The Politics of the "Accommodation"

The Politics of the "Accommodation" by MSW

My comments: Bishops, like other leaders, depend on staff. It is not Dolan who is part of the GOP machine, but certain individuals in the Pro-Life Activities Directorate staff, most especially Richard Doerflinger, have an outsized influence and deep links to the National Right to Life Committee - which IS a GOP front group.

As for Obama, the reason he did not lead with the compromise, which has been found acceptable by both Catholic Health and Catholic Charities, whose employees are most deeply affected, was that if he had, there would be no room to walk back into compromise. Going to far to start was a good idea.

The key to the politics is if Obama loses any appreciable support over this. So far, he has not and won't unless the economy goes south and people need an excuse to not support him.

Plan B and Ella, by the way, do not cause abortion - they may prevent implantation of a blastocyst that is proven to be still under the genetic control of only one parent, and therefore arguably operating under her life force, not its own. Every blasocyst need not be saved. If they were people, that would not be true.

The major flaw in both sides is the failure to state that the status quo is not no contraceptive coverage, but contraceptive coverage with copays, starting with the EEOC decision in December 2000. The HHS policy is actually a better deal for the Church. This should have been mentioned in August, when public comments were sought. This should also change the position of anyone who thinks Obama is suddenly unfriendly to the Church.

The distinction between who is ministerial and who is not for purposes of contraception mandates is not at all untoward. It is made in law all the time regarding employees of religious institutions. The Hossanah Tabor v. EEOC case only locks the courthouse doors to decisions within the Church on the rights of ministers within a Church. All this means is that women cannot sue to be given equal rights to ordination and not much more.