Birth control or the gym membership! Boy we have serious problems! What a dilemma for the poor students. Of course, one could always just jog, uh, for free.

Sometimes you just wonder how these people make these complaints with a straight face.

Oh how we suffer in America........snort.

Amazing that these kids are getting a college education and think that the government should be subsidizing their sex lives!

Well, they could double their money... Quit the gym, then no one will want to boink them... Save money on TWO fronts!

Well, they could double their money... Quit the gym, then no one will want to boink them... Save money on TWO fronts!

And without their cell phones, they can't call anyone to hook up with.

Triple the savings!

Wise words for those that will listen. Unfortunately, liberal/progressive ears do not hear.

We, the taxpayers have provided millions with birth control pills, now we are required to pay billions to treat/stop the epidemic of STD that is spreading like wildfire. I guess when thousands turn up with faces that look like they were in the Ca wildfires without protection because they believed that, 'oral sex' is not sex, we'll pay for that also. If you don't know the person well and are not willing to take them home to meet momma, then leave them alone. Are we rearing half, or more, of the children in the country with taxpayer handouts yet?

"because not having sex is, of course, simply not an option."

What society do you live in? I have absolutely no expectation that college kids will live abstinently. Anything else is fantasy and quite unreasonable to ask at this point.

I wonder if a lack of birth control during her college years is what prevents Erika Ruiz from proof-reading her articles? It's atrocious.

Liberals will propose that we pay for both their birth control and their gym membership. After all, if they work out, they might never get sick or die, and that will save us bajillions on health care.

Plus, when they retire at age 100, they will still be able to collect social security for another 100 years because of going to the gym.

Personal responsibility is so passe.
That's the gift from the baby boomer generation, everything else flows from that.

Their parents knew that they were responsible for their own lives, baby boomers felt that was just too mean so they decided that you don't need responsibilities to go with your rights.

I think this is point a lot of people miss. the real aim of the religous right in fighting against abortion isn't (only/) about saving the unborn. It's about stopping extra-marital sex all together. While I have to applaud your consistency on the issue of sex (we can assume that you are, and always have been, absinent right?) I think you might have a hard time convincing the overwhelming majority of Americans who quite like having sex outside of marriage that they need to mend their ways. Good luck with that!

I think this is point a lot of people miss. the real aim of the religous right in fighting against abortion isn't (only/) about saving the unborn. It's about stopping extra-marital sex all together. While I have to applaud your consistency on the issue of sex (we can assume that you are, and always have been, absinent right?) I think you might have a hard time convincing the overwhelming majority of Americans who quite like having sex outside of marriage that they need to mend their ways. Good luck with that!

What was mentioned, however, was responsibility. If you can't afford birth control and don't want to have kids, then don't have sex -- it's as simple as that. Where was there any mention of religion or abstaining until marriage in that argument?

I'm not so stupid OR self-righteous to sit here and tell people that they shouldn't engage in pre-marital sex -- that's their own choice and frankly, none of my business. But when they start whining that the government, i.e. taxpayers, i.e. ME, should pay for their birth control, it's an entirely different story. It's simply my opinion that you should think with your head, and not your hormones. College students not being able to afford birth control is not a crisis. If you can't afford it, don't have sex -- it isn't like you're going to die.

But then, I'm sure you're just a typical liberal, inserting memorized talking points about the religious right trying to shove religion down America's throat even when it has nothing to do with the topic, right?

"If you can't afford birth control and don't want to have kids, then don't have sex"

Truly, in theory, a great policy. Too bad it doesn't work. Do you believe in Tinkerbell too?

I'm all for people having less children, but after living for more than 13 years I find that it is an unreasonable request.

Don't worry jp2, nobody around here expects you to "get it." Your type never has and never will.

Personal responsibility is so passe.

Yeah, because using birth control is so irresponsible of them.

Truly, in theory, a great policy. Too bad it doesn't work. Do you believe in Tinkerbell too?

I'm all for people having less children, but after living for more than 13 years I find that it is an unreasonable request.

It doesn't. Either get your head on straight (and abstain from sex if you can't handle the repercussions) or deal with the consequences (if you absolutely cannot handle being a responsible adult). End of story. It's not the government's job (meaning the taxpayers) to keep you from having children you aren't ready to raise.

One simple question:

How much does it cost to keep your damn legs shut and knees close together?

You you wanna play, you gotta pay.

A simple concept. Really!

If I am expected to chip in to pay for the consequences of an action, then it is only fair that I get a say in the decision that leads to the action.

Of course, getting a damn job and paying for it themselves is just out of the question.

"I understand that. But why does that make it my responsibility to pay for someone else's irresponsibility?"

Well, do you support the billions of dollars we spend on abstinence education which has been proven not to work? I bet you do.

Personally, I have no problem spending my tax dollars on providing free/cheap contraception/effective education. In the long term I think it's a wise investment in terms of taxes/crime and a million other factors.

What? Free birth control? I just broke into the condom machine in the bathroom of the Texaco. One flathead screwdriver is all it takes.
Seriously, I have told all my foster children that, although I am a Christian, I am not perfect and neither are they. I am responsible for my own actions and so are they. Anything has repercussions, whether drinking and driving or unprotected sex. Be prepared to pay the price, either way.

"These are choices that women shouldn't have to make. Birth control should be very affordable."

Cell phone bills, gym memberships...wow choices that didn't exist not too many hundreds of years ago. Oh, the stress of the "in" crowd. The last time I looked, condoms weren't all that expensive, and the actual concerns are more than what is listed in the above excerpt. Kids like to go out, buy clothes, booze, and party. The latter, especially, of what it means to be a college student. And that's where the sexual activity is most likely to occur.

Why don't these kids have health insurance, anyway? They should be getting their contraceptives from a doctor. This all should be in the health category of regular check ups and prescriptions, responsibility these students should have been taught in the first place. Someone has definitely dropped the ball here. And no, I really don't think it's unreasonable to expect a student to be responsible.

Sure let's cut funding to health programs that work, but continue to fund abstinence programs that do not. The $50-million available for state abstinence grants should be reallocated for sex education and birth control.

"Funding for the State Abstinence Education Program has remained at $50 million each year, including FY 2007."
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/abstinence/factsheet.htm

Hopefully that will be the case in FY 2008, and then we can sit back and hear the Christian right bitch about losing their government hand-out.

I understand that. But why does that make it my responsibility to pay for someone else's irresponsibility?

Because you live in a society, and you pay for other people's irresponsibility all the time. People have sex. You can pay for it by accepting terminations of unwanted pregnancies. Or you can pay for it with public healthcare and welfare for unwanted babies. Or you can pay for cheaper birth control and avoid all that.

Or you can bury your head in the sand, but that's the most expensive option of all.

Boy when I was in college in the 90's, they just had an open box of multi-colored condoms on the counter in the "Health Services" office on-campus that you could go and grab a handful, like taking the free candy at a doctor's office.

Damn these kids are pampered in the 21st century.

I would be interested in the actual cost that has "doubled" so it's all of a sudden very not "affordable".

"Sure let's cut funding to health programs that work, but continue to fund abstinence programs that do not."

Barney, I appreciate the link to the State Abstinence Education Program, but where are the stats to back up your above pronouncement.

Yes, we pay for people's irresponsibility all the time. And thanks to the liberals and the mindset they perpetuate and coddle, people are becoming more and more irresponsible. Hey, why shouldn't they? Liberals can't build the hammocks fast enough.

Liberalism destroys. Always has, always will. And people like Brian make it worse.

The rate of teenage and younger girls giving birth in U.S. hospitals dropped by a quarter between 1997 and 2004--from 55 to 41 admissions per 100,000 girls under age 18--according to the latest News and Numbers summmary from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Despite the decline, the United States continues to have the highest teen pregnancy and birth rates in the industrialized world.

"Barney, I appreciate the link to the State Abstinence Education Program, but where are the stats to back up your above pronouncement."

There are several. Here is one that evaluated several state programs.

"Summary of Results

Evaluation of these 11 programs showed few short-term benefits and no lasting, positive impact. A few programs showed mild success at improving attitudes and intentions to abstain. No program was able to demonstrate a positive impact on sexual behavior over time. A description follows of short- and long-term impacts, by indicator."

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/stateevaluations/index.htm

Abstinence education is helping. No matter what lies they try to tell you.

Yahooo for conservativism. It works. You libs should try it sometime. Success is actually addictive.

Thank you for the link Barney, but I also found this PDF file:

"Question:
Does abstinence education really work?
Answer: YES.
1. The increase in abstinence is the major cause of the declining birth rates, pregnancy rates and abortions among single teenage girls. This study is the most
extensive study done on birth and pregnancy rates of single and married teens 15-19 years old. The research showed that 67% of the decline in pregnancy is due to a reduction in the proportion of sexually active girls, not to the increased use of contraception. The decrease in births dropped 51% due to abstinence. (Adolescent and Family Health Journal, April, 2003)
2. From 1990-1997 there was a 21.4% decrease in the proportion of adolescent males who have had sex in the past three months, a 34.1% decline in those males having four or more partners, and a 19.6% decline in the males who have ever had sex. (“The Declines in Adolescent Pregnancy, Birth and Abortion Rates in the 1990’s: What Factors Are Responsible?”,
The Consortium of State Physicians Resource Councils, 1/7/99)
3. In 2001, 54% of US high school students reported never having had sexual intercourse, up from 46% in 1991."

You will find the research source under each answer.

"...because not having sex is, of course, simply not an option."

I really regret not going to the University of New Mexico. Sigh.

I've basically given up on this group, and Gen's X and Y. I don't recall us being such morons in college in the eighties.

Why would anyone care how much college kids are getting laid? Are you serious? I think their drinking leads to far greater problems.

Sounds like somebody has some sexual issues.

Barney & Brian have LEFT the building....

Bwahahahahahahahahahah...

Love it. ;-)

What society do you live in? I have absolutely no expectation that college kids w