By Pete Williams ("NBC News," November 26, 2012)
With the Obama administration posing no objection, the U.S. Supreme Court today gave a Christian college in Virginia a chance to carry on its claim that the Obama health care law violates religious freedom.
Liberty University was among the first challengers of the law, arguing that two provisions violate its religious freedom -- the individual mandate and the requirement that employers provide health insurance or pay a penalty. The case was never fully developed, however, because the court of appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that the law could not be challenged before it went into effect. On the first time through the courts, the trial judge ruled against the school, but the appeals court said a federal law that imposes a tax cannot be challenged ahead of time.
Today's action by the Supreme Court does not mean that the justices think Liberty University is right. It simply means the court has concluded that the school should be given a chance to start over rather than leaving the question unresolved.
The Obama administration had told the court that it poses no objection to giving Liberty a shot at making its religion arguments, even though the government believes "those claims lack merit."
I think if they do not want the health insurance then don't give it to them. If they want to pay a penalty then okay.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I think that healthcare should be given and not have to be paid for. Its another way for the government to get more money out of you.
ReplyDeleteMy personal feeling about Obamacare aside, I don't see how the religious freedoms of people at Liberty University are being hindered by Obamacare. I could see if BYU or another Restorationist religion school would have any issue with the law but not for a school with southern baptist conservative affiliations.
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