“If we are going to pay for your contraceptives,” said Rush Limbaugh on air, referring to Ms. Sandra Fluke’s congressional testimony, “and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch.”
In my Townhall column this weekend, “’Tis a Pity He’s a Boor,” I responded with a “No, thanks.” But I did defend what I took to be the point Rush was trying to make: “The issue isn’t about contraceptives, but the right to choose … on your own nickel.”
The flak Rush received became an avalanche of advertiser pull-outs from his show. And an apology.
And this all points to something interesting about freedom.
Rush has freedom of speech. He would still have it if every advertiser in the world refused to touch him and he took to blogging. His freedom requires no one to support him. Free speech doesn’t force anyone to listen – or advertise.
Similarly, Ms. Fluke has freedom of association, sexually and otherwise, including her relationships with the university in question and its contracted insurance company. But such freedom doesn’t obligate her school or insurance company or other consumers (through passed-on costs) to pay for her contraceptives. We all have freedom.
The same freedom of contract that allows advertisers to drop Rush’s show also allows businesses to choose employee benefit plans, workers to choose where they will work, and insurance companies to decide what terms they will offer.
Or it should. And in the specific case of contraception coverage did, until the Obama Administration dictated otherwise.
Several nasty words ago, that’s what started this brouhaha.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
16 replies on “A Nickel’s Worth of Freedom”
Rush was right, as usual. So, he was a bit crude, so what? What Fluke and the Democrat party was/is trying to do is worse than crude, it is anti-American and tyrannical.
The fact that he apologized is a huge disappointment to me. It means that his business and his money-making abilities are more important to him than the issue at hand. As he should have known, he would have gained the respect of many others and received contracts from other, America loving businesses to make up for the jumping ship of his current lilly-livered advertisers. I thought he was above that. Maybe it’s the new wife or maybe he’s getting old and tired. Still a huge disappointment. Somehow I doubt Brietbart would have apologized for being right.
Ms. Fluke want something for nothing.
Rush wants something for something.
I want nothing for nothing.
Let HER pay for the cost of her recreational sexual activity, since, if she was taking it for health or hormaonal reasons, it would be covered by her campus insurance anyway.
Paul, you’re becoming downright sage.
It is clear that Ms. Fluke, a third year law student at Georgetown, is a (claimed) victim not only of the University’s limited health insurance, but also its failure to teach her (or her failure to learn) the distinction between a right under our constitutional system and the desire for an government mandated extra-constitutional “benefit” to some financed by unwilling others.
I would suggest that Georgetown might make mandatory a reading and discussion of “The Law” by Bastiat to help clear up the confusion.
You missed an opportunity. You should have pointed out how the dems used worse language against Sarah Palin as well as the media promoting it. Also the attack on Sarah’s disabled son Tripp.
Rush was right! We are sick and tired of this whining, wanting others to pay and in this instance for her form of “entertainment”. Rush like most of us was likely fed up with this attitude and got a little crude to drive his point home. His advertisers who bailed, I guess I know what side they are really on and they will not see my business. Two can play at this game.
I agree with Dagney! Bill Maher called Sarah Palin the most offensive C‑word…no calls for sponsors to pull their ads or whining from the right! The garbage coming out of MSNBC from Matthews, Shulz, and Maddow et al and you don’t hear of Conservative complaints. I’m sick and tired of the liberal left double standard…when are we going to stand up and be counted…and STOP being such weinies? I am disappointed in Rush. RIP Andrew!
A bit off –very little bit- topic.
A friend of mine owns a small firm- had 5 employees– (including him and his wife); two women (including his wife).
The three men (including himself)- past 50; wives past 50. All beyond child bearing age.
To have health insurance coverage, HAD TO PROVIDE MATERNITY BENEFITS – both women who were the employees had had hysterectomies and hence unable (even if they wanted) to have babies.
At a cost of about $150.00 per month for each.
That is wrong.
If young boys could become pregnant, the Catholic church would gladly endorse contraception.
Carole, you idiot. Bill Maher doesn’t have sponsors. Get a clue.
Rush Limpbaugh, the oxycontin snorting piece of cow manure!
Of course, the health insurance covers viagra so the Catholic priests can have sex with young boys.
Viagra foe everyone!!!
Jim — Let’s not call anyone on this forum an idiot.
I think Rush’s underlying argument was correct. That’s why i think it is so important to condemn what he said. Because it was wrong and sp that we can credibly make the underlying argument. Which I attempt to do.
Loyalty doesn’t require okaying use of language and an attitude we as consumers otherwise would not tolerate.
True, jerks like Bill Maher have said pig-headed stuff. It’s why I can’t stand Bill Maher (though I did not bring him up because that let’s Rush off, that justifies Rush’s language in a sense, and we ought not justify it).
I heard Rush say this. In other words, I listen to him when I can. He is, generally, the most polite and pleasant host, which I appreciate. Though, I disagree with Rush on plenty of issues, I know first-hand he is a lot smarter and less bombastic than his caricature by the drive-byes.
Paul Jacob
Jim you are the idiot
She is a “fluke!!?? ”
Nuff said!!
I am tired of priests being targeted, there are many sick men that find young boys toys and very few priests I am sure, for all you men that screw young boys there will be a hell for you and may it last for an eternity
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