In addition to their claim that Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties are part of the fictitious war on women, our progressive friends also claim that a Supreme Court ruling in their favor would somehow repeal the various federal statutes that protect workers against discrimination. This talking point has been repeated by all the usual suspects. The Huffington Post, for example, warns that a win for the arts and crafts chain will unleash a spate of anti-gay laws and other types of “legalized discrimination.” Even normally sensible publications have repeated this implausible claim. Inc., for example, quotes the chief counsel for the left-leaning Constitutional Accountability Center thus: “We could see more claims for exemptions from generally applicable federal laws, like anti-discrimination laws.” The author of the piece elaborates on this threat: “That means, for example, employee protections for gender, race, religion, and national origin established in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 could come under attack.” Predictably, none of the people making this claim explain how that would work. Nor do they expand on another widely repeated meme — that a ruling in favor of these two companies would somehow reduce access to health care for the general population. Planned Parenthood is particularly fond of this talking point: “What the Court decides could set a dangerous precedent … allowing businesses to deny their employees… procedures and treatments like vaccines, surgeries, blood transfusions, or mental health care.” Again, it isn’t obvious how a decision in favor of the Green and Hahn families would set such a precedent, but logic and reason aren’t really in play here. What these wacky prognostications are about is fear. Obamacare is an unworkable morass of bad ideas, many of which are clearly unconstitutional. Its dwindling cadre of supporters is terrified that it won’t survive many more encounters with the surgeons. In 2012, the justices amputated the Medicaid mandate and they may well hack off the contraception mandate this summer. There have already been more than 3 dozen major Obamacare “fixes,” including 20 administrative changes, 15 congressional changes, and two alterations by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, several lawsuits involving the legality of the IRS decision to issue tax credits through federally established insurance exchanges are working their way through the court system. Obamacare’s remaining advocates are hysterical with fear that the voters will eventually decide to put the trembling beast out of its misery.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 17:18:56 +0000
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