They are wise to be leery of Uncle Sam's intentions.
"The dismissive tone of the administration's brief is consistent with its overall attitude toward religious liberty issues throughout the implementation of the contraception mandate. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius never bothered to consult the Justice Department to determine whether the mandate was consistent with the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, despite requests from Congress."
"In 2011, the government made the argument in Hosanna-Tabor v. the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that churches do not have special rights under the First Amendment but merely association rights, like unions. Justice Antonin Scalia called this "extraordinary," and Justice Elena Kagan said it was an "amazing" claim. Another word that comes to mind is "disturbing." A unanimous court rejected the administration's claim."
Give Little Sisters of the Poor a break: Column
Dragon-slaying nuns
"The government's brief to the Colorado court provides a clue. It drips with contempt. The Obama administration finds the nuns' complaint "implausible" and alleges that the Sisters are "fighting an invisible dragon." Oh, you silly, simple-minded nuns! Just stop imagining things and do what the government tells you.
"The Sisters reject the government's contention that the form does nothing, as did all six lower courts to consider the claim in other church plan cases. They are wise to be leery of Uncle Sam's intentions.
"The dismissive tone of the administration's brief is consistent with its overall attitude toward religious liberty issues throughout the implementation of the contraception mandate. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius never bothered to consult the Justice Department to determine whether the mandate was consistent with the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, despite requests from Congress."
"In 2011, the government made the argument in Hosanna-Tabor v. the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that churches do not have special rights under the First Amendment but merely association rights, like unions. Justice Antonin Scalia called this "extraordinary," and Justice Elena Kagan said it was an "amazing" claim. Another word that comes to mind is "disturbing." A unanimous court rejected the administration's claim."
Give Little Sisters of the Poor a break: Column
