Joe Walsh Tells Women’s Health Advocate To ‘Get A Job’
Rep. Joe Walsh, the ornery Republican Congressman from Illinois, is known for trying to diminish his opponents’ their accomplishments. Earlier this year he said of Tammy Duckworth, the woman running against him for his Congressional seat, “Female, wounded veteran … ehhh.”
Walsh is now attacking women’s health advocate Sandra Fluke, joining a long list of Republicans in denigrating Fluke after her speech at the Democratic National Convention.. Over the weekend, Walsh complained that Fluke should “get a job” and stop talking about affordable contraception because “we’ve got parents in this country who are struggling”:
Think about this, a 30, 31, 32 year old law student who has been a student for life, who gets up there in front of a national audience and tells the American people, ‘I want America to pay for my contraceptives. You’re kidding me. Go get a job. Go get a job Sandra Fluke. This is what — I was offended.
We’ve got Americans who are struggling, we’ve got parents in this country who are struggling to buy sneakers that their kids can wear to school that just started. We’ve got parents up and down my district who are barely keeping their house.
Watch it:
It seems lost on Walsh that parents who cannot afford contraception will then have unintentional pregnancies resulting in more children they also cannot afford. As does the fact that Fluke’s testimony before Congress told the story of a friend who couldn’t pay for contraceptives; it was not about Fluke’s own need for birth control.
Additionally, Fluke has, in fact, held a job: According to her own bio, “she worked at Sanctuary for Families in New York City, combating domestic violence and human trafficking.”
Fluke earned national attention some months back when House Republicans barred her from testifying about women’s need for contraceptive access. Adding insult to injury, conservatives publicly trashed Fluke. Most famously, radio host Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” who has “so much sex” that she cannot afford contraception.
Source
OP: Yeah, fuck you for "Female, wounded veteran … ehhh." You still have your two legs, you douchebag... And fuck you for the rest. How completely blind do you have to be to make the statement: "We’ve got Americans who are struggling, we’ve got parents in this country who are struggling to buy sneakers that their kids can wear to school that just started." in one circumstance when you can spew vomit about a "Female, wounded veteran ... ehhh." in another? He doesn't see that the wounded veteran can't buy sneakers for her feet any more?
Rep. Joe Walsh, the ornery Republican Congressman from Illinois, is known for trying to diminish his opponents’ their accomplishments. Earlier this year he said of Tammy Duckworth, the woman running against him for his Congressional seat, “Female, wounded veteran … ehhh.”
Walsh is now attacking women’s health advocate Sandra Fluke, joining a long list of Republicans in denigrating Fluke after her speech at the Democratic National Convention.. Over the weekend, Walsh complained that Fluke should “get a job” and stop talking about affordable contraception because “we’ve got parents in this country who are struggling”:
Think about this, a 30, 31, 32 year old law student who has been a student for life, who gets up there in front of a national audience and tells the American people, ‘I want America to pay for my contraceptives. You’re kidding me. Go get a job. Go get a job Sandra Fluke. This is what — I was offended.
We’ve got Americans who are struggling, we’ve got parents in this country who are struggling to buy sneakers that their kids can wear to school that just started. We’ve got parents up and down my district who are barely keeping their house.
Watch it:
It seems lost on Walsh that parents who cannot afford contraception will then have unintentional pregnancies resulting in more children they also cannot afford. As does the fact that Fluke’s testimony before Congress told the story of a friend who couldn’t pay for contraceptives; it was not about Fluke’s own need for birth control.
Additionally, Fluke has, in fact, held a job: According to her own bio, “she worked at Sanctuary for Families in New York City, combating domestic violence and human trafficking.”
Fluke earned national attention some months back when House Republicans barred her from testifying about women’s need for contraceptive access. Adding insult to injury, conservatives publicly trashed Fluke. Most famously, radio host Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” who has “so much sex” that she cannot afford contraception.
Source
OP: Yeah, fuck you for "Female, wounded veteran … ehhh." You still have your two legs, you douchebag... And fuck you for the rest. How completely blind do you have to be to make the statement: "We’ve got Americans who are struggling, we’ve got parents in this country who are struggling to buy sneakers that their kids can wear to school that just started." in one circumstance when you can spew vomit about a "Female, wounded veteran ... ehhh." in another? He doesn't see that the wounded veteran can't buy sneakers for her feet any more?
Drug tests are similarly ridiculous. There is no proof that it does anything but deny addicts welfare, and most people on benefits are not not addicts. And even if someone is, they still deserve food and shelter. And if we're testing for drugs, why not alcohol?
And frankly, since they're on assistance, they should be living the most healthy life possible so as to not waste Government money! So we should monitor their diets, make sure they go the Gym at least twice a week (whether they have a disability or can afford it or not) and not allow them to consume any high fat or high sugar food and drink. Because my tax moniez, or something.
Edited at 2012-09-10 09:50 pm (UTC)
Actually I wouldn't, but still it's fun to dream.
Rich politicians can do what they want; poor people need to comply with ridiculous and invasive rules for the scraps that are barely thrown at them.
The look in the governors face was priceless.
"No one is discussing purposefully deciding to have more children whilst on assistance."
See my beliefs come from knowing a couple of people who abuse the system to the max. The one that fries my cookies the most are on government aide, don't work, are working on their 6th child with 5th father, nicer toys from grandma/dad get sold, there has been a confirmed meth lab being run in the basement by a relative, child support goes to pay for the new truck instead of clothing that fits. My BIL's son got told when he got married and was expecting his second child by the baby momma that daddy wasn't going to love him anymore because he was going to have a new one and because he was a [insert BIL's last name] and not a [insert current husbands last name]. BIL's son gets used as a weapon more than occasionally. And BIL wants custody but keeps getting deployed, and was told to not bother until he was married to his now wife (who is awesome).
So do I believe there are responsible people out there on government aide and do not require birth control. Yes. Do I believe there are people out there on government aide that do not do drugs. Yes. Do I believe the opposite exists too. Yes.
It's possible some of the things I've had to deal with for the last few years have caused me to become jaded. The fun part about the US is I get my opinion and regardless of if it's right or wrong I get to maintain it.I believe that if you are on government aide and having sex you should be on birth control of some type... Male or female.
On a semi-unrelated note I believe that anyone who wants birth control should be able to get it. They shouldn't be told no because they are poor.
... I am so incapable of a short post. Sorry for that.
Edited at 2012-09-10 10:48 pm (UTC)
And we get to tell you your opinion is ignorant and shitty, so yeah. Also, this forum is not the US.
If that story is actually true (which I'm not sure that I really believe you because everyone always trots out the 'I totally know this cousin of a friend of a friend of a friend that takes advantage of the system!' and it's usually either bullshit, exaggerated, or the person is coming at it from an outsiders perspective and doesn't really understand the situation), then why don't you report them, or better yet, report them to the social services since the children seem to obviously be in some kind of danger and are at risk of neglect?
I believe that if you are on government aide and having sex you should be on birth control of some type... Male or female.
And if they don't want to? Fuck them? What if a woman cannot take hormonal birth control, or other types like an IUD negatively affect herself in some way? How will you regulate condom usage; by making sure someone is there everytime a couple of assistance has sex?
Bonus question!: Should politicians, who are on Government money, be made to take birth control? Government employees, like teachers and the police? Or is it just poor people that should have their lives monitored?
BTW is there a reason you didn't address the fact that drug tests cost more money than they save? or how not all addicts are automatically bad people? I also know plenty of addicts, recovered and recovering; taking their benefits away would do nothing.
Edited at 2012-09-10 11:02 pm (UTC)
and I truly believe you are hearing a totally unbiased account of all this from your bil who is trying for custody.
ding ding ding
The fun part about the US is I get my opinion and regardless of if it's right or wrong I get to maintain it.
looooollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Tons of people "know someone" that "abuses the system." It's irrelevant, as you probably don't know the whole story of the people you speak of, and public policy isn't based on anecdotes.
I see your anecdata and raise you actual statistics.
Well, feel free to report them at your earliest convenience...
Have fun holding that opinion, but it's still horrible and wrong, and it'd be just the start of a slope that's pretty damn slippery.
What birth control would you be advocating for in men? I'm guessing you're not for forced surgeries? In that case, a pack of condoms and a serious finger waggle? That's totally like requiring implanted or oral birth control from women!