2/13/12 ON THIN ICE

THE SIGN SAYS IT ALL

Saturday,  8:00 AM.  5 degrees, up from 2 degrees F an hour ago.  Wind W, fierce.  The sky is mostly clear except for billowing snow clouds on the eastern horizon.  The barometer predicts partly cloudy skies.
      Yesterday evening was clear and cold, 10 degrees F. at 10:00 PM. The channel between Bayfield and Madeline Island was completely free of ice yesterday, which was blown out by strong winds in the last several days.
        A coating of ice is back across the channel this morning and the ferry is plowing through it again.  The channel ice conditions have been so poor that few have ventured to cross it even with snowmobiles, and I haven’t heard of any being lost, which usually happens by now.  I don’t think there have been any fatalities on the ice on all of Chequamegon Bay, but the winter isn't over yet.
        Commentary: the President has proposed a compromise on the issue of Catholic institutions being forced to provide health care for employees that includes birth control and an abortion pill.  He claims that the insurance companies will pay for the coverage.  First, I have never heard of any insurance company willingly giving any product or service away.  The insurance companies are in business to make a profit, and will certainly pass those costs on to their other customers, i.e., you and me.  And it will be a vastly inflated price, you can be sure of that; what was once very affordable even without insurance will become outrageously expensive, with or without it, and will hit the uninsured the hardest.  Then the government will be obliged to provide free contraception and more to virtually everyone, another big government hand out.
        Secondly, and most important, the President apparently fails to  recognize that this is a matter of conscience, and a constitutional issue under the First Amendment. Regardless of whether the Catholic institutions involved have to pay for it or not, they are still being forced to provide services their faith sees as a mortal sin.
        I am not Catholic and have no personal issue with birth control.  I do, however, feel very strongly about the issue of abortion, and frankly do not want my tax dollars to pay for what I see as tantamount to infanticide.  I suspect there are a lot of non-Catholics in America who feel  the same way.
       The snowmobilers of Chequamegon Bay are not the only ones on thin ice.  The president is out there with them.
        No blogs for a couple of days as we are going to Langlade, Wisconsin to visit with old friends. It is about four hours SE but still in the north woods. We will report on weather and outdoor news there and back.