Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) surprised a lot of people earlier this week when he endorsed an unpopular, far-right proposal on contraception. Inexplicably, the ostensible moderate threw his support behind a plan to allow all private-sector employers to deny any health services that businesses might find morally objectionable, including access to birth control.
Brown talked to NECN, a regional network that covers Massachusetts, about his position, but failed to read up on the proposal he'd already endorsed. The video isn't embeddable, but Greg Sargent notes the conversation between the senator and reporter Jim Braude.
NECN
The reporter repeatedly pointed out that the measure goes much further than just exempting religious organizations from covering contraception; it also allows employers and insurers to refuse to cover any health service they find morally objectionable. Brown repeatedly insisted that the bill doesn't do this.
"You acknowledge that Senator Blunt's amendment that you're supporting goes far further than religious objections, no?" The reporter asked.
"No, I don't," Brown answered, adding that "one of the cornerstones of our Constitution" is "to allow for religious freedoms."
The reporter then incredulously pointed out that the bill also allows for denial of coverage due to "moral conviction," and pressed Brown again and again.
"That's the language," the reporter said. "I'm repeating it verbatim, Senator Brown."
The senator, who probably hasn't looked at the bill he supports, simply didn't believe it. Brown kept arguing that the Blunt Amendment is only about religious freedom.
He's wrong. The Republican proposal aims to allow all private-sector employers to deny any health services that businesses might find morally objectionable. Do you work for a grocery store owner who opposes contraception? You're out of luck. How about an accounting firm that doesn't like HIV tests? Too bad. Are you an employee at a factory that finds cervical cancer screenings offensive? Good luck to you.
As Adam Serwer reported this week, the Blunt Amendment would make the moral exemptions so broad, no employer would have to cover anything they had a moral objection to -- period.
Brown thinks the proposal is little more than a modest plan to ensure a religious exemption. There are really only two options here: (1) Brown didn't read the amendment before endorsing it; or (2) he read it but didn't understand it.
As a result, the senator is taking a beating from reporters who know better. Brown not only looked foolish during this NECN interview, but the Boston Globe's Yvonne Abraham asked, "What is Senator Scott Brown thinking? ... Can it really help Brown to suddenly go all Santorum on us?" The Boston Herald's Margery Eagan added that the senator "has sided with nuts."
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This issue will die before November. Far right evangelists don't even care if they lose this one. All they wanted was to get in the ring. What non-religious reason is there for these anti-contraception bills? Think hard now surely there must be a sound scientific basis for them. Can't think of one myself.This and the personhood bills are pure religious ranting given entry into the political arena -look at the panel convened by Congress. Check into the backgrounds of these religious leaders. Now tell me I am wrong.Tell how sound science admitted -even sought by , the supreme court under roe vs wade has suddenly become moot.
See you in November.
huh? Did you happen to SEE what passed in VA yesterday? This is not 'pure religious rantings'....
@mego-516015
I don't understand your statement. What passed in VA <em>is</em> based on "pure religious rantings." Paul got it right.
I'm not so sure this will be dead by November. The GOP as a party seems to have doubled down with the Blunt Amendment and even if it is pulled, the mere existence of the bill and wide support for it in the GOP is a fertile campaign issue.
Dems want this bill to go to the Senate floor so repubs can vote for it.
Are you under the impression that this makes sense?
When you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.
Hanging with the GOP is hazardous to your ability to think clearly.
They are blinded by the light! The light they see at the top of that hole they are digging. Ratured until ruptured they will continue to beat their base with the old time gospel of "America is a Republic not a democracy" omitting the idea that it is actually a "representative" republic as opposed to a fascist type republic.
This religious rant brought to you by the 700 club and Corporations for an enslaved America.
Keep it up Brownie! Keep opening your mouth and helping Elizabeth Warren.
Forget about the himbo not understanding the bill. He doesn't even understand that the concept of "religious freedom" doesn't mean "I'm free to force YOU to follow MY religion."
But,but America is a Christian Nation. Bet your kids know that (if their peers and teachers are doing their job according to right wing principles.)
Remind me to become a believer in faith healing before I open a business...
Hee hee-if Christ came and healed the sick they would kill him before the insurance execs and hospital administrators went broke.
Ha!
I wonder what employer will be the first to morally object to providing health insurance to its employees--period. Since that would be complying with the pinko-socialist-Kenyan-Muslim-Nazi-Democrat Party Obamacare thingy...
I see "Republicans only" signs popping up in stores and sweat shops. I see Democrats forced to walk-no you can't ride in the back of the bus we put the unsaved but still republican people there. You might want to become a survivalist or get used to mucking out stalls.
This is the problem I see. How many employers will jump at this flimsy excuse to just not provide insurance, which is universally recognized as expensive and cuts into their bottom line? This will be a very slippery slope indeed.
How long until "Free Market Capitalism" is officially made a 'religion' so they can argue to not be regulated, or taxed, or required to provide their employees with reasonable hours, reasonable pay, insurrance, etc ... as an issue of freedom?
One step at a time.First they are given personhood then they are allowed to go from buying politicians to being politicians, then EXXON for President!
that reporter needs to be promoted to one of the major networks! he actually followed up! why am i so surprised? isn't that what they're supposed to do? good job tho.
I'm afraid doing your job as a journalist is an immediate disqualifier for a network position.
he's not too bright
but he is pretty
Just wait. If this were to be law we'd start to hear objections to treatment for Type II Diabetes because the employer is morally opposed to people being overweight, to covering unwed pregnant women because of opposition to extra-marital sex, to covering lung cancer because they're against smoking. Tip of the iceberg...
I would add:
3. Brown (who is an attorney) did not read amendment; he read the Republican synopsis of the bill.
4. Brown delegated it to a staff member who is not an attorney who read the synopsis.
5-Right wing evangelist congressional aides are running things while Brown is at the brothel.
I found the embed code <EMBED SRC="http://www.necn.com/common/thePlatform/web_447/swf/flvPlayer.swf" flashvars="v=http://www.necn.com/common/thePlatform/PDK/CSN/vars.txt&overlayImageURL=http://www.necn.com/common/thePlatform/PDK/CSN/logo/necn.png&pluginAkamai=type=player|URL=http://www.necn.com/common/thePlatform/web_447/swf/akamaiHD.swf|priority=1|hosts=-f.akamaihd.net&pluginTremor=type=plugin|URL=http://objects.tremormedia.com/embed/swf/tpacudeoplugin46.swf|progId=4f0dc248972fa&skinURL=http://www.necn.com/common/thePlatform/web_447/swf/skinGlass.swf&releaseURL=http://link.theplatform.com/s/-/0zPdFJJtnvLQvI4vNmvni4UKlkzaCyCR?MBR=true&zone=politics&playerURL=http://www.necn.com/pages/video?PID=0zPdFJJtnvLQvI4vNmvni4UKlkzaCyCR" height="379" width="600" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" bgcolor="#ffffff"></EMBED>
Greetings! Rachel
The Republicans are damning their own chances in November of maintaining control of the House and taking control of the White House and the Senate. Therefore all Americans should strongly vote democrat and re-elect democrats and President Obama to office that this country may continually move forward.
Peace be unto you!
Marquest Burton
The first amendment is not so much about "freedom of religion" as it is about "freedom from religion" You are not free to practice any religious rite you want.
We need freedom from religion...
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Exercise_Clause
“
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...
”
In 1878, the Supreme Court was first called to interpret the extent of the Free Exercise Clause in Reynolds v. United States, as related to the prosecution of polygamyunder federal law. The Supreme Court upheld Reynolds' conviction for bigamy, deciding that to do otherwise would provide constitutional protection for a gamut of religious beliefs, including those as extreme as human sacrifice.
Employers generally avoid the suggested connivances (not covering birth control out of moral convictions) because - guess what? - they mainly want to hire and keep reliable, competent employees to make their enterprises go. Of course some might - and their competitors will quite likely eat their lunch.
This is not to defend the idiotic statute Senator Pickup imagines he supports. To the contrary, as the internet kids might say, the whole idea is just wrong on so many levels.
I realize this was not at all surprising, or out of the blue, but did we get hit with about 40 doses of dark ages nonsense in regards to misogyny (and Eric Bolling's crack pipe comment) today? I'm really reeling from this....and on the upside, I can't imagine the GOP having taken a stand that would be less popular with voters. Even most GOP voters. Who are female. Egads.
One question to end Rick Santorums run for the Presidency:
“The mother of a young teenager passes and she is being raised by her stepfather who repeatedly rapes her, Rick would you allow her access to contraception?
Maybe separation of church and state should entail no more tax exemptions for religious institutions. It is amazing to see all the property--good commercial property--that is tax exempt!
After Scott Brown won his seat he started signing autographs with "Scott Brown 41" meaning he was the 41st GOP Senator to break the Dem's super majority of 60 Senators.
When Scott Brown loses his re-election bid (and he will) to Elizabeth Warren he only has to change his autograph SLIGHTLY to "Scott Brown 4 only 1" (as in, for only one term).
Good-bye Scotty, we hardly knew ye.