I just don't get it

[cally]

I'm listening to the pundits, even "liberals", blather about how Obama will lose white Catholic voters and evangelicals. I'm seeing worried posts in the blogosphere and democratic strategists thinking about backtracking. Older white men may vote against Obama but I doubt younger women will. It makes no sense!

Why not run aggressively and point out that Republican candidates want to take away birth control or make it so expensive that it is unaffordable. Women and younger men will turn out to protect access to birth control.

Rachel Maddow says it best: It's a women's issue. See her fabulous commentary last night:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#46304423

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. I don't think people give Catholics enough credit

or maybe too much credit, depending.

Just because they may choose not to partake in birth control, do they necessarily believe that no one else should either?

Maybe I am naive (and I am obviously not Catholic), but can someone fill this gap for me?

[elleng]

2. I think you're correct,

but some/media/repugs have an interest in keeping the kerfuffle alive.

[Alexander]

3. A lot of people are "cafeteria Catholics" and do not automatically agree with the Pope.

[denem]

11. Well, "cafeteria Catholics" was/is used as an appeal to Authority; It's a term of abuse

used by the hierarchy.

From my days as a Catholic, the reply was, if the food won't sell, blame the cook.

[Alexander]

14. I didn't know that - I will refrain from using that term.

Thanks.

[denem]

16. I can't think of another at the moment. It was very

effective framing. At the time, the contrarian term was liberal catholics.

Whatever. The Vatican junk food didn't sell.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Also A&P Catholics

Though that might have been limited to places where they had the A&P grocery stores. Our priests used to say it all the time in NYC:

A&P Catholics: they show up for Ashes and Palms...

[snagglepuss]

4. How many Catholic families have more than 3 kids? Damn few because like everyone else they

use birth control. It'd be interesting to know how many Catholics holding elected office worldwide have more than 2 or 3 kids.

[bigwillq]

8. Or it's because they're no longer doing the dirty deed!

[snagglepuss]

10. lol. you might be on to to something.

[grantcart]

5. 2 weeks from now a workable compromise will be made so that

the premiums are reduced and women can buy plans on one of the state markets etc.

No one will remember it.


Something happened two weeks ago but I forgot what it was.

[1ProudAtheist]

6. All Catholics

are not "practicing" Catholics.

[bowens43]

7. the pundits and the priests are in for a big surprise.

this anti birth control crap the catholic leadership is pushing make them look like babbling idiots and most catholics know this.

[Tx4obama]

9. More birth control pills mean less abortions. The pro-lifers should be happy about this.

And we need to get all the damn male talking heads to stop hogging all the air-time on this issue and get MORE females on TV standing up for our WOMEN'S RIGHTS!

This is an INSURANCE issue not a religious issue.

If the Catholic 'organizations' do not want to provide insurance that covers birth control then they can give up the U.S. taxpayer funding they are now receiving!

For those organizations/employers to say that they believe that they do not have to play by the same rules as everyone else is ridiculous.

It would be like a Jehovah Witness organization that employees workers to ask for an insurance company to not cover blood transfusions because their religion doesn't be believe in them. RIDICULOUS!

When you are an EMPLOYER you have to play by the rules.

[renie408]

12. I am so sick of the 24 hour news cycle creating tempests in teapots.

Do you really think anybody in this country is against birth control?? Don't you think there are a lot of people who nod earnestly at church on Sunday when Bishop Fred gets up and rails that Obama is going to force them to offer contraception in their insurance coverage, but then goes home and thanks god that it is happening??

And lastly but not leastly, the only thing the goddam bill says is that they have to OFFER it. It doesn't force people to use the damn stuff.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. I'm only hearing this from Tweety. No one else. He is getting on my last nerves.

I turned him off.

He was wrong in 2008 and he's wrong now.

[cally]

15. Lawrence O'Donnell had three pundits on last night including

Mark Shields from PBS. I've seen threads on discussions on morning Joe. I haven't heard of any female talking heads agree with the men.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. Tweety has had on several women who disagree with the Obama administration mandate.

Larry O' is a Catholic as well. I hope his panel was more balanced because Tweety's panels have been anything but.