Hobby Lobby faces millions in fines for bucking Obamacare

**shrewsbury** · 01-02-2013, 08:36 AM

how can the state of Michigan get away with adding a rider for abortion, but this company has to pay for the morning after pill?

**Wickabee** · 01-02-2013, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by angel0430

Last time I checked we are not in Canada.

Wow! You're good. Can you do 2+2 as well?

Seriously, he gave an example of how thing work elsewhere. Why are so many against any kind of outside input? Is it racism.(nationalism?)? Ignorance? Fear? What is it?

**angel0430** · 01-02-2013, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Wickabee

Wow! You're good. Can you do 2+2 as well?

Seriously, he gave an example of how thing work elsewhere. Why are so many against any kind of outside input? Is it racism.(nationalism?)? Ignorance? Fear? What is it?

I am just tired of people scomparing everything that happens in here with Canada. If they like it so much over there, then they can pack their stuff and leave. It is not racism or nothing like that.

**Wickabee** · 01-02-2013, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by angel0430

I am just tired of people scomparing everything that happens in here with Canada. If they like it so much over there, then they can pack their stuff and leave. It is not racism or nothing like that.

So you think looking at a system that is working better than yours and saying "we should try that" is a bad thing?

Is that the "Yankee ingenuity" I've heard so much about? Man, if you're not willing to look outside your borders for answers, you're doomed to continue the downward spiral you've been on for years and it will be you own fault. Maybe not racism, but it does sound like foolish, self-detrimental pride.

(and PS, centerhice is from Canada)

**ensbergcollector** · 01-04-2013, 05:10 PM

open letter from the hobby lobby CEO:

When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn’t much bigger than most people’s living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God‘s word. From there, Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation’s largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.

We’re Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I’ve always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God’s laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that’s what we’ve tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week’s biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God’s grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We’ve not only added jobs in a weak economy, we’ve raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.

But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don’t pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don’t cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.

Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that’s raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It’s not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it’s the same for everybody. But that’s not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won’t exempt them for reasons of religious belief.

So, Hobby Lobby – and my family – are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don’t like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.

My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that’s a choice no American – and no American business – should have to make.

The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.

Since you will not see this covered in any of the liberal media, pass this on to all your contacts.

Sincerely,
David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

**centrehice** · 01-04-2013, 05:21 PM

If that isn't a sappy kiss my arse I'm a christian story, I don't know what is.

Laws are founded without religious belief and thank goodness for that. I hope they are sued and fined and forced into following the law.

People that want to do business in the 21st Century, need to be reminded that they are in fact, living in the 21st Century.

**Wickabee** · 01-04-2013, 05:25 PM

So...he wants to force his religious beliefs on his workers? Think like me or quit?
Or maybe he's more worried about money than he thinks.

**ensbergcollector** · 01-04-2013, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by centrehice

If that isn't a sappy kiss my arse I'm a christian story, I don't know what is.

Laws are founded without religious belief and thank goodness for that. I hope they are sued and fined and forced into following the law.

People that want to do business in the 21st Century, need to be reminded that they are in fact, living in the 21st Century.

if the government is giving out exemptions to the laws, then they have opened the door.

what in the world does doing business in the 21st century mean? If you want to do business you have to provide employees with birth control? Hobby Lobby seems to have done successful business for over 40 years, including the 21st century, so i'm not sure what your last sentence is supposed to mean

**ensbergcollector** · 01-04-2013, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Wickabee

So...he wants to force his religious beliefs on his workers? Think like me or quit?
Or maybe he's more worried about money than he thinks.

quick question...how does saying "i will not pay for birth control" equal forcing his religious beliefs on his workers? If he said "if I find out you are buying birth control I will fire you" then your comment makes sense. He is not forcing anything on anyone by not providing something.

**Wickabee** · 01-04-2013, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by ensbergcollector

quick question...how does saying "i will not pay for birth control" equal forcing his religious beliefs on his workers? If he said "if I find out you are buying birth control I will fire you" then your comment makes sense. He is not forcing anything on anyone by not providing something.

He is if they can't afford birth control but the business health plan is supposed to and he does not.