By Bill O'Reilly
This woman, Sandra Fluke, a third year law student at Georgetown University, a Catholic school, believes that all of us should pay for her sexual activities. Ms. Fluke actually said that to Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDRA FLUKE, GEORGETOWN LAW SCHOOL: I attended Jesuit Law School that does not provide contraceptive coverage in its student health plan. Without insurance coverage contraception, as you know, can cost a woman over $3,000 during law school. For a lot of students who, like me, are on public interest scholarships, that's practically an entire summer's salary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: So, let me get this straight, Ms. Fluke and I'm asking this with all due respect… I am. You want me to give you my hard earned money so you can have sex? Is that what you're asking for? Good grief.
Here is how it breaks down. ObamaCare mandates that I have to buy health insurance. I have to. And because female contraception is included in all the plans, my premiums go up a small amount. And I can't opt out for another plan under federal order; they're all mandated to offer the same things.
Now, yesterday the Senate tried to pass a bill that would outlaw certain mandates like contraception in certain situations. But it was defeated 51 to 48. Senator Olympia Snowe was the lone Republican who voted against it. Three Democrats supported the bill: Senators Joe Manchin, Ben Nelson and Robert Casey.
But let's get back to Sandra, who clearly wants society to pay for her activities. So, why then won't the government pay for my activities? For example, I played college football. The government should have bought my equipment, my helmet, shoulder pads, cleats, because if I don't have those things on the field I might get hurt. And that might cost society a lot especially if I don't have the money to pay for my hospital stay. So, surely the taxpayers should have ponied up for my football activities.
You see, this is all a ruse. I don't care what Sandra Fluke does. She's an American. She is entitled to anything she wants as long as she doesn't break criminal or civil law. But I don't want to pay for her recreation. This is madness.
The progressive movement, totally ignoring reality, is defining this exclusively as a woman's health issue. But there are health implications for everything we do, including eating a burger. It is Ms. Fluke herself who is responsible for what she does. Not me and not you.
This is all part of what the Obama administration is trying to do. Regulate the freedom of Americans. The President even called Ms. Fluke before a TV appearance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREA MITCHELL, NBC NEWS: You were in our green room getting ready to come on and the White House now tells us that we can reveal that you just got off the phone with President Obama.
FLUKE: Yes, I did.
MITCHELL: The stakes have been raised pretty high but what did he say to you?
FLUKE: He… you know, he encouraged me and supported me and thanked me for speaking out about the concerns of American women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: But what about the concerns of Americans in general? Now forced to buy health insurance who don't want to pay extra for Sandra Fluke's social decisions. Ms. Fluke is unconcerned.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLUKE: I think this is about women's health. That's what it's always been about for me and that's what it's about for the… the many, many Americans who are emailing me constantly telling me how important it is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Now, no matter what I say Sandra Fluke and those who support her are not going to listen. For them sex is a potential health crisis so American taxpayers should now be responsible for what goes on in everybody's bedroom.
I don't think I can make it any more vivid. This is a freedom issue. My freedom as an American is being encroached upon. The Obama administration is trying to force me and you to pick up the tab for what people do in their private time.
In Europe, this happens all the time. In Denmark the government will actually pay for people to take drugs. They will give folks heroin. That's called harm reduction. The Danes believing if you give addicted people drugs they won't commit crimes to get the money.
But back to our wallets in this country. Progressive politicians like Barbara Boxer are trying to make this a gender issue and to some extent it is. There is no condom provision in ObamaCare, at least not yet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: And these men are waxing eloquent about birth control and the fact that, oh, it's just a moral issue with them and they don't think women should have the right to have it. Not one of them suggested that men shouldn't have their Viagra but we'll put that aside.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Oh, come on. This Viagra argument is another canard. Nobody is saying that American women should be denied insurance coverage if something is physically wrong with them. And that's what Viagra covers for men. So this is BS. And by the way nobody is denying women birth control either. It's on sale nearly everywhere.
But if the Obama Administration wants to be gender-neutral, then they're going to have to figure out a way to pay for some male activities. We've already covered football. So let's see, men need to be physically in shape. So, why don't we pick up gym memberships, that's a health issue, right?
America became the strongest country, pardon the pun, on earth because of self-reliance. We the people are allowed to decide how to live our lives. And we used to be encouraged to work hard to achieve what we want. For centuries the feds largely stayed out of what people did in their spare time, in their bedrooms, on their vacations but no longer.
Now the progressive colossus is demanding payment for Sandra Fluke, so that she can go through Georgetown Law School with an active healthy social life. Higher insurance premiums? Forget about it. Sandra and millions of other American women have many things they would like to do on our tab.
And that's “The Memo.”
Pinheads & Patriots
The awful gas price situation has finally reached liberal late night TV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY FALLON, HOST, NBC'S "LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON": Hey, guys, I just heard this. Police officers across the country say that because of the economy more thieves are stealing gas from parked cars. Yes. Victims say they hadn't felt that robbed since they put gas into their cars.
JAY LENO, HOST, NBC'S "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Now gas stations are considering hiring security guards. Why do they need security guards? We're the ones getting robbed. Why do they need the security guards?
I understand today NBC bought a gas station just so they could see numbers that are going up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Little ratings reference there. Thought you might like to see what's going on post-midnight. You can decide whether they're “Pinheads” or “Patriots.”
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox