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The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' unwavering support for the Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as "Obamacare") with a few "corrections" leaves many in the pews perplexed. Why in the world would the USCCB fight for more government control over the lives of American citizens? Don't they realize that, historically speaking, expanded government leads to tyranny and views the Church as a foe, not a friend?

The mandated contraceptive coverage under Obamacare represents the harbinger of things to come. What about the school-based birth control clinics Obamacare creates or the "death panels" it implements, which will only lead to rationing of health care for our most vulnerable citizens? The issue in a few years may not simply be whether Church-affiliated institutions will be forced to give out birth control and morning-after pills, but whether we or our loved ones will be deemed "worthy" of living.

Health care is a basic necessity. Health insurance is not. In the early days of this country, religious institutions built hospitals founded on the belief in the inherent dignity of the human person and they provided health care to all. The USCCB's time would be better spent focusing on ways to rebuild Catholic hospitals rather than ways to expand government and steer our citizens to the government trough.

Mary Potter Summa lives in Charlotte.