President Obama calls Sandra Fluke

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Earlier this afternoon, Sandra Fluke received a personal phone call from President Obama, two days after she was called a "slut" on Rush Limbaugh's radio show. Ms Fluke attends the prestigious Georgetown University (a Jesuit school) and its president released earlier today a letter of support for Ms. Fluke, strongly critical of Mr. Limbaugh's comments, calling them "vile and misogynistic." Ms. Fluke broke the news about her call from the President during an interview on Andrea Mitchell's show. Fluke was the woman who was to testify before the Republican House Committee hearing but was denied by Darryl Issa, who instead had an all male panel testify on the subject of birth control and freedom of religion. A week later, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi held a non-binding hearing and asked Ms. Fluke to appear. Rush Limbaugh went on the offensive on his radio show and "...demanded that Fluke release tapes of her having sex in exchange for the contraception that she argued should be covered by employers." Fluke said the President's phone call was completely unexpected and added "What was really personal for me was that he said to tell my parents that they should be proud. And that meant a lot because Rush Limbaugh questioned whether or not my family would be proud of me. So I just appreciated that very much."

Joe Scarborough, a former conservative Republican member of the United States House of Representatives stated in an interview, he's had several conversations with what he described as "fire breathing conservatives" going into panic mode over the recent news cycles painting Republicans as opposed to women's rights and birth control when instead they are allowing President Obama off the hook, and thinks the election will be lost because of the focus on issues that don't matter, and were settled years ago.

It seems that the some in the Republican party are so intent on pushing it more to the right, at the expense of moderate and women voters, the chances of winning the Senate back (Olympia Snowe's retirement all but guarantees that her seat will go to a Democrat), or winning the White House are going to be severely crippled (this has happened already in a key state, Virginia, which has seen a significant movement by independent and women voters from Romney to President Obama because of the forced ultrasound amendment for abortions). While Rush Limbaugh doesn't speak for all conservatives obviously, he is the face for one of the largest audiences in talk radio, and the massive condemnation, he's now receiving should wake him up, or at least give him pause for making such reckless statements

Comments

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

For your edit:

EDIT: you snuck that in!

*not asking for free, just be able for the religious right to back off and let women pay for birth control if they wish to do so, but no, it's an attack on their religion apparently. The Christians of this country must absolutely have everything their way and if not it's an attack on religious freedom.

Well, she *is* asking for free. Not from the government, which was incorrect by Limbaugh. And besides - the mandate doesn't apply to school insurance anyway, so it doesn't matter.

And this isn't "The Christians having their way," it's religious people not having to condemn themselves to meet a government mandate.

As for the position I'm taking, what position do you believe me to be taking, and why is it sad?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

No she isn't asking for free. Free access doesn't mean free from payment.

She is asking for free, as she's citing the cost of contraceptives as a barrier (a cost that is way out of line with actual costs of contraceptives, we should add).

So, if I have some sort of moral(not even religious) or religious issue with having to pay for Viagra or Penis Pumps to the men I employ you don't see an issue?

Not at all, although I'd be interested in finding out what moral issue you'd have with them. My issue is more with mandated insurance coverage period.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Well, the issue for most people opposing the mandate on this issue is the religious freedom angle, not the evil, evil sex. Limbaugh's successfully taken our eye off the ball again.

[fornikate.livejournal.com]

"not the evil, evil sex"

hahah, deep down, that's what it IS about.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

No, it's actually about innocent life for those people.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

I expect better of you. The fact that an organization is immoral in one way does nothing to negate the validity of any other moral claim. Attack the claim. Attacking the people making it is just lazy ad hom. And I say that as someone who went to Catholic schools and was taught by ordained rapsits.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

Ad homs are logical fallacies for a reason: they are logically incapable of "making a point."

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

But not for felons on death row, who somehow lost their category of life even when fraudulently convicted of crimes they did not commit.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

And then some dipshit starts doing human sacrifice and claims it's infringing religious freedom to prosecute him. How do Religious Freedom Fundamentalists react to this claim?

[fornikate.livejournal.com]

"(a cost that is way out of line with actual costs of contraceptives, we should add)."

o rly

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Ya rly.

According to Fluke, "[w]ithout insurance coverage, contraception, as you know, can cost a woman over $3,000 during law school." Law school is a 3 year program, so this means she claims to be paying $1000/year on contraception, or about $83/month.

The high-end estimate for birth control according to Planned Parenthood? $50 (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill-4228.htm). It's more likely that the cost would be closer to the lower number, and that's just for the pill. Condoms are cheaper. An IUD would last that long and then some for 10% of the cost. Etc etc.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Ah, so we adhere to one standard for religious people, but not for others. People tell Gay students they're going to Hell using public dollars and that's all right, but public dollars for health issues is an abomination. Hey, at least it's not profiting from genocide or having pastors connected to witch-hunting.