Obama to Bishops: Now Shut Up

I have to admit that when I heard that Obama was going to announce "a compromise" to accommodate the Catholic Bishops in the 22 states where they aren't, yet, following the laws put in place a while back, I was ... upset. Had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, in fact. Great, Obama walks backwards again, accommodating his enemies (who in this case are definitely my enemies, given that I'm a (gasp!) woman).

But no. While still catering to their fragile worldview, one that requires them to redefine their faith as hatred of (gays and) women - as Fred put it

What the bishops demand is a universal law applying to everyone everywhere. They demand a sectarian establishment of sectarian belief that would apply not just to Catholic institutions but even to Taco Bell. They demand a world in which health insurance does not cover contraception for any woman anywhere.

After all, here's the list of things they didn't want to cover:

Well-woman visits, screening for gestational diabetes, HPV testing, STD counseling, HIV testing and counseling, breastfeeding support and supplies, contraception, and screening and counseling for domestic violence.

Sure, they say it's all about the birth control, but (like Komen deciding to let poor women get breast cancer) it's never that simple. The churches weren't going to have to preach that contraception was okay (just like they aren't going to be forced to perform gay marriages); they weren't going to be forced to force women to use contraception; they were just going to have to let their employees out in the bigger world - hospitals, universities, and the like - have coverage if they wanted it.

Ummm... I seem to have gotten lost in my subordinate clause, don't I? Let's see, where was I? ... Right.

While still catering to their self-proclaimed need not to pay for the evil evils of women's health care, Obama made it crystal clear that every woman who works for them will still have that health care provided, at no extra charge. Finally, a compromise that gets the job done.

There's a lot about this president I don't like. I'm glad I don't have to add another item to the list.