Dear Editor:
The first thing I want to do is thank the News Tribune for publishing in the Feb. 5 edition the photo of the four Republican presidential candidates with their hands over their hearts during the national anthem.
My memory went back four or five years ago when we had a presidential candidate who would stand with his hands hung between his legs during the anthem. Also remembering his wife stating that they were not proud of America nor proud to be Americans. He is now our president.
President Obama and his administration overstepped the boundaries of the Constitution in regard to separation of church and state.
The federal health care mandates that religious organizations must pay for birth control for their workers. Their mandate would include religious hospitals, charities, universities, shelters to name a few.
Yes the president has back peddled on the controversy, demanding that insurance companies step in and provide free coverage. My question, who gave him authority over the insurance companies that they have to cover this mandate. Second question, who pays the insurance premium, the employers.
The mandate has not been withdrawn, he has only side stepped the issue for the time. It will come up again as a mandate, if he is re-elected.
My biggest concern is the Constitution, "separation of church and state." This is a religious liberty issue. Every Catholic and ever religious denomination should be very concerned with this issue, it is completely unacceptable.
If Obama is re-elected president will he at some point in time disregard the Constitution completely and mandate that we must all become members of a religion of his choice.
Every person in this country should be concerned with this president and his administration and their disregard for our Constitution and our Bill of Rights.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. This is part of the First Amendment.