The Ugly Face of ObamaCare, a Law of Hidden Mandates

The following is a guest post by Joseph Hall.

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The Ugly Face of ObamaCare, a Law of Hidden Mandates

In 2009, proponents of ObamaCare gushed with delight over the passage of the law that would transform America into an eternal beacon of hope. The president had pushed through a 2,000 plus page bill that was pass unread. The administration floated a few projections in front of the OMB and won a coveted endorsement of a plan that would theoretically make money as it was implemented. America was told that this plan would benefit millions through its many faceted programs.

In 2012, the mask came off, and the face of the law is repulsive. The contraceptive mandate that was contained in ObamaCare was flung into the spotlight by the HHS proclamation of a forced requirement for Catholic and other religious hospitals and clinics to provide free contraceptive benefits to their patients. But, this is only the tip of the mandates contained within the federal law. In order for Obama Care to remain as low-cost as possible, a series of mandates were included to shift cost from the government’s plan to health insurance companies and providers.

The WSJ just reported on the evolving contraceptive issue, “ObamaCare’s Great Awakening: HHS tells religious believers to go to hell. The public notices.”

“In late January the Health and Human Services Department required almost all insurance plans to cover contraceptive and sterilization methods, including the morning-after pill. The decision came after passionate lobbying by religious groups and liberals from the likes of Planned Parenthood, amid government promises of compromise.

In the end, Planned Parenthood won. HHS chose to draw the rule’s conscience exceptions for “religious employers” so narrowly that they will not be extended to religious charities, universities, schools, hospitals, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other institutions that oppose contraception as a matter of religious belief.”

Additionally, ObamaCare mandates also include a tax on tanning beds, a mandate to put calorie counts on all restaurant menus, (including drive thru menus) a mandate to add adult children on parents’ plans, a mandate to buy health insurance, a mandate to fund abortions, and many others.

Most of the mandates require that health care providers, business owners, and private insurance companies absorb the costs of compliance.

While this tirade from the Obama administration has caught some people off guard, the reality is that there will be more controversy in the months ahead. There is speculation that ObamaCare is yet another law that is intended to further divide the country. The administration has revealed that the 2012 election will revolve around the socialist doctrine of “fairness.” While the term may sound innocuous to the average citizen, it becomes a battering ram in the political arena of reelection.

The contraceptive mandate is a multipurpose tool for politically bashing the foundational values of America. First, it divides the church leadership from its base by proposing this is a fairness issue for women who need contraception. Second, it creates the illusion of an out of touch leadership and invites membership to seek a more rational answer. Finally, it creates confusion for Americans and provides Obama the opportunity to proclaim that people need to be protected from the crazy right-to-life extremists. Obama is a political illusionist and is unafraid to appear unreasonable to promote his play for power.

The freedoms afforded by the constitution are being substituted by the mandated will of the government. When Obama Care is used to divide the country it can be viewed as divisive and unlawfully interfering with personal freedom of choice and in the practice of religion.

Watch video clip from the O’Reilly Factor, “Are we losing freedom in America?”

Progressives insist this is a health care issue, shifting the focus from a constitutional issue involving freedom of choice to a woman’s reproductive right issue.

The current administration is clearly pursuing a divide and conquer tactic to impale freedom on the spear of Imperialism.  Obama Care is only one weapon in the war on individual freedom.

Submitted by: Joseph Hall, Daymar Institute, Health Care & General Education

Tags: abortion, contraception, divide and conquer, freedom, liberty, mandates, obamacare, Planned Parenthood, politics, religious freedom