This seems sound to me

Last updated on: December 30, 2014 at 5:43 pm by Mark Shea

This seems sound to me 2014-12-30T17:43:31-07:00 Mark Shea

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Found this in my draft file, but it’s still current. A reader wrote me at the beginning of April:

I pray you are doing well. I’ve been reflecting more on the implications of ObamaCare and thought I’d share some of my reflections with you, in case some of these thoughts are new to you.

On Monday Obama told Russian President Medvedev that he would have “more flexibility” during a second term. Obviously this is due to the fact that he won’t worry about having enough popular appeal to win a third term, since there is no possibility of a third term. (Unless he decides to try to overturn the 22nd Amendment, which is a discussion for another time). So the gloves will be off in a second term.

I’ve been analyzing what has happened during Obama’s term. One huge event that has perhaps been overlooked is forcing private lenders out of the federal Stafford loan program; now the government is the only lender for federal education loans. This coupled with ObamaCare means that the government is now the biggest player in education and health care in our country. These are only two examples, but clearly expanding big government is evidenced under the Obama administration.

Much has been made of the HHS mandate, providing “free” contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilizations. These are classified as “preventive services”, while drugs that treat cancer are lower tier “essential services” that are not provided free of charge. Moreover, the coverage of “essential services” is relegated to the states, meaning that there will be a wide discrepancy on just how these services are covered from state to state. But back to the HHS mandate, there has been a lot of puzzling over it since there’s not an access issue for these services; most that want them are able to get them now. So why mandate they be provided for free? This is where my logic takes over.

Americans, even those not opposed to the mandate, should be very wary. The government doesn’t provide free services just to be nice. They’re not gifting citizens a way to have recreational sex; no, they’re wanting to regulate procreation. Humanae Vitae’s predictions over what would happen with a contracepting society have all come true, save one. Pope Paul VI mentions that a government could try to mandate use of a form of contraception. I believe it’s not that great of a leap to devise scenarios for mandated contraception and sterilization for certain groups of citizens. If a student is receiving any federal aid for higher education (grants or loans) they must be on long-acting contraception to ensure they stay in school (having a baby may cause them to drop out). If a family is receiving any federal assistance (food stamps, etc) they must be on long-acting contraception (a baby is another family member and another mouth to feed). You could go further and see mandated sterilization for those below poverty level, or even mandatory sterilization for everyone after the second child is born. Less mouths to feed and people for the government to take care of, especially if the government provides education and health care for its citizens. Going further, you could see mandatory abortions in the above examples for cases where the contraceptive fails (and it will fail). That’s why I think it likely that abortion is added to the “preventive services” if Obama is re-elected.

Right now it appears the government is focused on forcing religion out of the public sphere. Once that is done you’re closer to proclaiming that the dignity of the human person doesn’t come from God, it comes from government. If you can get your citizens to believe that, then morality is out the window. The government declares who and what is good and who and what has worth.

A couple more interesting points I would like to make. ObamaCare isn’t “universal” health care. It does not protect or provide health care for the most vulnerable: the unborn and the elderly. There will be what I call “death panels” for the elderly. They’re presented more as cost analysis panels, that will evaluate the cost of health care services for the very elderly to see if the cost is worth it to provide them for older citizens.

These points are not meant to scare or cause despair. I just feel it’s important to be informed and know what the stakes are/could be. We need to continue to pray and fast. And also realize that if ObamaCare stands there could likely be a lot of white martyrdom.

Yup. The man has made it clear he means to make war on the Church. And he means to use the weak and the vulnerable as human shields while he does it. I do not for the life of me see how any Catholic in his or her five wits can support him.

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