Your tax dollars at work
Domino’s founder and billionaire Tom Monaghan filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration late last year, fighting the mandatory coverage of contraception provision in the Affordable Care Act. Monaghan calls contraception use “gravely immoral” and doesn’t want to have to pay for his employees’ health insurance if the insurance covers birth control.
This 19th Century puritan is using his vast wealth to promote his religious “morality” and force others to abide by his rules. It’s not enough for him to make the personal choice not to use contraceptives. Instead, he feels the need to impose it on others as well.
Our far right conservative Attorney General here in Michigan, Bill Schuette, has now entered the suit, filing a brief in support of Monaghan’s moral crusade:
Schuette said Wednesday that the mandate forces employers, like Monaghan, to violate their religious and faith-based beliefs.“America’s first freedom is religious liberty,” the attorney general said in a statement. “Any rule, regulation or law that forces American employers to violate their free exercise of religion is a flat-out violation of the First Amendment and federal law, specifically the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“This unconstitutional mandate will not only affect religious schools and hospitals, but it will force private sector job-providers across America to violate their conscience. The First Amendment applies to everyone, and I will continue to defend religious liberty for all, not just the chosen few dictated by the Obama Administration.”
Schuette filed the brief with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Tuesday. Monaghan’s case is expected to be heard by Judge Lawrence Zatkoff Thursday.
The phrase “chosen few” is almost comical when you look at the statistics regarding how many Americans use contraceptives. Even among Catholics, over two-thirds of them use contraceptives.
So, just remember, the next time you take a birth control pill or slip on a condom, that’s a “gravely immoral” act and the next time you pay your tax bill, remember that you’re helping the fight to make sure that “gravely immoral” contraceptives are not covered by health insurance. All so a tiny minority of religious zealots can push their morality as deeply into your life as possible.
[Photo credit: Chris Savage]
