Probing questions

When power is abused, it must be challenged. Which is why I find this protest heartening. Virginia's state government is now in the grips of Tea-palooza. And in this phase, I'm not sure it's really representative of its people, especially about half of its people. In any case, it seems to be falling down on the jobs of small-r republican government. So women pushing back against trans-vaginal ultrasound is a good thing regardless of what passes or doesn't.

Meanwhile:

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said more than 2,500 pastors and evangelical leaders have signed a letter to President Obama asking him to reverse the mandate.

While most Protestants do not oppose contraception per se, the letter calls the mandate a violation of religious freedoms.

“This is not a Catholic issue,’’ Perkins said. “We will not tolerate any denomination having their religious freedom infringed upon by the government.’’

Perkins' authoritarian view of freedom really needs no comment.