In their campaign to keep women barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen, Republicans are backing themselves into another no-win situation, as the nation lines up against their position. However, instead of having the wisdom to back down, Republicans are doubling down, generating even more widespread opposition.
In this video essay, Bill Moyers addresses the question of how to honor religious liberty without it becoming the liberty to impose on others moral beliefs they don’t share. The recent debate over contraception coverage in Catholic hospitals and other faith-based institutions brought this question to the forefront, but then something surprising happened — a reasonable, practical, and equitable solution from President Obama…
Inserted from <Bill Moyers>
Moyers is right. Religious liberty does not include the ability to impose on others moral beliefs they do not share, as Republicans are working to accomplish.
Darryl Issa (R-CA) made matters worse by forcefully excluding women from his sham hearing.
As the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee began a hearing Thursday morning on the Obama administration’s rule mandating free contraceptive care for employees at religiously-affiliated institutions, New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney had a question for the panel: "Where are the women?" she asked.
"I look at this panel, and I don’t one single individual representing the tens of millions of women across the country who want and need insurance coverage for basic preventive health care services, including family planning," Maloney said. "Where are the women?"
The hearing, entitled "Lines crossed: Separation of church and state. Has the Obama administration trampled on freedom of religion and freedom of conscience?" aimed to address the White House’s ruling on contraception, and whether or not that rule infringes on religious liberty…
…In his opening remarks, Rep. Elijah Cummings, the panel’s top Democrat, argued committee chair Darrell Issa had "stacked" the panel with people who reflected only the Republican perspective, and accused the committee of perpetrating a "massive injustice" by failing to include women in the discussion.
Democrats on the committee charged that Issa "personally rejected" testimony from Sandra Fluke, a woman who had hoped to tell the story of her friend, who she says lost an ovary due to a lack of contraceptive coverage.
"Your staff told us you personally rejected Ms. Fluke’s testimony, saying that, quote, ‘the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception,’" Maloney said to Issa in her opening remarks during the hearing.
"Of course this hearing is about rights — contraception and birth control," she said. "It’s about the fact that women want to have access to basic health services family planning through their health insurance plan."… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <CBS>
Ed Schultz provides excellent coverage of this story and interviews both Sandra Fluke and Professor Caroline Heldman.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I fully support the notion of freedom of religion, enshrined as it is in our Constitution, but when Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians attempt to impose their religious dogma on you and me, they are interfering with our freedom of religion.
14 Responses to “Bill Moyers vs Theocons and More”
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Thanks TC Moyers video was great and reminds us that Obama has not changed. Why most people think or should say the Republian propaganda has taken away the messages Obama speaks of he always has an answer on how to implement on . He talks he talk but he walks the walk. Obama is a true leader
He’s certainly head, shoulders, chest, waist, ankles and legs over anything from the Reich.
Freedom of Religion is the freedom to practice your Faith, not to legislate it.
“Freedom of Religion is the freedom to practice your Faith, not to legislate it. ”
Patty said it best- clear , concise , Thank you
Amen Patty!
I think Issa ought to be permanently separated from the Federal Government!
I’d like to see him bannished to a remote island inhabited by Amazonian women who don’t give a rat’s ass about men!
I’d like to see him exported to Iran as the Assahola Issahole.
Hey nameless, you remember those Neanderthals on the insurance commercial? They are suing you for libel.
The more I hear of this whole issue, I find myself almost speechless with incredulity.
TC — “I fully support the notion of freedom of religion, enshrined as it is in our Constitution, but when Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians attempt to impose their religious dogma on you and me, they are interfering with our freedom of religion.”
Patty — “Freedom of Religion is the freedom to practice your Faith, not to legislate it.”
The ONLY ones advocating against freedom of religion are the same ones attacking Mr Obama for denying freedom of religion — the Republicans!
It doesn’t matter whether the issue is contraception/women’s health or freedom of religion, the Republicans are trying to make this into an issue, are trying to start a national fire storm of protest against Mr Obama. But all they have accomplished is to make themselves look like they want to go back to the dark ages and take the country with them. Mr Obama did, what he has done in the past, compromised, but this time it exploded in the faces of the Republicans.
I fully agree with you TC and Patty.
The Republican position is that our rights are limited to the freedom to do what they say.
“The recent debate over contraception coverage in Catholic hospitals and other faith-based institutions brought this question to the forefront, but then something surprising happened — a reasonable, practical, and equitable solution from President Obama…”
This argument has long been settled… Protect freedom from Religion…
Freedom of Religion includes freedom from it.