Supreme Court Scores Two Goals For the First Amendment: Reaction to Harris and Hobby Lobby

Today the Supreme Court ruled in two major cases pertinent to the preservation of First Amendment rights. In Harris v. Quinn, the court ruled that public sector unions may not force those that are not full public employees or members of their union to pay dues, often used for political purposes. In Burwell (formerly Sebelius) v. Hobby Lobby, the court determined that the contraceptive mandate implemented by the Health and Human Services department under ObamaCare violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, legislation rooted in the First Amendment protection of religious liberty. While both decisions were somewhat narrow, they each are victories for individual liberties guaranteed by the First Amendment. American Encore President Sean Noble offered the following statement on today’s decisions:

“In an age where the First Amendment and political speech are under assault by the Executive Branch and Congress, today’s Supreme Court decisions remind us why the Founding Fathers gave us Separation of Powers. The Supreme Court affirmed that powerful public-sector unions and big government mandates are not above the freedom of association or the right to free exercise of religion, each being guaranteed by the First Amendment.  

Yet, perhaps the best way to summarize the court’s opinions in these cases was written two centuries ago, when Thomas Jefferson said, ‘To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.’ Today we applaud the high court’s dual reaffirmation of this basic principle.”