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

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

> Supplements which aren't required to maintain health shouldnt be mandated.

I have high blood pressure...but feel healthy and fine, even when I don't take my BP meds.

Should employers be mandated to pay for my Blood Pressure Medication?

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Elevated blood pressure directly has a health impact. Also abnormalities in the body are typically the realm of health care.

If you've elevated blood pressure then it's foreseeable that an insurance policy would cover it.

But still, there should be no mandates for coverage for anything.

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

> Elevated blood pressure directly has a health impact.

As does Pregnancy. The medical costs of a normal pregnancy is $7600. 13 out of every 100,000 pregnancies brought to term kill the mother.

> Also abnormalities in the body are typically the realm of health care.

Define what is meant here by "abnormalities". If you mean "detrimental to health", you must include pregnancy. If you mean "not occurring in the majority of the population", since the majority of the population is not fertile, you must include pregnancy. If you mean 'deviating from some plan', who is making the plan?

> But still, there should be no mandates for coverage for anything.

An interesting angle, seeing as how health insurance, the whole Kitten Kaboodle, is ITSELF mandated.

We don't, and cannot have a Laissez-faire market in insurance without significant social and legislative changes. Our nation has decided to use employer provided health insurance as a replacement for (and to prevent the demand for) nationalized health care. Such mandates and regulations are inevitable.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

'As does Pregnancy. The medical costs of a normal pregnancy is $7600. 13 out of every 100,000 pregnancies brought to term kill the mother. '

And so? Pregnancy isn't a disease prevented by birth control. It's a condition that happens from sex and is perfectly natural. Birth control is a supplement meant to prevent pregnancy if a woman has sex.

Birth control is not required to prevent pregnancies.

'Define what is meant here by "abnormalities". If you mean "detrimental to health", you must include pregnancy. If you mean "not occurring in the majority of the population", since the majority of the population is not fertile, you must include pregnancy. If you mean 'deviating from some plan', who is making the plan?'

I mean exactly what abnormal means. Deviation from normal.

Elevated blood pressure is by definition not normal.

'An interesting angle, seeing as how health insurance, the whole Kitten Kaboodle, is ITSELF mandated.'

Are you talking Obamacare? Because let's not try and get caught up in how what's mandated is mandated because it's mandated.

'Our nation has decided to use employer provided health insurance as a replacement for (and to prevent the demand for) nationalized health care.'

That is completely backwards. Employer and individual plans are what we have already. The way thing should be. Nationalized services are what some people are demanding as a replacement. Under no way could you ay in America we chose employer backed healthcare as a replacement for nationalized healthcare as we've never had nationalized healthcare.

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

> And so? Pregnancy isn't a disease

Are you saying anything which is not a disease should not be covered by health insurance? Then there should be NO preventative health care, period.

...and that's a waste, teaspoon of prevention and pound of cure, and all that.

> It's a condition that happens from sex and is perfectly natural.

And high blood pressure can happen from consensual diet and exercise life choices. And when these life choices lead to your organs failing, this too is entirely "natural".

> I mean exactly what abnormal means. Deviation from normal.

Well, then you have to define "normal".

> Are you talking Obamacare?

No. I am talking about the whole theory and practice of Government Subsidized Employer Purchased Medical Insurance. You think employers offer these plans out of the goodness of their heart? These plans exist because of massive federal subsidies. It is and has been a way for the Federal Government to make health care more affordable, without being accused of being "socialist".

> as we've never had nationalized healthcare.

By replacement, I did not mean to imply that the one replaced the other, but that the one is offered in lieu of the other. There are powerful forces pushing for nationalized health care in every modern nation. The U.S. has controlled and somewhat placated those demands by subsidizing health insurance.