How Obama Lost the Catholic Vote

...As has been widely reported, President Obama’s Health and Human Services department (HHS) will soon require Catholic organizations to provide contraception services within their healthcare plans, and pay a fine if they don’t.

Worse yet, it will also require Catholic organizations who don’t offer these services to apprise citizens where they can obtain them.

Catholics are outraged, for good reason.

The stark implications of this policy for the Catholic Church were noted by Atlanta archbishop Wilton D. Gregory who said, “As a result, unless the (HHS) rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so).” Such employees include, for instance, those working at Catholic hospitals, schools, and Catholic Charities, which is the largest private sector social services provider in the United States.

There are seventy-seven million Catholics in the United States, and as a direct result of this policy, many are poised to express their anger electorally. This does not bode well for the president.

As the Wall Street Journal has pointed out, Catholics comprise a quarter of the electorate, and in nine of the past ten presidential elections, Catholics have sided with the winner.

In 2004, white Catholics sided with George W. Bush. In 2008, Mr. Obama carried the Catholic vote and won. Come January 2013, it is likely the White House occupant will again have won the Catholic vote.

It is increasingly likely this will not be Mr. Obama.

http://townhall.com/columnists/davidmalcolm/2012/02/08/how_obama_lost_the_catholic_vote