Power

Misogynists Just Can’t Seem to Help Themselves: Cong. Joe Walsh Tells Sandra Fluke to “Get a Job”

Talking Points Memo reported today that Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, already controversial for his demeaning and offensive comments, and his support for Congressman Todd Akin, attacked law student and women's health advocate Sandra Fluke.

 HT to Credo Mobile and our colleague Sarah Lane for alerting us to this story.

Talking Points Memo reported today that Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, already controversial for his demeaning and offensive comments, and his support for Congressman Todd Akin, attacked law student and women’s health advocate Sandra Fluke for her support for the birth control benefit established under the Affordable Care Act, and telling her to “get a job.”

As TPM reports,

“So at the Democratic Convention Wednesday night their first prime time speaker was Sandra Fluke, whatever her name is,” Walsh said. “Think about this, a 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 a woman who feels entitled that we all should pay for her contraceptives,” he said. “This is what we are teaching Americans? That was embarrassing. That was embarrassing.”

It may not surprise anyone that Walsh has his facts wrong: Insurance coverage of birth control–like every other covered service–is not taxpayer-fund, but the individuals who pay for their premiums out of pocket, earn coverage as part of their compensation package at work, or pay for part of their health care under their employer’s plan. It is no different than well-woman care, pre-natal care, or any other kind of covered benefit.

Credo’s new media staff captured a video of captured video of Walsh, and the transcript of his comments follows below.

The transcript:

How about this? This one kills me, then I’ll be done with my rant.

So at the Democratic Convention Wednesday night their first prime time speaker was Sandra Fluke — Fluke, Fluke, whatever her name is.

Think about this: a 31-32 year old law student who’s 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. And, and, and, we have to be confronted by a woman, the Democratic Party this is what they stand for. Their going to put a woman in front of us who is complaining that the country — you, me and you — won’t pay the 9 dollars per month to pay for her contraceptives.

How crazy is this? In a way it’s not her fault, because we teach people this stuff. You go back to fairness, we teach young people this. Don’t worry, government will take care of you. You’re having trouble with your student loans? Don’t worry, government will be there for you.

We are raising the Sandra Flukes of the world. We’re raising Americans who don’t know how to take care of themselves, who feel entitled. This a woman who feels entitled that we all should pay for her contraceptives. This is what we are teaching Americans? That was embarrassing. That was embarrassing.

It’s a funny thing: Those who scream most loudly about our “freedoms” seem also to be the loudest to decry anyone who exercises those freedoms by advocating for an issue in which they believe or on behalf of others.