I warned you about this the other day in Hobby Lobby and the return of SB 1062: the conservative activist justices of the Court were speaking in code to conservatives. The conservative “dog whistle” was heard loud and clear by the likes of Cathi Herrod and the Center for Arizona Policy.
“Herrod said Monday’s decision breathes new life into that effort [SB 1062], with an eye on asking lawmakers – and whoever is elected governor – to revisit the issue when the new session starts in January.”
Molly Ball at The Atlantic reports that the Religious Right heard Alito’s dog whistle loud and clear, and Justice Ginsburg’s warning that the Hobby Lobby decision is not “narrowly limited” to contraceptive coverage under the ACA is already coming true. Hobby Lobby Is Already Creating New Religious Demands on Obama:
This week, in the Hobby Lobby case, the Supreme Court ruled that a religious employer could not be required to provide employees with certain types of contraception. That decision is beginning to reverberate: A group of faith leaders is urging the Obama administration to include a religious exemption in a forthcoming LGBT anti-discrimination action.
Religious Exemption Letter to President Obama (Scribd).
Their call, in a letter sent to the White House Tuesday, attempts to capitalize on the Supreme Court case by arguing that it shows the administration must show more deference to the prerogatives of religion.
“We are asking that an extension of protection for one group not come at the expense of faith communities whose religious identity and beliefs motivate them to serve those in need,” the letter states.
That’s right, Hobby Lobby is already being cited as precedent by religious bigots for a “get out of jail free” card for their hatin’ on the gays.
The candidate from the Center for Arizona Policy, “Cathi’s Clown” Doug Ducey, is certain to sign a new SB 1062 if elected. A vote for Ducey is effectively a vote to make his campaign adviser Cathi Herrod the shadow governor of Arizona — and she already owns Tea-Publicans in the Arizona legislature. That should terrify the hell out of you.
The Phoenix New Times reports, Gubernatorial Candidate Doug Ducey And His Double-Speak on Religious Freedom:
Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey is praising the US Supreme Court’s decision on the Hobby Lobby case, calling it a “win for religious freedom,” even though he said just a few months ago that he would, as governor, veto an Arizona measure with the same underlying principles.
* * *
On June 30, Ducey tweeted: “Today’s #SCOTUS decision is a win for religious freedom and yet another blow to #Obamacare.”
In February, he tweeted: “If I were governor, that I would veto SB 1062.”
And Cathi Herrod, the architect of SB 1062 and a Ducey supporter, is the first to point out that the proposed state law and the federal case are “the exact same thing.”
Democratic Party leaders blast Ducey, who is “locked into a contentious Republican primary for Governor,” for “dog whistling” the issue.
Ducey told the Arizona Republic back in February:
A couple days later, after Governor Jan Brewer vetoed the bill, Ducey published this statement on his campaign website: “Now that Gov. Brewer has deliberated and made her decision on SB 1062, it’s time to refocus on the issues that I’m hearing most about from voters around the state — how to get back to a full-strength economy and create jobs.”
But now, Ducey sees a different opportunity.
DJ Quinlan, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party, says in a statement this morning that Ducey is “dog whistling” the issue.
“After saying he would veto SB 1062, he promised to work to bring it back again,” Quinlan says. “Maybe all those ice cream socials with his party’s extremists gave Doug brain freeze or it’s just another example of what we see coming from today’s extreme wing of Arizona Republicans – and what Barry Goldwater warned about – their relentless attempts to restrict individual rights based upon their own religious beliefs.”
So, if the former Cold Stone Creamy executive would veto SB 1062 and it shares the “exact” same principles as the Hobby Lobby case, why is he praising the SCOTUS’ decision?
* * *
It’s worth noting Hobby Lobby’s own dripping hypocrisy, as reported by various media outlets, including Mother Jones.
The corporation writhes in sanctimonious disgust at providing employees access to certain contraceptions and yet the company had “more than $73 million in mutual funds with investments in companies that produce emergency contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices, and drugs commonly used in abortions. Hobby Lobby makes large matching contributions to this company-sponsored 401(k),” Mother Jones reported in April.
h/t Cathi Herrod photo Phoenix New Times