And the Washington Post should be ashamed of itself for couching this issue in the terms that it did: “The Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear another challenge to the Affordable Care Act, this time to decide whether religiously affiliated organizations such as universities, hospitals and charities can be free from playing any role in providing their employees with contraceptive coverage.”  This is news to, say, the Little Sisters of the Poor, who perhaps naively thought that this case was actually about their disinclination to condone various procedures and drugs that are expressly forbidden by their religion.  But God forbid that we walk in the path of a media narrative, particularly when doing so might make Barack Obama look bad. Rank blasphemy, that.

The question then becomes, How will the Supreme Court rule? Probably the way that it usually does in these cases: to wit, a five-four split that will keep the Little Sisters of the Poor from having to choose between violating their religious consciences and staying in operation. It seems odd to think that, when it comes to Obamacare, a private corporation like Hobby Lobby would be protected from violating its owners’ beliefs on abortion, while a religious order of Catholic nuns doesn’t get the same protections.  Then again: predicting Supreme Court decisions is a mug’s game.

…Either way.  I mean, who knows? The Catholic members of the Court’s liberal wing might actually come down with a sudden case of religious orthodoxy. I don’t actually expect them to, but you always have to hold out hope for a sudden attack of Grace.

Moe Lane

*I would like to take this time to point out two things: one, this case will decided in the middle of election season. Two, the best way to win a public relations battle against of an order of nuns who are dedicated to serving the elderly poor is to run away and hide.  And even then you’re aren’t going to really win; you’re just more likely to survive.