This dumb contraceptive issue could hurt Obama.

[gregtownsand]

I fear the administration has handed tthe righties an issue they can exploit. It could really hurt Obama with Catholics.

One wonders what misguided advisors sold this one to him? Even Mark Shields is going nuts over this one.

[cthulu2016]

1. Thank you for your concern

[alittlelark]

2. You are kidding...

I think you forgot the <sarcasm> tag.... ?

[ProSense]

3. Seriously,

"This dumb contraceptive issue could hurt Obama."

...doubt it!

Poll: Majority of Catholics support contraception coverage
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002279428

Many Catholic Universities, Hospitals Already Cover Contraception In Their Health Insurance Plans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002279318

[Dawson Leery]

4. The protectors of child rapists (church hierarchy) vote based upon issues of sexuality.

The rank and file members do not. The vast majority of them support the usage of birth control.

[WingDinger]

5. NOPE. It puts all their backward thinking in one tight bundle.

It makes them a throwback caricature. An anachronism. All they are about is yesterday, insisting tommorow will be just like 1950.

[nanabugg]

48. ++1,000. They are making the choices much clearer. nt

[LeftyMom]

6. The small fraction of lay Catholics who give a damn never vote Dem anyhow.

And it's only the super old school, mantilla-rocking, Latin mass Catholics who do, and they're so small a minority that they'd be completely irrelevant, except that they have a few pet Supremes to do their antiquated bidding.

[BlueCaliDem]

7. Uh, NO it can't.

But it's what the rightwing hope for. Then again, when have they ever lived outside the Faux News Channel bubble?

[jberryhill]

8. Welcome to DU

Perhaps you might figure out what Catholics actually think about it, instead of assuming they agree with the positions of the church leadership on everything.

[gregtownsand]

9. I hope you are right... Pundits seem to think its a problem.

Even so liberals like Odonnel and Shields.

[Tunkamerica]

15. Are you replying to yourself?

[Son of Gob]

17. Someone forgot which handle was which.

[Whisp]

39. ROFLMAO!

odds are...

[anneboleyn]

47. Snort. This made me laugh out loud!

[Broderick]

41. Can I join you twos conversation for a minute

No matter what sock a person wears, it never changes the outcome that this is not gonna hurt because it's a small fraction blustering and the news media is just looking for the next juicy story for ratings. This changes nothing and we move forward.

[cherokeeprogressive]

43. Can you say... CAUGHT?

Enjoy your stay... and try harder next time.

[sufrommich]

45. Well Greg, is Greg right? lol. nt

[MattBaggins]

10. Obama is right on this one

The Catholic bishops can take a flying leap on this issue.

[gregtownsand]

50. Hey, I agree with you all. It just seems like pundits

Are worked up over this one. I mean, when Mark Shields goes against Obama it must of hit a nerve.

[blogslut]

11. Why worry?

The logic behind the contraceptive/insurance issue is quite clear and very American...

A religious organization that employs/insures members of the general public has no right to force those employees to adhere to its religious beliefs.

[Motown_Johnny]

12. it is a blip, give it a month

and it will be forgotten

[Tunkamerica]

13. Wait, what was it you were concerned about the other day?

It's on the tip of my tongue...

oh Yeah! "Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Really Close Election". Sounds like the title to a kids book.

[cthulu2016]

19. And also how romney would win michigan and mass...

Very, very concerned.

[gregtownsand]

51. Never said Romney would win Michigan or Mass.

[div class="excerpt

I said he will be competitive in those two blue states. Every serious person who has looked at the numbers agrees. Recent Michigan poll has Obama 46 percent Romney 45.

[HangOnKids]

28. The Concern Is Deafening n/t

[gregtownsand]

52. Many liberals wish Ginsburg retired during Obama 1st term.

And the election is going to be close with an unemployment rate in the 8 percent range. I think Obama wins with about 277 electoral votes. I think he wins the Gore-Kerry states plus Ohio.

[Tx4obama]

14. It is an INSURANCE issue, and a WOMAN's issue.

When the Democrats start yelling: It's an INSURANCE issue and a woman's rights issue.

Then the controversy will die down.

No one will even be thinking about this by the time the General Election campaign rolls around.

[NAO]

16. If the Susan G. Komen flap is any indicator / morally outraged pedophiliacs / responsibility

those "oh so holy" people who oppose abortion are a TINY minority. They were drowned out by PP supporters. And birth control is less controversial than abortion. Birth control is only controversial among those who fought with Galileo that the Sun goes around the Earth.

Maybe Obama could write a provision in there that if the Catholics can certify that there is no pedophilia in their organization, and after they have paid full damages to all the abused parties, they get a free pass on b/c., if and only if they promise to take full financial responsibility for the unplanned children from moment of birth through 4 years of college. There's tons of art and treasures in the Vatican basement...they could sell that stuff on Ebay to generate money to take care of the children that they want to force to be born.

[marlakay]

18. Don't worry it actually goes more our way

my daughter whose husband is military, so she is also as officers wife tells me most in the military are conservative and christian and her christian friends all republicans are upset with all of the candidates because they want to keep using birth control.

So I think we might see more republicans staying home, won't vote for Obama but really secretly they want to keep their birth control.

People have a way of not doing everything their church says to do in the privacy of their home. Not everyone can afford or wants to have a ton of kids. And these people strongly are against abortion so they use birth control.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. yes, because Most 'Merkins want nothing more than to stop all the non-procreative fucking.

It's a HUGE priority. Really.

[Warren DeMontague]

21. If the Republicans were smart, they would make outlawing ALL contraception a top tier issue for Nov.

Just think! With the massive power of the radical anti-contraception lobby, and the weight of the huge majorities of Americans who'd like nothing more than to drag all those women with those little round pill dispensers off to prison where they belong, the GOP would be absolutely unstoppable! What would we do, if they harnessed the awesome power of their legions of values voters?

I'll tell you what- we'd be SCREWED, that's what... and condoms would be illegal so it would be, like, an even worse screwing.

Gee, whiz, I just hope the Republicans don't get smart and make their covert war on contraception a well-known public position!

[A-Schwarzenegger]

22. Even Mark Shields!

The horror, the ... zzzzzzzzzz

[gregtownsand]

54. Sheilds worked for George McGovern.

So thay is at least interesting.

[Ecumenist]

23. Dumb contraceptive issue? REALLY??? Trust me, alot of my family is Catholic

including my husband. It won't HURT him with them AT ALL!! Couldn't care less what Mark Shields says, really I don't.

[JI7]

24. those people aren't going to vote Obama anyways, most Catholics don't follow the right wing church

leaders .

[FarLeftFist]

25. LOL! Good one. Haha!

[Cali_Democrat]

26. The only people that give a shit are the whackos that live in in the right wing echo chamber

Nobody gives a shit. In fact, I would argue that this will help Obama's reelection bid.

[Lunacee2012]

27. I would bet, ya know, if I had money like Mitt,

that the majority of people, both on DU and all across America, don't think this is a dumb issue. Most of the women in America use, or have used, birth control at some point in their lives. The Catholic Church's opposition to b.c. is a very real and important issue to a lot of us.

[Drunken Irishman]

29. In a month or two, no one will be talking about it.

[xfundy]

30. I think you left something out!

"blahh, blah blah-blah blah DEMOCRAT PARTY blah blahh blab-blah LIBRULS!1!

[JCMach1]

31. And yet, shockingly, I have not seen any women pundits/commentators saying a peep about this

even conservative ones... seems that all the outrage is coming from the men (mostly older, white Catholic men).

Who knows, the issue might even give Obama a bump among women.

[piratefish08]

32. if they can live with child molestation cover-ups, they can live with this.

[JHB]

33. Since when do the RWers need to be handed anything to exploit?

The bigger danger is if the administration listens too much to this-day's-tantrum and starts feeling "unreasonable", and then backing off it, which will not placate the RWers at all but will manage to slap Democrats who were hoping the administration had learned to push back against the RW, even just a little.

People have religious liberty, not organizations.

[lunatica]

34. So your advice is what? Become anti-choice to win votes?

[GeorgeGist]

35. The dumb vote is important! /nt

[Arkana]

36. It won't. A majority of the country supports the right to birth control.

And even if it didn't, he decided to do what was right over what might have been politically expedient.

Your concern is noted.

[maddezmom]

37. you stress too much

and you know stress can be a killer.

[Broderick]

42. Many a stone in the graveyards

Can be attributed to stress.

[DonCoquixote]

38. can we please please

Allow Obama to take a position that is vaguely left wing?

[Odin2005]

40. Your "concern" is noted.

[TheKentuckian]

44. How is the issue dumb?

What segment of Catholics that vote Democratic do you see as at risk?

[yellowcanine]

46. I am not so sure about that. Catholics don't necessarily support the bishops on this.

And the bishops went viral with the issue in a way which a lot of fair minded people will see as being unnecessarily political and more than a little over the top. Most people see paying for contraception as a sensible thing to do. It holds down health care costs because contraception is cheaper than pregnancies and it reduces the need for abortions.

[DearAbby]

49. NOTE: those doing the most complaining about this

ARE MEN!

How many of the faith are FEMALE? This is just the same dead horse they haul out when they have run out of issues. GOP would be wise to stay clear of this...but who am I to aid the GOP party

[cherokeeprogressive]

53. We shall see, gregpoundsand... we shall see. n/t

[DevonRex]

55. The Repubs hate abortion AND birth control.

Pointing that out is a win/win for us.

[Hatchling]

56. How I ong for the days of unrec.

[mmonk]

57. It's just the current "outrage" of the moment.

There will be another tomorrow.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

58. I see this dumbass is gone.