Interesting polling coming out in light of Barack Obama's latest actions which are being called an attack on religious freedom, in violation of the First Amendment.
First the polls.
Rasmussen finds that 59 percent of Catholic voters disapprove of Barack Obama's job performance.
Catholics strongly disapprove of the job President Obama is doing as the debate continues over his administration’s new policy forcing Catholic institutions to pay for contraception they morally oppose. While the president’s overall job approval ratings have improved over the past couple of months, they have remained steady among Catholics.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of likely Catholic voters nationwide at least somewhat disapprove of the president’s job performance, while 40% at least somewhat approve. But the passion’s on the side of those who don’t like the job he’s doing: 44% Strongly Disapprove versus 19% who Strongly Approve.
Ed Morrissey over at Hot Air notes the time frame this poll was taken:
The key point in this poll, though, is that the survey was taken mostly before the White House announced its “accommodation.” The polling took place from February 6-12, and the supposed recalculation of the rule was announced early on Friday, February 10. Rasmussen’s report doesn’t give any indication if Obama’s approval rating rose in the three days of polling after the announcement.
In another Rasmussen poll, we see that 50 percent of voters in general oppose Obama's new HHS mandate.
Half of voters do not agree with the Obama administration’s action forcing Catholic institutions to pay for birth control measures that they morally oppose. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the government should require a church or religious organization to provide contraceptives for women even if it violates their deeply held beliefs. Fifty percent (50%) disagree and oppose such a requirement that runs contrary to strong beliefs, while 10% more are undecided.
While Rasmussen refers to the mandate as simply "birth control measures", it is worth noting that the mandate includes access to morning after abortion pills as well as sterilization procedures, a distinction which religious organizations other than just Catholics have noted and united with Catholics in opposition against.
3.The mandate forces coverage of sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs and devices as well as contraception. Though commonly called the "contraceptive mandate," HHS's mandate also forces employers to sponsor and subsidize coverage of sterilization.And by including all drugs approved by the FDA for use as contraceptives, the HHS mandate includes drugs that can induce abortion, such as "Ella," a close cousin of the abortion pill RU-486.
From an earlier piece here at Wake up America:
Obama has come under attack for his culture war with his war on religion from Hispanics, religious groups backing Catholics and their right to religious freedom and practicing their religion in a manner consistent with their beliefs, such as the National Association of Evangelicals, the the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the Agudath Israel of America, the the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod , the the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention, along with conservative lawmakers and even some Senate Democrats.
How Obama, his advisers, or anyone in his administration, thought that forcing a culture war, attacking any religious groups' ability to practice their religion in a manner consistent with their beliefs, was a good idea, especially during an election year, is beyond comprehension.
But they did. While it appears to play well with their liberal base, it doesn't appear to be a winning issue with the rest of the population.
Related:
Harry Reid's Response To Americans Worried About Obama's Attack On Religion: 'Calm Down'
Catholic League: Obama Legacy- 'The President That Brought The Culture War To Boil'
Religious Freedom Lawsuits Against Obama's s Abortion Drug And Contraception Mandate
Catholic Churches And Bishop of Marquette Punch Back At Obama's War On Religion
Catholic League Prepared To Fight Back Against Obama's War On Religion