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The O'Reilly Factor...
All content taken from The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Each weeknight by 6 PM EST a preview of that evening's show will be posted and then updated with additional information the following weekday by noon EST.
"The stakes are huge for Democrats in Wisconsin. Thousands of state workers are furious that Governor Scott Walker is asking for givebacks in their benefits; the Governor also wants to cripple labor unions from negotiating in that state. Workers have walked off the job and many schools are shut down. What is going on in Wisconsin could make or break the Democratic Party in America. With a $3.6 billion shortfall, Wisconsin is in trouble economically, so public workers will have to concede some benefits. Even with Governor Walker's giveback proposal, Wisconsin state workers are far better off than they would be doing the same jobs in the private sector. But the crucial matter for America is the labor union business - liberal Democrats need the unions to support them and President Obama can not be reelected without union money and votes. The Republican Party says the country is bankrupt because labor unions have secured so much for their workers and the economy is being strangled because of that. The fair thing to do in Wisconsin would be to have a referendum and let the folks vote on union power. Worker entitlements in Greece, Ireland and Spain have just about ruined those economies. The Democratic Party doesn't seem to understand that, but now most Americans do."
The Factor debated the Wisconsin situation with liberal Democratic Congressmen Charles Rangel and Luis Gutierrez. "We all need to share in the restructuring of the budget," Gutierrez said, "but it is a tax on workers when they have to give back health care benefits and wages. Who else is sharing the burden, which should belong to everyone? I say we should all share in the sacrifice." Rangel accused Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker of union-busting. "I truly believe that in Wisconsin there is a move to try to destroy the unions. To think that you are going to destroy the labor movement and use the budget deficit as an excuse is not going to happen." The Factor contended that public sector unions are losing in the court of public opinion: "The world is watching Wisconsin and, even though I am a union guy, I think most of the folks in America believe the union intrusion is harming the country's economy."
Could former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, despite vowing that he won't run, emerge as a Republican contender in 2012? The Factor posed that question to Dana Perino, a former aide to Jeb's big brother. "People say he couldn't win because his last name is 'Bush,'" Perino replied, "but I disagree because we're in different times and he has his own record to run on. I spoke with his dad, who would love to see Jeb run, and I know his brother wants him to run." Perino also opined on the protests by unionized state workers in Wisconsin. "The Democratic Party has waded hip-deep into a swamp that they won't be able to get out of. Would anybody want to locate a business in Wisconsin after all of this? President Obama nationalized the debate by calling this 'an assault' on unions."
Geraldo Rivera entered the No Spin Zone with his take on the assault of CBS News correspondent Lara Logan by scores of Egyptian men. "What happened to her in Cairo," Rivera began, "was symptomatic of a sickness in the Muslim world that I want to be very careful to define very precisely. There are many things that are very attractive in Muslim culture - compassion, hospitality, honor. But there is also almost a total disrespect of women, who are the victims of honor killings and who are forced into arranged marriages. They have few rights and this is holding back the Muslim world. So in that regard there is definitely a 'Muslim problem.'" The Factor concluded that "there is a Muslim problem with women and a Muslim problem with freedom."
The House of Representatives has voted to strip Planned Parenthood of its $360 million in taxpayer funding. The Factor scrutinized the organization with Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood manager who wrote a book about her experience. "I worked there for eight years," Johnson said, "and I left after seeing an ultrasound-guided abortion and watching a 13-week-old baby fight for its life." Johnson denounced Planned Parenthood as an amoral organization. "They have created this idea of 'tolerance,' and they want to tolerate all of these lifestyles for their clients. But they forget to protect their clients and they forget to protect minors who are being abused by pimps and older men. They forget to protect the women they say they are there to help."
The Factor welcomed Glenn Beck, who has recently emerged as the scourge of Internet giant Google. "There are two people who are instrumental in the revolution in Egypt," Beck reported, "and both of them were vice presidents of Google. And former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has said some spooky things over the years - he just joined a board that includes Van Jones and Drummond Pike of the Tides Foundation, which George Soros helps fund." Beck theorized that some Google executives have views that are downright radical. "You can look at Google's statements and see that they agree with George Soros on an 'open society' - not a transparent society, but an actual borderless world. Google is one of the most competent businesses out there, but I am wary of Google."
Greg Gutfeld and Arthel Neville wrapped up Friday's show by naming the stupidest people and happenings of the week gone by. Neville nominated Pepsi and its new and thinner soda can. "It's called the 'skinny can,'" Neville said, "and it is dumb according to organizations that deal with eating disorders. They're saying Pepsi is glamorizing that all things skinny are beautiful." Gutfeld went with the Finnish organization that is protesting McDonald's by staging a mock beheading of Ronald McDonald. "This is a country that eats reindeer," Gutfeld pointed out. "These are people that eat Rudolph and they're telling McDonald's what to do? McDonald's is the greatest food company in the history of the world, it feeds people more efficiently than any government." The Factor nominated Arianna Huffington, who suggested that a certain former dictator could join Fox News and host "The Mubarak Factor."
Randy Brubaker, Traer, IA: "CBS needs to be held responsible for sending a female reporter to a story in Cairo without adequate security."
Felicia Howell Kennedy, Winter Park, FL: "Can you imagine if a Muslim woman had been assaulted by a group of American thugs? The world would be on fire."
Julie Villumsen, Wantagh, NY: "I can't watch Garofalo. Her anti-American rants disgusted me too much."
Friday's Patriot or Pinhead: The Iowa high school wrestler who refuses to wrestle a girl, saying it would compromise his religious values. Is the young man patriotic or pinheaded for grappling with his conscience? You can decide by voting here on BillOReilly.com. Thursday's P or P focused on actor Matthew Perry, who described Bill as "egomaniacal." It wasn't quite unanimous, but 93% of you called the un-Friend-ly actor pinheaded.