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The debate on the Hobby Lobby decision continues, so here are a few of my own thoughts, followed by some good posts from others to ponder.
1. Much of the outcry against the decision seems to be that an employer could be involved in such a private, personal matter as birth control. And I agree. But of course Hobby Lobby didn’t ask to be in that position. It was the Obama administration that made birth control public policy by requiring employers to pay for it. As soon as you require someone else to pay, it is no longer a private matter, but a very public matter involving other people. If you want to keep birth control a private, personal choice, save your money and pay for it yourself.
2. Which brings us to the second point: what is the purpose of insurance? I have life insurance to support my family in case I die unexpectedly. I have car insurance to cover the costs if I have an unexpected car accident. I have life insurance to pay the bills if I get an unexpected disease or my health in some other way deteriorates unexpectedly. The point is that insurance is designed so the many can cover the costs of the few who have the unexpected happen. So where does this leave birth control? Good question, because birth control has nothing to do with the unexpected – certainly not in the way of a disease or other health failure. If you want some form of birth control, save your money and buy it. Why should you expect your insurance company pay for it?
3. The answer to that last question of course is because there is a large group of people who want sex to be completely free without any possibility of pregnancy, and of course someone else should fit the bill to make sure there is no pregnancy. But last time I checked, sex without pregnancy was not a Constitutional right. Again, if you want birth control, pay for it yourself. Take responsibility for your actions and stop expecting (or demanding) a handout.
4. While I am not necessarily against birth control in general, any birth control that could cause an abortion shouldn’t even be on the market, let alone be mandated in insurance policies. It would be nice if the current administration would stop trying to shove their pro-abortion views down our throats.
5. Finally, there is the issue of priorities. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, not free birth control. And that is as it should be.
Here are some other helpful takes on the issue:
Was Hobby Lobby All Wrong About Emergency Contraceptives? – Kevin DeYoung
A Simple Solution to Healthcare Woes: Separate Health Insurance from Employment – Leslie Loftis (The Federalist)
A Company Liberals Could Love – Ross Douthat (The New York Times)
Non-hysterical comments welcome….
