A DECISION FOR SUPPORTING HOBBY LOBBY COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A VERY “SLIPPERY SLOPE”

 

…The most activist US Supreme Court in decades.

 

The Robert’s Court will now have another opportunity to rule in support of US corporations.

OK, let’s break down the pro & cons of the Hobby Lobby case now being argued in the US Supreme Court. 

Here’s the case.  Among the Affordable Care Act’s thousands of pages is a requirement that companies with more than 50 employees must provide coverage for certain medical services.  If they fail to do this they will face severe financial penalties. These mandated services include methods of contraception that prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg.  To some people, this means the destroying of a life. Obamacare would thus force some business owners to operate their businesses in a way that might violate their deeply held religious principles.

The Oklahoma City-based crafts retail chain Hobby Lobby has filed a lawsuit claiming the Affordable Care Act's mandate to cover the costs of the morning-after pill for employees is forcing the company's owners "to violate their deeply held religious beliefs under threat of heavy fines, penalties and lawsuits." Religious supporters and faith-based organizations may agree with the self-described "biblically-based” company’s complaint, but the lawsuit has also sparked a backlash against Hobby Lobby.

As of this week, a petition to boycott Hobby Lobby has now reached more than 70,000 signatures, according to a representative from Ultraviolet, an activist group fighting for women's rights. Likewise, the boycott has inspired a negative Tumblr blog and other social network boycotts against Hobby Lobby crafts.  A Facebook group is calling for a general boycott of Hobby Lobby, as well as some Flickr user’s posts against the crafts company.

According to the lawsuit, Hobby Lobby, would stand to lose $1.3 million daily in fines if it does not provide the required contraception coverage. 

But the company does have its supporters. Many fans have praised the company on its Facebook page with posts reading, “I support Hobby Lobby,” while a separate “Boycott the boycotters of Hobby Lobby” page garnered around 213 “likes” just 18 hours after it was made.

As to the court’s position, if you judge the Robert’s Court by its past history, (i.e. the Citizens-United Case), the Robert’s Supreme Court believes that a corporation is a person, that its money is its “free speech” and for the most part, all corporations should get whatever they want. 

If corporations are found to be able to claim "religious liberty", as the 4 conservatives on the court will probably agree to, then it will probably once again take Justice Kennedy to be the swing vote.  But that may also be a stretch for him.  Hopefully, he will agree that corporations are the very definition of being, "soulless", but as to that situation, only time will tell.

If Hobby Lobby wins, then corporations could also be able to refuse to serve gay people on the grounds of religious liberty. If Hobby Lobby refuses to serve gay people, then what about people of other religions such as the Muslims, Jews or the Mormons?  For the highest court to decide in favor of Hobby Lobby could be the beginning of a very “slippery slope”.

The US Supreme Court has already said that corporations are people. Apparently, this time they are going to decide if corporations can now be “religiously intolerant” people.

Stay tuned for the results on this one.

Copyright G.Ater  2014