IRON MOUNTAIN -- Upper Michigan's congressman was back home talking health care with residents. One of the big topics was contraception and President Obama's health care plan.
Congressman Dan Benishek stood firmly against Obama's new contraceptive policy requiring affiliates of religious organizations to provide contraceptives to employees.
“To me, an over-reach for the federal government,” says Benishek. “Just another example of the regulatory over-reach of the administration.”
The congressman says he believes it's a violation of the first amendment, which allows freedom of religion. He says it's crossing the line between separation of church and state.
“A lot of regulations demanding that Catholic institutions provide insurance, which pays for contraceptives and abortion producing drugs and sterilization, which are against the teachings of the church,” Benishek says.
The current state of the health care system is a big issue for the congressman, who practiced medicine in Iron Mountain for over 25 years. Gerald McCole from Channing thinks the way health care dollars are being spent will have a big affect on the elderly.
“They will take this funding and put it to private use rather than using it at the places it's necessary, like Pinecrest and Northpointe,” says McCole.
Another issue for Benishek is Obama Care which doesn't sit very well with him.
“The idea that we have to purchase health care in the first place; this is the first time the government has mandated the purchase of a product just to be a citizen,” Benishek says. “I think that's wrong.”
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