Predictably, the folks at the Christian Right Family Research Council and its political arm FRC Action, are not happy with the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Obama healthcare plan.
On the day the decision was handed down, Tom McClusky, Senior Vice President of FRC Action, sent out an e-mail to donors asking for funds so that the group could reinforce its "efforts at the Republican National Convention and the Platform Committee meetings the week before."
According to McClusky, "Our aim is to keep the Republican document conservative with an emphasis on the pro-life and traditional family planks already in the platform." McClusky wants to repeal "Obamacare. And not just repeal "some of it and not other parts. Repeal the whole thing and replace it with common sense reforms that can be agreed upon."
McClusky then listed "just a few of the major problems with ObamaCare" based on an FRC Action analysis:
- Forcing Americans to have health insurance or be fined (or taxed!)
- A new bureaucracy (IPAB) that will serve as a rationing board
- Subsidies for health plans that include abortion in state exchanges
- The mandatory abortion fee that is at least $12 per year for all plans with abortions
- No conscience protections against government discrimination against businesses, providers, health insurers who refuse abortion.
- Religious Freedom violation through the contraception/abortifacient mandate, which narrowly restricts religious liberties to churches. Penalties for failure to comply could be $100 per day per employee for the employer (and insurer) who fails to offer "preventive care services", meaning contraceptives, abortifacients and sterilizations free to the patient.
McClusky adds that "now it's our job to make sure that we have the right elected officials who won't abuse their authority. ...The Republican Party Platform meetings in August are only one step in our efforts."
He ends by citing Ephesians 6:13:
"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
But in the spirit of coded messages aimed at the Biblically-literate Christian Right, the surrounding text is worth reading, especially:
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." [New International Version (NIV)].
So for McClusky, the choice in November apparently is between a Patriot and an agent of Satan.