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

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

Oh absolutely I understand they are making an exemption for health reasons. But it's being used by some I am sure for contraception as well, not just for health reasons. So they are already providing contraception.

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Well that sin is on those people for not only using it for contraception but also for lying and insurance fraud :)

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Is your insurance comes through a religion based organization?

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

Do they have to swear at the doctors office or to the insurance company that they will be using the pill solely to treat their medical issue and will not be having sex? If not, no sin, no lying and no insurance fraud.

[merig00.livejournal.com]

Depends on what it says in their insurance contract :D

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

Interesting. It didn't occur to me that there could be actual clauses prohibiting its use as a contraceptive.

[merig00.livejournal.com]

I'm just throwing it in as an idea. I'd assume it is since for example Georgetown covers pill but only for medical treatment reasons. There are some links going on around blogosphere that Fluke went to Georgetown specifically because they don't cover contraceptives (everyone refers to some interview with her but I haven't seen it yet). So there must be something in the insurance contract.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

If they are using an insurance that pays for it only when it's a medical treatment and not for contraception, then if they knowingly tell their doctor that they need it for medical treatment, then they are sinning and lying and committing insurance fraud. It doesn't make any sense to deny this. You can object to the restriction, but this is pretty clear.

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

What if they do need it for the medical reason but once on it they also use it as a contraceptive. Is this lying and committing insurance fraud? Is there an actual restriction in there that prohibits this?

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

That would obviously be fine.