So recently congressional hearings were held to discuss the Presidents call for insurance to pay for contraception. The right likes to throw this up as if this is just another example of Government intruding into your life, or as they have mentioned the government impugning on religious beliefs. The GOP does not understand why the turn off minorities, feminist and the LGBT community, and this is a prime example of why. The issue of contraception (which 98% of women use or have used) is not a religious issue, or big government issue, it is an issue that hits home with women because it affects them directly. So when you hold hearings and not one women testifies you are excluding women in the right to weigh in on their own bodies! The implication is that women cannot decide what is best for themselves or that women need to be lead. Then when the Democrats got a chance for Sandra Fluke to testify at a Democrat sponsored hearing Rush Limbaugh pipes up that Sandra was a “slut” and “prostitute”. A firestorm of criticism erupted and the next day he then added that if the taxpayers were going to be paying for all the sex Fluke was going to be having that she should tape it and post it on YouTube for all to see.
At first Rush defended what he said but as the controversy roared and sponsors begin to pull out of his syndicated radio show Rush eventually caved and offered up a halfhearted apology.
A Statement from Rush
March 03, 2012
For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit?In my monologue, I posited that it is not our business whatsoever to know what is going on in anyone’s bedroom nor do I think it is a topic that should reach a Presidential level.
My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.
This is where the GOP, Rush and So-called conservatives lose the minorities I mentioned before. There party is not one of inclusion but rather exclusion. They believe that they know better for you then you know for yourself and they should therefore make all the decisions for you (similar ironically to how the right feels about government). This leads to feelings of resentment and anger and inevitably the right loosing more and more minorities who over time are becoming the majority.