on this issue. -- to pay for contraceptives regardless of the catholic church teaching on this issue. during the health-care law, the catholic health association supported the president. critics say they are being hung out to dry. your take, mark. >> they are being hung out to dry. this is a dissing, in common parlance, of catholics. i have not noticed thousands of people lined up to provide services for the homeless and hungry and left behind. that is what catholic churches and schools have done v. they are not in it for the bucks. iit is -- it is at mandate by their religion. i do not understand barack obama on this, and catholics have voted on the winning side of every presidential election -- >> is it relevant or irrelevant that the vast majority of catholics practice contraception in violation of this teaching? >> it is irrelevant because you are closing down catholic institutions. >> this has been the law since 2000. there is an eeoc ruling. 28 states have laws like this. there are very good arguments being made by the catholic church, but if you take it out of the area o

if you take catholic teaching hospitals, catholic charities, and all the services of the catholic church in this country provides to the poor, the hungry, the ill of all faiths. if you take them out of the equation because of this ruling and what's remedied, you're going to have a collapse of the social network system in this country. >> well, there certainly is a lot of reason why it should work. there are people who are not catholic who work at catholic hospitals who need to -- and they don't have options of other jobs, it's not high-level positions, who should be able to get their coverage and the health care that they consider health care that's important for them, but they don't have to get it from the institution itself. there is a way to work this out. and it seems to me that the white house is clear on that, but it's still an opportunity for republicans to seize on. is it not, dr. jeffrey sachs? it's a great opportunity. i don't get hhs timing right now. >> well, these are big bureaucracies and they're operating on plans that aren't necessarily based on the primary week. >> right

it is a catholic teaching that i absolutely do not accept or agree with. but it is a catholic teaching, and so that's what makes this so difficult. the polls indicate that providing contraception in the health care plan is a majority -- has majority support, but forcing religious institutions, catholic institutions to provide it does not have majority support. that gets only 49% support of all americans, 46% oppose it. actually, more catholics support it than the general population do. when you say catholic voters only 45% of catholic voters support that, and there is the political problem going into this re-election, isn't it, mark? when you take a position that is only supported and it's a very close-cut thing, only supported by at most 49% of the population, highly controversial, that seems to be a very risky proposition to be taking into an election. >> well, it is, lawrence. to be bluntly practical about it, we're talking about states like ohio, particularly the cincinnati area, barack obama carried hamilton county, which is cincinnati, being the firs

requires all employees, including catholic employees, to pay for contraceptive is regardless of the catholic teaching on this issue. the president of the catholic health association supported the president on the health care law. now his critics say that people like that have been hung out to dry. >> this is a dissing, in common parlance, of catholics. i have not noticed dozens of people lined up to provide services for the poor and left out and left behind. that is what catholic charities have done, that is what catholic schools do in big cities. the idea that somehow they are not -- they aren't in it for the bucks. it is their mandate by their religion. i don't understand barack obama on this and i think it is politically -- catholics have voted on the winning side of every election. >> is it relevant or irrelevant that the vast majority of catholics practice, a contraception in violation of this teaching? >> it is irrelevant -- >> factually, this has been the law since 2000. there's an eeoc ruling. 28 states have at laws like this. there is a good argument being made by the catholic church, but if

of washington, cardinal donald whirl said birth control is an issue that cuts to the heart of catholic teaching. >> this is wrong, mistaken. let's find another approach to this. >> reporter: at issue is an obama administration mandate requiring that birth control be offered in employee health benefits. church's are exempt from the mandate, but the church wants ---owned hospitals and offs are not. the cardinal said the mandate violates the church's opposition to artificial contraception. >> there are some things that we simply don't do. and that shouldn't eliminate us from being a part of this community. at the heart of the mandate is a question of religious liberties. >> reporter: republicans on capitol hill are demanding the rule be rescinded. the supporters say the obama administration is seeking to level the playing field for all employers. >> and in some ways, it's fair that they play by the rules that everyone else plays by. >> reporter: laura meyers is president of planned parenthood in d.c. and said that no one would be forced to receive birth control but that women employed by religious

diocese of washington, the cardinal says birth control is an issue that cuts to the heart of catholic teachinghis is wrong. mistaken. let's just find another approach to this. >> reporter: at issue is an obama administration mandate requiring that birth control be offered in employee health benefits. churches are exempt, but the church-run hospitals and universities are not. he says it violates their opposition to artificial contraception. >> there are some things we simply don't do. and that shouldn't eliminate us from being a part of the community. at the heart of this mandate is the question of religious liberty. >> reporter: republicans are demanding the rule be reversed. >> it's only fair that they play by the rules that everyone else plays by. >> reporter: she is president of planned parent hood in dc. she says no one would be forced to receive birth control, but women employed by religious institutions should have access to it. >> women regardless of where they work deserve to have it covered by their insurance. and it shouldn't depend on who your boss is. >> reporter: for now, the obam

i chose fordham university in part because of the catholic teachings and traditions that i learned as child and because i connected to jesuit traditions of quality education and public service. fordham promised to nurture my individuality and promised to challenge me to recognize and confront injustice. i am dedicated to justice and i feel deeply respect the jesuit education that i received and the lasting values they instilled in me. but fordham also let me down. not to sound like a cheesy personal wanted but i was a single 18-year-old female, likes control over my own body looking for affordable contraception and finding contraception at fordham was about as easy as finding a good man through a want ad. and, you know, my girlfriends and i, we figured out how to protect ourselves and how to stay healthy. but it wasn't on fordham's account. by denying us access to contraception, fordham didn't support us as they had promised to do. they put obstacles in the way of us reaching our potential into fulfilling our promise to them, challenging social injustice. this idea of social justice t

would affect catholic hospitals and universities and even though contraceptives are contrary to catholic teachings, it would require it. and some of the catholic bishops discounted some of the white house assurances and this past sunday around the country, and many parishioners heard letters of bishops and arch bish shocbi around the country, and so it is turning into a religious and political issue. members of the white house weighed in on this, but jay carney taking questions at the top of the white house briefing. >> on the issue of contraceptives, speaker boehner is wanting to deny it through the rule, and i'm kind of curious about your reaction to that, and if it were to happen, is that the kind of omeasure that the president would veto, or does he feel that strongly? >> well, that is a lot of speculation embedded in that question. i won't go there. on this issue from the very beginning we have concerns as we work to implement the law, and as i said yesterday on january 20th when this decision was announced secretary sebelius said quote we will continue to work closely with religious groups i

he is now a doctoral candidate in a teaching fellow at the school of philosophy at the catholic university of america. i would like to introduce and pass the word to ryan to continue further the discussion. >> tonight as you know we are having a panel discussion on the hhs mandate in i just want to introduce a three panelists, experts in the topic. the first is richard. as you know he works at the united states conference of catholic vicious. he is associate director of the secretary of pro-life activity where he is worked for over 30 years. month his duties he prepares policy statements educational material in and congressional testimonies on abortion and euthanasia conscience rights and health care embryo research and other medical moral issues for the bishops conference. yields a b.a. degree in m.a. from the university of chicago and conducted doctoral studies in theology. mr. james capretta is a fellow at the ethics and public policy center. he was associate director an associate director at the white house office of management and budget from 2001 to 2004 we had a responsibility for h

pinducing drugs and contraception for our employees, because it violates our church teachings and ourr beliefs. " " catholichurch belieff. " "teachings and our beliefs. " " catholic church bishops across the country have launched this loobying effort in hopes that congress will override the plan to include contraaeption in the health ccre plan. 3 testimony continues this morniig in the murder trial of george hugely... the university of virigina lacrosse player accused of beating yeardley love to death in may of 2010.yesterday... jurors heard shocking informationnabout the night of her murder.megan gillilann is live from from love's alma mater... notre dame prep withh more on what was a very emotional day in court. court.good mooning patrice,for those who knew yearldy lovv this information is hard to swallow.especially for her family sitting in court... listening to how the 22 year old was alive for two hours inside her off campus move because of how badly she was beaten.during opening statments prosecutors explained....how just days before the murder... 24-year old george hugeuly sent love an email that rea

on catholic institutions a requirement that they offer things that are specifically against catholic teaching. and the catholic bishops just this weekend issued a letter in 140 diocese to be read at every single mass that said that they are not going to stand for this affront on liberty that the adprompblt -- the plan carried by every catholic owned hospital has to provide the morning half bill, something that is specifically against the teachings of the church and the obama administration says you must offer it or you will be penalized for doing so. this is something that he's crossed the line and this may be an attempt to show that he is a believer too. the other thing was a supreme court decision, it was a 9-0 supreme court decision where the court actually said that the catholic church had to hire women priests or they were going is to be dpis christmas naturing. maybe the president's trying to backtrack a little bit by using softer words, but his actions are very hostile to faith. >> he doesn't go to church much himself. are you cynical when you hear that, people say i'm on my knees ever

fear is what does this mean for places like georgetown university, boston college, notre dame, catholic teachingospitals, catholic charities? is it the government trying to encroach upon what they do? >> how does it work in massachusetts now? don't they have this. >> they do. >> what does boston college do? >> they go along with it. that's what republicans and opponents of this. if you look at tim kaine's statement, he is not aposed to what the president is suggested. it's just a mild compromise to expand the exemption. >> assuming president obama, can president obama do that, what are the optics if after going out with this, will he catch the ire of women's groups? >> if you are president of the united states running for re-election, you say why are you bringing me these problems? we have 8% unemployment, a couple of wars going on. kick it down the road. additional exemption may not be a bumper sticker, but effective election year politics. move it down the track and deal with it later. honestly, no one is being forced to use birth control. these people do not have to accept every treatment off

>> would not change anything >> associate professor loyola institute part school of medicine catholic teaching helps future doctors learn how to deal with the end of life issues and of life issues and all kinds but dan crews case is rare conscious and the debt is not imminent >> the issue what are the benefits of continued health care from the house of treatment intervention, management? what are the burdens the patients have? >> dan crews death wish started two and a half years ago dr. for routine physical >> asked what kind of the alcohol he recommended because i wanted to get alit on a daily basis we have never been given the option a moral consensus as a patient to the right to refuse life sustaining treatment >> if they are of sound mind but doctors diagnosed dan crews depressed definition not of sound of mike >> yes depressed anybody in my shoes going to be depressed >> i do not believe totally depressed i believe 29 years all but three of them he has been like this a great sport just does not care much about anything anymore >> not always the case, video icicle bread ration received a s

i don't know a single catholic, not one that ever observed catholic teachings on this matter. rick santorum claims he's the one. if he is he's the one. how did it come to bethat in the discussions in the white house that we ended up at this particular highly politicized intersection that we see now? was the president, in effect, warned this kind of argument would be coming? >> i'm not going to get in to discussions with the president and what he was or wasn't told. how this protection for women came in to being is because the health care law required for the first time ever preventative services for women to be covered by insurance companies. according to, you know, medical experts and scientists, cotra sepgs was a critical piece of those preventative services. so, by law, we had to require insurance companies to cover it with no cost sharing for women no out of pocket costs. in crafting this proposal, special attention was paid to a church exclusion. many of these states have the same exclusion. you know, you mentioned at the top that contraception is widely supported by the

whether you will be able to find if you are a catholic woman who wants to follow the catholic teaching or somebody that wants to live a holistic lifestyle the prospectus women's health and doesn't try to change with a lot of hormones or whatever your motivation. whether you will be able to find anything different. >> if i might for a second, you know it doesn't just speak to the larger issue about the religious practice and liberty. we are taught to think that religion is supposed to be constraining and stifling. and now we find that when people in a certain religion and in this case the catholic religion they are not practicing as robust as perhaps they ought to be then we find the take their freedom away altogether and in some cases suddenly it seems they don't know. >> one other comment and that is that the latest poll that i've seen by rastus and which came out this morning is that they were not pulling the americans general likely voters. there was a plurality maybe they had some political view in mind. i think it was 46% against the mandate overall and 43% in favor of it and when

of washington cardinal donald wuerl says birth control is an issue that cuts to the heart of catholic teachings this is wrong, mistaken, let's just find another approach to this. >> reporter: at issue is an obama administration mandate requiring that birth control be offered in employee health benefits. churches are exempt from the mandate, but the church run hospitals and universities are not. the cardinal says the mandate violates the church's opposition to artificial contraception. >> there are some things that we simply don't do and that shouldn't eliminate us from being a part of this community. at the heart of this mandate is the question of religious fluidity. >> reporter: republicans on capitol hill are demanding the bill be rescinded, but supporters of the bill say the obama administration is seeking to level the playing field for all employers. >> in some ways it's only fair that they play by the rules that everyone else plays by. >> reporter: laura meyers is president of planned parenthood in d.c. and says no one will be forced to receive birth control but that women employed by reli

so if congress wanted to take a shot at it there was no catholic teaching has said they can't try to do it. but we wanted those principles upheld. in terms of big government being inherently bad on these things, i think what matters more is what principles every is acting on, what it's trying to do. because, i said in some a more concerted friends before, if you want to find a health plan that doesn't have abortion today, where are you going to find outside the catholic church? in the answer is, from the federal government. because of all the work that we and others have done, medicaid, medicare, federal employees, children's health insurance program, they all have almost all abortions a limited. would you go to find the plan that has abortions and you can't get rid of them? that's in private health plans because most unfortunate of the private health care companies think abortion is a big constant. fewer mouths to feed. so i'm not, i'm not against free market capitalism by and large. i think when you apply discretions of human life it is so dangerous, but in the health care reform d

if you are a catholic teaching institution and you teach theology, not a problem, but if you are thenpelled by that theology to go into the world, then we will regulate you against your conscience. there was a catholic commentator who said, we do not go into the world because they are catholic. we go into the world because we are catholic. take that back to the -- to the source. why did god sent his only begotten son to die for our sins? because he so loved, not just the jews, greeks, gentiles, he so loved the world. so i think the explanations are just incredible, unbelievable, and highly remarkable. >> it is unbelievable that a president who knows people are weird with him on this issue would push it right before an election. we talked about and we have said it that this proves it. the abortion industry control ling majority. there are democrats who voted for "obamacare" who say is a big problem. i want to get to a question, and i want to tie it back into a few things. the way your organization is set up, your issue is pension reform, and you also married to the emigration to the li

it is a principle of catholic teaching that decision making authority should be located at the lowest level possible. i very much agree with the notion that this is a question that people of faith and consideration can come to different conclusions on their can be great debates on the societal questions in this arena. great debates should take place around at. but my own judgment is looking at the balance of what has happened in the health care law, this is one manifestation of a general phenomenon of entirely too much delegation of health care power to one central bureaucracy. there are so many secretaries in their at -- in the health care law it would stun you. there is a regulation coming out every three months, reorganizing various aspects of how our health care should be run. this is one of them. there are many others. there are things about how doctors and hospitals are going to be organized over time. they are heavily influencing how that will be changed over the next few years. there are requirements about where you can buy insurance beginning in to the other 14. we are not he

>> catholic teaching is never determined by the polls.there are many team inks of the church that from time to time large numbers of people felt uncomfortable with or simply didn't follow. but that isn't the norm for catholic church teaching the gospel is, the revelation is, not the polls. there will always be teaching inks of the church that a number of people simply don't follow. martha: there have been suggestions that there should be protested against this mandate. do you recommend that? do you think catholics should let their voices be heard in the form of protests on this. >> i think the best we can do is simply be heard. that's why the bishops around the country are sharing the information not just with catholic people but with everyone of good will. people need to speak up. in our democratic republic, when people speak up they are usually heard. if there is one thing at the heart of this nation that we're counting on, it's the basic fairness of the american people who would say, why are religious groups being excluded from their s

i think here you have rick santorum, who everybody knows he adheres to the catholic teachings on contraception, but yet he has done nothing to take his personal views and take it into the public arena of policy, so in six years in the senate, there was never a whisper of banning contraceptives. he's publicly said, i don't want to ban contraceptives. and someone said if two states -- there's a couple of states that might propose that, he said he'd vote against it. and the irony is, he actually voted to fund contraceptives to fight aids in africa. i think this will give us an opportunity for the women to believe that he's on their side and believes in religious liberty. now, contrast to president obama, when took his personal views and superimposed on the catholic church and made them do what they didn't want to do. it's a little bit like asking a muslim soup kitchen to serve pork or a kosher delicatessen, they have to serve ham. >> do you know any women who have trouble or cannot afford contraception? >> i do. i do. and i think that's available to them. i believe there's no way they cannot get

control under their health carela plans, when the administration does so in spite of the catholic church's teaching that birth control is morally wrwrong, is the administration prohibiting the free exercise of religion? evan, you are a historian graduate of refined law school. how about it? >> i am sure that they must have focused grouped this to death, because it seems cra w what they are doing. i don't know what the finer points are in the law but i ththink this is more about politics and law. all i can say is that the white house must think that womenen are going to let this up because they really irritated, and rightly so, the catholic church. nina, your beat is the supreme court. >> well, i am not the supreme court, but t the supreme court actually ruled, and justice scalia wrote that as long as the law is in neutral and equally applied to everybody, it is constitutional. the court has also made rulings that if more recent -- more recent rulings that did the catholic church some pe that it might prevail. but insisted the law for over 10 years, in theederal government, in 28 states. but it come

charitable institutions to offer birth control and other health- care plans, in spite of the catholic church's teaching that birth control is morally wrong, is the administration prohibiting the free exercise of religion? evan, you are a historian, a graduate of eight find law school. how about it? >> they mustaf focus group -- must have focus grouped htis to death, because it seems crazy what they are doing. no the finer points of the law. it seems to be more about politics than a lead of the bid they must think that women will lap this up. >> nina, your beat is the supreme court. >> well, i am not the supreme court, but the supreme court ruled, and justice scalia wrote, as long as the law is neutral unequally applied to everybody, it is constitutional. the court has made rulings that if -- more recent rulings that give the catholic church's some hope that it might prevail. but this has been the law for over 10 years, in the federal government, in 28 states. but it comes up because of the affordable care act, what has to be offered as a basic service for women. >> charles krauthammer, md, is the obama

it is a principle of catholic teaching that decision making authority should be located at the lowest level possible. i very much agree with the notion that this is a question that people of faith and consideration can come to different conclusions on their can be great debates on the societal questions in this arena. great debates should take place around at. but my own judgment is looking at the balance of what has happened in the health care law, this is one manifestation of a general phenomenon of entirely too much delegation of health care power to one central bureaucracy. there are so many secretaries in their at -- in the health care law it would stun you. there is a regulation coming out every three months, reorganizing various aspects of how our health care should be run. this is one of them. there are many others. there are things about how doctors and hospitals are going to be organized over time. they are heavily influencing how that will be changed over the next few years. there are requirements about where you can buy insurance beginning in to the other 14. we are not he

the catholic church teaches that birth control and iuds and birth control bills are abortive and morally required by law to pay for them this is how the church sees it and something the church believes it morally cannot do the conflict is between the right of the government to protect what it views as the public health and the right of a religion in this case, the catholic church, to practice its deepest moral beliefs in this free society, one in which the first amendment does guarantee religious freedom. we are watching a real conflict here. it will be the duty of religious leaders to follow their consciences. it will be the work of politicians, the president on down to do what they do best, work this out. there are millions of liberal catholics who did not wish for this conflict but can see with powerful clarity its validity t is not about the number of catholics who use birth control or the number of noncatholics who attend catholic colleges or universities or receive help from catholic charity, it is about what the church itself teaches. this regulation is telling you to do by law wh