CBS Highlights Catholic Democrat Alienated by Obama Contraception Mandate
Saturday's CBS Evening News ran a piece highlighting the complaints of a Catholic Democrat - Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter, recounting his opposition to President Obama's attempt to force Catholic employers to provide contraception coverage to their employees. Winters asserted that he is "very angry about this," and substitute anchor Elaine Quijano noted that, although he voted for President Obama in 2008, he plans not to vote this year. (Video below)
Quijano used a soundbite of Winters giving a warning to Obama during the show's opening teaser:
ELAINE QUIJANO: President Obama's policy on contraception proves to be a bitter pill for Catholic bishops, and for many of the faithful as well.
MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS, NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER: Don't be meddling in my church.
As she introduced the story the CBS substitute anchor noted that Catholic bishops had rejected an attempt by President Obama to compromise with him on the contraception mandate, and warned that the President is risking his reelection:
Roman Catholic bishops say President Obama's revised policy on contraception coverage for employees, quote, "continues to involve needless government intrusion on the internal governance of religious institutions." Some among the Catholic rank and file agree, and that's tonight's "Weekend Journal," the issue that threatens to alienate a key block of the President's winning 2008 coalition.
The report balanced out Winters's critcisms of Obama by also including a nurse who works for a Catholic hospital who wants the contraception mandate to be adopted as she claims her family "can't afford" $30 a month to pay for birth control pills.
After running the clip of Winters warning President Obama against "meddling in my church," Quijano concluded the report by informing viewers that Winters plans not to vote for Obama again:
Tracy Kemmerling says her support for the President never wavered during this debate, but Michael Sean Winters says he no longer trusts this White House and plans not to vote in November.
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Saturday, February 11, CBS Evening News:
ELAINE QUIJANO, IN OPENING TEASER: President Obama's policy on contraception proves to be a bitter pill for Catholic bishops, and for many of the faithful as well.
MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS, CATHOLIC DEMOCRAT: Don't be meddling in my church.
(...)
QUIJANO: Roman Catholic bishops say President Obama's revised policy on contraception coverage for employees, quote, "continues to involve needless government intrusion on the internal governance of religious institutions." Some among the Catholic rank and file agree, and that's tonight's "Weekend Journal," the issue that threatens to alienate a key block of the President's winning 2008 coalition.
MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS, NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER: I'm a Catholic first and a Democrat second.
QUIJANO: Michael Sean Winters was among the 54 percent of Catholics who voted for President Obama in 2008, but he feels the White House badly mishandled the issue of contraception coverage. You're angry?
WINTERS: Yeah, I'm still very angry about this. I really think he has imperiled his own presidency, which I think has achieved great good for the country.
QUIJANO: Winters says the debate was about the government interfering with religious freedom, yet for others like Tracy Kemmerling, the real issue was about her right to health care.
TRACY KEMMERLING, NURSE: We don't practice any form of birth control right now, and hope for the best.
QUIJANO: Kemmerling is a nurse and mother of two. She's not Catholic. She would like to use birth control pills but doesn't. The Catholic hospital where she works does not offer health insurance coverage for birth control. Paying the $30 a month out of pocket is an expense she feels her family can't afford.
KEMMERLING: I feel like the choice has been taken away from me as a health care worker and as a woman. I should have that right.
QUIJANO: Kemmerling is relieved the cost of birth control will soon be picked up by an insurer, but Winters feels the White House overstepped its bounds with its initial policy decision which would have forced Catholic institutions to set aside moral objections to contraception.
WINTERS: I may disagree with my bishops profoundly, but they're my bishops. But when somebody who is not part of that family comes in and starts criticizing them, my, you know, back goes up, and I become a bit of a stiff-necked Catholic and say, "That's not your place."
QUIJANO: It's not the White House's place?
WINTERS: Absolutely, or any political leader. Don't be meddling in my church.
QUIJANO: Tracy Kemmerling says her support for the President never wavered during this debate, but Michael Sean Winters says he no longer trusts this White House and plans not to vote in November.
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Comments
What an idiot that nurse is!
Submitted by ArchConservative on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 9:24am.
So someone who is educated, employed, and has the means to pay for birth control just simply won't do it? She embodies what is wrong with this country. The entitlement mentality is so strong with idiots like her, it's sickening. If she didn't eat at a restaurant for ONE night during the month she could afford the pills. Actually, I'd be willing to give her the $30 so she won't procreate again. Her kind of ignorance is detrimental to all of us.
You support the troops by supporting the mission! If you don't support the mission, have the guts to say you don't support the troops.
Obama: Not my President. Ever.
Wow! Let's discuss the
Submitted by tracyk on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 3:52pm.
Wow! Let's discuss the ignorance that has taken over with this issue! Not once did you bother to mention the issue at hand... I am an employee at a facility that claims to be a "catholic organization" and even though I pay a substantle amount in insurance premiums for myself and my family, they still refuse me access to care that - yes... I am entitled to! Sincerely, "Idiot nurse"
Yes. Let's ignore the issue.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 12:16am.
tracyk: ...they still refuse me access to care....
You can go to nearly every doctor on the planet, get a prescription for COCP and stroll over to Walmart or Target and pay $9 a month. So it is complete bull that you are being denied access to the care you desire.
And do tell, how is this facility falsely claiming to be a "catholic organization" since you love the scare quotes?
Scare quotes are quotation marks placed around a word or phrase to indicate that it does not signify its literal or conventional meaning.
Oh and you whined repeatedly about people misspelling your name yet manage to mangle the word substantial. Sweet. Getting your name wrong was an unintentional mistake much as you did with your misspelling.
Wanting something does not make it a "right"
Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 8:13am.
Something you should have learned as a child.
MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS,
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 9:25am.
MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS, CATHOLIC DEMOCRAT: I'm a Catholic first and a Democrat second.
That's a pleasant change.
I guess that eliminates him from the ranks of the Nancy Pelosi "devout Catholic"[s]
Nurse Kemmerling, shut up!
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 9:35am.
KEMMERLING: I feel like the choice has been taken away from me as a health care worker and as a woman.[that part's a nice touch, dontcha think?]
No one is taking your choices away.
I should have that right.
What right? You have a right to use any kind of birth control you want. You don't have the right to get it for free.
You are correct! I am not
Submitted by tracyk on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 4:00pm.
You are correct! I am not asking for anything for free! I work in OB and see the system fail many women. Unwanted, unplanned pregnancies, using ER for basic healthcare, Medicaid covering the cost of family planning that you and I are paying for. I on the other hand pay for my health insurance premiums and my employer, a so called "catholic organization", refuses to allow me to choose which form of birth control is right for me. So... Who should be shutting up?- Tracy Kemmerling
Hmmmm.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 12:58am.
tracyk: ...the system fail many women. Unwanted, unplanned pregnancies, using ER for basic healthcare, Medicaid covering the cost of family planning that you and I are paying for.
tracyk: Not once did you bother to mention the issue at hand...
Who is not talking about the issue at hand now?
tracyk: ...my health insurance premiums and my employer, a so called "catholic organization", refuses to allow me to choose which form of birth control is right for me.
Life sucks.
My dental insurance refuses to pay for dental implants. So I would have to pay for them out of pocket. Does my dental insurance refuse to allow me to choose which form of dental implant is right for me? No. I am free to go to any dentist on the planet that performs the procedure and pay for it out of pocket. Much as you are free to go to any doctor and get a prescription for COCP and pay $9 a month for it.
And again with the scare quote. Tell the world how your employer is falsely claiming to be a catholic organization.
.
Good morning Tracyk
Submitted by cocodrie on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 8:02am.
But you are asking for something for free. You are asking for others to pay for your sexual enjoyment equipment for you.
I'm catholic and I don't want my church paying for abortion inducing pills or contraceptives to anyone. Buy your own.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
Something smells here.
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 9:56am.
The average annual salary for a labor & delivery nurse is $55,000, according to SimplyHired.com
Mrs. Kellerman has an essay on labor out on the web.
So, let's give her the benefit of the doubt and say she is the sole bread winner. What is the average income for the United States?
The national average wage index for 2010 is 41,673.83.
We have really fallen a long way if someone making $14,000 above the national average cannot find $30 a month out of their paycheck.
As ArchConservative stated
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 10:04am.
As ArchConservative stated above, it's the "entitlement mentality." Anything not provided for free is "denied."
First, who is Mrs. Kellerman?
Submitted by tracyk on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 4:11pm.
First, who is Mrs. Kellerman? If you are going to blog about someone- please discuss the correct person! Secondly, this issue has nothing to do with my annual income but everything to do with catholic employers trying to impose their religious beliefs on their employees. My organization has claimed that they want to allow the patient (that would be me) to get the best possible care, give me more access to services I need, and a greater voice in my care. Are any of those possible if I am unable to have a simple pack of pills covered by my insurance?? I think not.
Tracy Kemmerling
Sorry I fudged your name.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 2:23am.
But...
1. Don't lecture people and then misspell words.
2. We are posting here. The contributor that created this blog is the blogger.
Yes. It has everything to do with your annual income. There are many many many many things not covered by health insurance. And we are all forced to pay out of pocket for them. Cold medicine. Pain relievers. Stomach acid reducers. Band-aids. Etc.
You are not being honest with us. I won't call you a liar. But you are not being honest. No one is forcing their religious beliefs on you. For the third time, you are free to go to almost any doctor on the planet and get a prescription for COCP and pay $9 a month for the prescription.
And there are many more things not covered by health insurance. Cosmetic surgery. Acupuncture. In Vitro Fertilization. And procedures the insurance deems not medically neccessary . So tell us how your health insurance is denying you the best possible care, give me more access to services I need, and a greater voice in my care when it comes to those as well.
You don't need those services much as you don't need birth control. It is optional and not vital to your health. And you can get it by paying the $9 a month out of pocket. Or you can refrain from sex. Yeah, that would suck. But it is on you not your employer that savagely won't pay the $9 a month for you to have a prescription for COCP. Much as my employer won't pay to have this massive schnoz on my face fixed and I can elect never to leave the house and be seen.
So spare us the pity party about your not having a greater voice in your health care.
So basically
Submitted by skolbrother on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 10:03am.
So basically that nurse, Pres. Obama & the rest of the libtards say it's a BASIC HUMAN RIGHT to have sex in which the man ejaculates in the woman's womb and have someone else pay for the worry-free concept of contraception. I can't believe they actually believe the crap that spews from their mouths.
nobody knows the trouble I've seen...
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 10:28am.
democrats: The Party of 'victims'.
Taking care of democrats is a constant process just like in this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ne4v7Ojm1M
$360 will get you
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 10:42am.
6 months of cable
4 months if it includes cell phone
3+ months of multi-line cell phones
Half an iPad
More than 360 rubbers (that's one a night)!
My condoms are considerably cheaper.
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 11:25am.
I get my condoms from Fred on the corner. He sells surplus latex condoms. Odd lots though. There are always 4 long thin condoms that are not rolled and one short stubby one in an unlabeled box. Sometimes I think he is just cutting off the fingers of latex gloves.
A new drug has just received FDA approval
Submitted by bkeyser on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 10:44am.
After only a few successful studies on poor mothers wishing to send their future children to charter schools, the FDA has just approved a new "contraception pill" that can be taken shortly after the absolutely protected and necessary act of straight sex to prohibit a fertilized egg from developing into a fetus - or - to end the life of a fetus at any stage. It's called Plan~O (generic: obamandatoral 1.5mg) and has been approved for ages 7 & up. (Parental supervision not required.) Thanks to the Obama administration, this medication will be offered by Planned Parenthood personal at all inner city school cafeterias as part of the daily lunch serving. Religiously affiliated schools, universities and hospitals will also be required to offer this medication free-of-charge to all of their employees either through their insurance benefit package, or directly by way of home visit from a member of the institution's board of regents. Mosques, and other associations related to the middle eastern brand of Islamic faith will of course, be exempt from this policy as it violates their religious tennants. (American Muslim converts do not qualify.)
⇒ I'm so glad!
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 11:53am.
I'm so glad we won this battle, aren't you?
We must have won, because the Press already has us out in the brush rounding up a stray nurse who believes contrary to her Church. Certainly, she's one of very few who disregard Church teaching.
Having done so little preaching on the subject for decades, and knowing a serious epidemic of that particular Mortal Sin among its congregation (they do still hear confessions, don't they), the silence was perceived as a nod and a wink to parishioners.
Even now this argument is being successfully sold as "contraception", a practice Catholics have been known to engage in for purposes of normalizing periods (but certainly not for the prevention of pregnancy, of course).
We lost this battle when we focused on contraception, and abortion faded into the sea of afterthought.
Somebody prove me wrong, please!
At this point I'd almost settle for a good "setting straight" from Liberallies!
Worthy of a magician
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 12:11pm.
This was nothing more than sleight of hand misdirection and it has made people look elsewhere instead of the bigger picture which is the dictator himself and no one stopping him from taking these unconstitutional and unlawful acts. I can only guess what his next one will be.
I caught up on some of Rush's program transcripts and I saw the one about how a lady wanted to catch a flight to Denver and she couldn't do it because there were no female TSA agents to grope^H^H^H^H I mean pat her down, even though she was willing to waive that for the male TSA agents. The striking thing he pointed out was that even though the TSA is an absolutely ridiculous and worthless agency around, right there with the EPA, the FDA, the Dept of Education, and has nothing to show for any of their "efforts,"(they have not improved anything, but they have made flying worse for many) people still accept them.
And that's the bigger problem, and I know, I'm like a repeating record, but it needs to be repeated for all to see and understand, there was no legal authority for what this fraud in the WH, it violated the law and STILL violates the law as long as he's sitting dictating. Even worse, Congress is violating the law by NOT taking action.
-Jon
A message from our Bishop was
Submitted by celator on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 12:37pm.
A message from our Bishop was read at Mass this morning. He called Obama's latest gyration-- that insurers of Catholic organizations pay the cost of contraception, sterilization and RU-4-86-- a "distinction without a difference". It still violates the First Amendment and Catholic moral law. It is unacceptable.
That last bit
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 12:56pm.
Did he say that last bit about it violating the First Amendment and Catholic moral law? Or was that it?
I'm just curious, hoping for a real sh*tstorm to come from this but may only see a little drizzle for a minute.
-Jon
Workers' rights
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 12:54pm.
This is actually a trickier sleight-of-hand than it might seem at first glance:
1. I want a job.
2. I should be able to find a job, because isn't a job a right?
3. I want to get a good job at a Catholic institution.
4. I should get health insurance, too, because the employer has more money than I and I want and need health insurance. After all, isn't good health a right?
5. My employer will pay for my insurance but not for a plan that includes contraceptive and other "women's health services," aka abortions, because those services go against the so-called core principles of my employer. Yeah, right. They're a Catholic agency and they're just anti-women. Isn't that a hate thing?
6. I demand that the employer give me insurance that includes contraception, because that's my right. The employer doesn't have any right to take away my rights! And just because they are a Catholic institution, they shouldn't be allowed to get their religion on me. Isn't that mixing church and state? And besides, their religion is anti-women, so it's a hate thing, too.
7. I'm calling Rev. Tawana Sharpyton to help resist me much. And I'm calling a Kennedy to uphold my rights as a worker to oppose the policies of a misogynistic employer, whose money I will happily take ...
... but not the terms of their insurance!
Make 'em stop, George!
Wow! Rant much? To make it
Submitted by tracyk on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 4:28pm.
Wow! Rant much? To make it crystal clear for you, I did not seek out this "catholic organization" to work for, they took over my facility! I feel it to be an honor to be able to work as a nurse and if I have my insurance premiums removed from my paycheck then yes... I feel it to be my right to decide on which form of contraception is right for me!
TracyK
LOL. You do realize it's almost April, right?
Submitted by SickofLibs on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 4:37pm.
Well, if you don't, have a Happy Valentine's Day.
Yes. You do rant.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 7:37am.
And make one emotional appeal after another. You feel... You feel it should be your right... You feel it should be your right to decide.... And yet you can. You just have to pay out of pocket. So your right that you feel is not being denied at all.
I feel too. I feel my eye glasses should be covered. But in nearly all plans, eye glasses are covered by another insurance plan called vision plans. I feel eye glasses should be a right and I should have the right to decide what glasses are right for me! I feel it an honor too.
My health plan (Tricare) provided by the provider (Uncle Sam) dumps me into Medicare when I reach 65. No ifs, ands, or buts. And guess what Medicare don't cover ---
Wait, 65 is when I plan to retire and travel the world. But I can't! Exclamation point! Exclamation point after every sentence to show how exited I am! That sucks. I can't even leave the United States when I retire. That right has been taken away. Except it hasn't, has it? I can either take the risk upon myself, and it is a risk, unlike birth control, which is a choice. I can either take the risk upon myself or GASP! get outside insurance
So knock it off with the constant appeals to emotion. Life sucks. You feel so aggrieved by your employer. Find another one. And pay for those glasses, and hearing aids, and headache medicines, and cosmetic surgeries yourself.
The debate is over, thus sayeth Chief of Staff
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 1:05pm.
Obeyme's Chief of Staff came out saying that this Contraception thing is a done deal, no more compromise.(Funny, didn't know there was any compromise)
Chief of Staff: DONE!
By setting their foot down on this, this is yet another step taken by the Dictator in Chief.
Meanwhile, they keep trying to say that this policy holds true to the core principles of this country.......uh, maybe some OTHER country, not this one, ya jackass!
It should be noted that according to this article, this policy was fast tracked, which tells me they are in a hurry to take things over sooner rather than later. They're trying to do a scream and leap maneuver in a game of Texas Hold'em even if all the cards were face up. The problem is interpreting those cards and the key players who have a chance of stopping this are blind to this.
-Jon
How about instead of they got alienated,
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 1:15pm.
they've gotten to see the beast they've been in bed with for well over 3 years and some hopefully are waking up?
So Tracye has
Submitted by misterbee241 on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 2:41pm.
A right to free contraception that we have to pay for.
well Tracy maybe my family cannot afford to have their money taken away to pay for your rights.
First off, If you want to
Submitted by tracyk on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 4:41pm.
First off, If you want to insult me and my family then please spell my name correctly! Secondly, do you and your family pay the $450 biweekly in insurance premiums? I am not on welfare or Medicaid! I do not abuse the system or ask for free rides as I see much to often in our healthcare today. I am amazed at the amount of disgust I have received regarding an issue that yes...was taken away from me!
TracyK
Same bull. New post.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 2:21am.
No. You are not on welfare or Medicaid. Nor are you in some special boat. In case you missed it, some 90% of the country pays into their health insurance in some way or another.
You are demanding your employer does something that is barred by their faith. So aggrieved are you that you went on national television to whine about it. In fact, 90% of all health plans cover birth control. You are free to find another employer that will relieve you of the pain of paying $9 a month for COCP at Walmart or Target.
And for the 6th time. And at what point does your repeated claims become lies? For the 6th time, nothing is being taken from you. Just as nothing is taken from people that have to pay for their glasses, or hearing aids, or Motrin, or allergy medicine. STOP. Wait a tick. Allergy medicine. I have allergies.
Let's repeat that ---
I HAVE ALLERGIES.
My health plan used to cover allergy medicine. Claritin. I used to get that and not have to pay a dime. Now, it is off prescription and in fact, over the counter. Now I have to pay ---- $9.79 a month (plus shipping) for a 30 day supply.
Wait.
You have to pay $9 a month for COCP. I have to pay $9.79 a month to be free from the 20 minute sneezing fits where I would be sneezing every few seconds until I just hated being alive. Look at that ...an issue that yes...was taken away from me! Exclamation point! I am excited! My out of pocket costs are more than yours. WHO HERE WILL FEEL FOR ME?
WHO HERE WILL FEEL FOR ME? WHO WILL PUT ME ON NATIONAL TELEVISION BECAUSE I AM BEING DENIED?
Setting the religious issue aside for a moment...
Submitted by Par for the Course on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 8:21am.
Excuse the assumptions, but since I am lacking details....
I assume that you and your family pay $450 biweekly in insurance premiums. May I assume that this is an employer-sponsored group plan. (If it's an individual plan, you could choose a plan that includes contraceptive coverage if you wanted and we wouldn't be having this discussion.)
In 2009, the average cost of an employer-sponsored family plan ran $13,375.
If I annualize your $450 biweekly payment, the result is $11,700 (450 X 26). Since $11,700 is fairly close to the average of $13,375, let me assume that you pay 100% of the cost of your employer-sponsored group health insurance premiums. I can then assume that your co-workers also pay 100% of their premiums.
Based on the following,
If the above is correct, then you and your fellow employees would see an increase of between $4.50 (1%) and $13.50 (3%) in your biweekly premiums if contraceptive coverage was added to your employer-sponsored group health plan.
So, are you saying that you would be willing to increase your fellow employees premiums, up to $350 per year (whether they use the coverage or not), so you can have coverage? If so, then it appears you are asking your fellow employees to help pay for your contraceptive coverage. I think that's how insurance works.
In any case, a biweekly increase of $4.50 for contraceptive coverage would be approximately $9.00 per month. I think I've heard that figure discussed elsewhere.
Tracy
Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 8:26am.
Gee I hope I spelled your name correctly, I'd hate to see you go on another rant about something soooo important.
Why don't you try buying your OWN insurance? I'd be willing to get your employer would reimburse you what they pay and you could buy your own insurance and stop trying to force YOUR beliefs down those of the Catholic church (which is a proper noun and should be capitalized).
I Will Provide an "Entitlement" to San-duhhh Fluke
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 4:09pm.
Dear Phony,
I feel your alleged pain. I want you to be happy. Even though you are a Lying Lesbian, I still want to support you and your contrived "Contraception Controversy"
I will buy you a dozen free condoms for every recorded sexual encounter you can document for the next 3 years.
Of course, I am referring to HETEROSEXUAL relations.
I hope that was obvious.
Your Pen Pal
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
Wow Tracy K
Submitted by Boudin on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 8:40am.
Welcome to NB's
Here your head back, hope to see you soon.