{"id":2275,"date":"2012-02-16T10:19:34","date_gmt":"2012-02-16T15:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/faithandjustice\/?p=2275"},"modified":"2012-02-17T10:28:08","modified_gmt":"2012-02-17T15:28:08","slug":"jay-sekulow-debate-over-obama-mandate-compromise-intensifies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2012\/02\/jay-sekulow-debate-over-obama-mandate-compromise-intensifies.html","title":{"rendered":"Jay Sekulow: Debate Over Obama Mandate & Compromise Intensifies"},"content":{"rendered":"

The American people are watching, and they don’t like what they see. The issue: President Obama’s mandate and follow-up compromise targeting people of faith – policies that violate religious liberty and the conscience rights of millions of Americans.<\/p>\n

We’ve been extremely active in calling attention to this problematic development. Our legal team\u00a0has been writing about this issue<\/a> for weeks now. We’ve been discussing this daily on our radio broadcast<\/a>. We’ve heard from more than\u00a060,000 people who have signed on to our petition in just a few days urging reversal of this troubling measure. You can still add your name here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And, I debated this alarming issue on Sean Hannity’s program on FOX News.<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-WOnQk_OXr4&feature=player_embedded<\/a>\n

As you know,\u00a0the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its mandate<\/a>, requiring religious institutions, such as religious schools and hospitals, to include abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception in their insurance policies for employees. A mandate that violates the deeply held religious beliefs of many.<\/p>\n

Rightly so, an uproar<\/a> ensued. Massive, well-deserved criticism<\/a>. The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops\u00a0called the mandate “egregiously unfair” and “un-American.”<\/a> The head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission described the mandate as “bad news”<\/a> for freedom of conscience and religion.<\/p>\n

It was clear the White House didn’t get it. Press Secretary James Carney recently dismissed concerns<\/a> about the unconstitutional nature of the HHS policy. Carney was asked directly: “What about the constitutional right to freedom of religion?” His reply: “I don’t believe there are any constitutional rights issues here . . . ”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The criticism deepened and the president\u00a0sought to right a sinking ship by issuing what he called an “accommodation.”<\/a>\u00a0This deceptive compromise requires insurance companies to provide employees of the religious organizations that object with contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs free of charge. That’s nothing more than a ruse, a shell game, an accounting trick. To cover costs, insurance companies\u00a0would boost premiums<\/a>, forcing religious groups – and the religious employees – to pay more for services that they find morally offensive. The compromise changes nothing – it still places the federal government at the helm of the religious views of faith-based institutions.<\/p>\n

Most who opposed the mandate have rejected this “accommodation” – including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,\u00a0which labeled the compromise “unacceptable.”<\/a><\/p>\n

And, now a new poll from Rasmussen<\/a> reveals a substantial hit in the President’s job performance – tied directly to the flawed mandate and disturbing compromise. The findings: 59% of Catholic voters expressed disapproval with the president’s actions. The same is true for Evangelical voters with 61% expressing disapproval, while disapproval for other Protestants stands at 52%.<\/p>\n

This decline in support for the president’s job performance among people of faith should come as no surprise. A growing number of Americans understand that the mandate and the compromise are not about health care. They represent a dangerous and unconstitutional power play by the federal government. It’s the ultimate in government intrusion, representing a significant threat to religious organizations.<\/p>\n

We’ve been advocating against this government interference since last summer<\/a> when\u00a0we warned the HHS that the mandate would threaten the very existence of religious organizations, like the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of St. Cecilia in Nashville, which has been educating young people and caring for the infirmed since its founding in 1860.<\/p>\n

In our letter\u00a0to the HHS<\/a>, we warned: “In their 151-year history, the Nashville Dominicans have, with the help of God, survived a Civil War on their doorstep, deadly epidemics, devastating floods, economic depression and tumultuous social upheaval. Today, however, they face a new, more insidious threat – their own government . . . What war and disease could not do to the Congregation, the government of the United States will do. It will shut them down.”<\/p>\n

The federal government is truly overstepping its constitutional authority. It has no business getting involved in this matter. The Obama Administration is ignoring the fundamental principles on which this nation was built. Thomas Jefferson wrote that “no provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprise of civil authority.” James Madison held that conscience is “the most sacred of all property.” George Washington stated that “the establishment of Civil and Religious Liberty was the Motive that induced me to the field of battle.”<\/p>\n

In remarks before the National Prayer Breakfast earlier this month,\u00a0President Obama preached about the importance of religious faith.<\/a> “We can’t leave our values at the door,” he said. “If we leave our values at the door, we abandon much of the moral glue that has held our nation together for centuries . . . ”<\/p>\n

The problem is that Obama’s mandate, and subsequent compromise, do just that – demand that millions of Americans leave their values at the door.<\/p>\n

Americans expect and deserve to enjoy the protections afforded to them under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. That is exactly why millions of Americans will reject this compromise. There is no compromise with one of our most cherished freedoms – the free exercise of religion.<\/p>\n

Jay Sekulow<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The American people are watching, and they don’t like what they see. The issue: President Obama’s mandate and follow-up compromise targeting people of faith – policies that violate religious liberty and the conscience rights of millions of Americans. We’ve been extremely active in calling attention to this problematic development. 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He is also Chief Counsel of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ). Jay Sekulow is one of the leading defenders of constitutional rights and religious liberties in the United States. Over the past 25 years, Jay Sekulow has amassed an unparalleled record of accomplishment, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on 12 occasions. His aggressive litigation strategy before the Supreme Court has led to many landmark First Amendment victories. In his first case before the Supreme Court, Jews for Jesus, Jay Sekulow secured the right of religious groups to pass out tracks in airports. In Mergens, Jay Sekulow successfully protected the right of students to form Bible clubs and prayer groups on public school campuses. In Lamb\u2019s Chapel, Jay Sekulow cleared the way for churches to have equal access to public facilities in the same way that other groups are permitted to utilize those facilities. In the Bray and Operation Rescue cases, Jay Sekulow protected the free speech rights of pro-life advocates to be free from criminal prosecution for conveying their pro-life message. In McConnell v. FEC, Jay Sekulow protected the right of young people to engage in the political process by donating to the campaign of their choice. In Pleasant Grove, Jay Sekulow paved the way for governments to be able to display Ten Commandments monuments, and other monuments of their choosing, in public parks. Through the ACLJ, Jay Sekulow engages the political, legal, and cultural battles facing America today. He routinely works with Members of Congress, advising them on proposed legislation and representing them in critical legal matters. Jay Sekulow has also testified before Congress on the constitutionality of proposed legislation. Also, in addition to being a successful Supreme Court advocate, Jay Sekulow is a highly respected broadcaster. Jay Sekulow is the host of Jay Sekulow Live! which airs each weekday on over 850 radio stations nationwide, in addition Sirius and XM satellite radio. He brings insight and education to listeners daily through this national call-in radio program. He is also the host of the ACLJ This Week, the ACLJ\u2019s weekly television program. Jay Sekulow regularly appears on major media outlets, including FOX News, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, where he is sought out for his vast experience in constitutional law and his unique insight into many of the pressing legal and political issues facing America today. He is frequently quoted in the nation's leading newspapers and often contributes opinion editorials to national publications. Jay Sekulow has also published numerous law review and other scholarly articles. Jay Sekulow has received numerous honors for his groundbreaking legal work in the area of free speech and religious liberties. The Legal Times has named Sekulow one of \u201cThe 90 Greatest Washington Lawyers of the Last 30 Years\u201d and the National Law Journal has twice named Sekulow one of the \u201c100 Most Influential Lawyers\u201d in the United States. In addition, TIME Magazine listed Jay Sekulow as one of the \"25 Most Influential Evangelicals\" in America. Jay Sekulow\u2019s legal work in defense of religious liberties and human rights extends beyond the United States, having founded the ECLJ in Strasbourg, France, which maintains consultative status with the United Nations. He has also opened offices in Pakistan, Africa, and Jerusalem, Israel. Jay Sekulow is a staunch defender of Israel, presenting arguments before the International Criminal Court at the Hague. His efforts in support of Israel\u2019s right to defend itself from terrorist attacks have been commended by Israeli government officials, one official stating, \"Jay was instrumentally-involved in projects that the President of Israel and the Prime Minister put on our national agenda.\" Jay Sekulow also has a passion for educating the next generation of religious liberty advocates. He is a member of the Regent University Law School Faculty as a Distinguished Professor of Law and routinely teaches courses on constitutional law and presents guest lectures. Jay Sekulow has also started educational programs in international human rights law in Strasbourg, France and at Handong University in South Korea. Jay Sekulow is a graduate of Mercer University, earning both a bachelor\u2019s degree and doctor of jurisprudence. Sekulow served on the editorial staff of the Mercer Law Review and graduated cum laude. He later earned a Ph.D. from Regent University, writing his dissertation on American Legal History. Jay Sekulow also serves on the Board of Trustees for The Supreme Court Historical Society in Washington, D.C. Jay Sekulow, ACLJ Chief Counsels full biography and video. Jay Sekulow on Facebook. Jay Sekulow on Twitter. Jay Sekulow on YouTube.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/author\/jay_sekulow"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2275"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2275\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2328,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2275\/revisions\/2328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}