It’s one step forward and one step back for opponents of Obamacare’s mandate that employers provide birth control as part of health insurance coverage. Late Friday, news broke that a federal judge had issued an injunction in favor of Tyndale House, a Christian publisher that had filed an objection to providing several forms of contraception on religious grounds.
Today, though, a federal judge ruled against arts and crafts store Hobby Lobby, a family-owned “biblically founded business” that objected to being forced to provide morning-after and week-after birth control pills as well as some intrauterine contraceptive devices. Though U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton wrote that the court was not unsympathetic to the plaintiffs, he ruled that Hobby Lobby is not a religious organization but a secular, for-profit corporation and therefore not exempt from the mandate.
Another wonderful side effect of ObamaCare. We must stop this! http://t.co/ijkmwfUa
— Cori Arnold (@CoriChavarria) November 20, 2012
You simply live in the illusion of freedom. This is sickening. Subsidizing bad behavior http://t.co/yBPN03QB #ElectionsHaveConsequences”
— Iron Range rocks and cows (@angry_ande) November 20, 2012
https://twitter.com/hollyR_J/status/270716010280153089
"Contraception? Oh ya, that's in Aisle Screw Your Religious Liberties." – Hobby Lobby
— eric (@eriContrarian) November 20, 2012
Hobby Lobby will now be fined $1.3 million per day they don't pay for contraception and abortifacients. http://t.co/4ShkKV5N
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) November 20, 2012
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What options does Hobby Lobby have following this ruling aside from paying the fine? While there’s the possibility of cutting everyone to part-time status to avoid having to provide coverage, some suggest the store consider shutting down.
Wonder if the Green family will take Hobby Lobby and Mardel and just go Galt?
— Becoming Texan (@BemisKmb) November 20, 2012
Part of me hopes Hobby Lobby gives a big "screw you" to the government and liquidates and shuts down.
— Michelle (@mshellisright) November 20, 2012
@FixGov I will be so sad to see Hobby Lobby go. The future of business is very small businesses and part time employees only. Thx Dumbama
— Grammy (@DeannaChristia9) November 20, 2012
I would not be sanguine about Hobby Lobby continuing to operate under conditions which they consider tantamount to committing murder.
— Moe Lane (@Ogiel23) (@moelane) November 20, 2012
If Hobby Lobby DOES shut down, all the screaming in the world won't bring those jobs back. We're not a business-friendly country right now.
— Moe Lane (@Ogiel23) (@moelane) November 20, 2012
Is it time for another “buycott”?
I don't shop much at Hobby Lobby, but we must support them! It's insane that our gov is mandating this. http://t.co/5upM2kBC
— Jonny Diaz (@jonnydiaz) November 20, 2012
https://twitter.com/JGanley3/status/270704892744720384
Remember how we’d all love Obamacare once we found out what’s in it? Like the lowered cap on Flexible Spending Accounts, and now this?
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/270720886343086081
If a judge can rule that Hobby Lobby must provide insurance for morning-after and week-after birth control pills, where does it stop? #tcot
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) November 20, 2012
Just as a reminder: the news about Obamacare will only get WORSE. This is the EARLY stuff. Just wait until implementation!
— Moe Lane (@Ogiel23) (@moelane) November 20, 2012