On The O'Reilly Factor...

• Talking Points Memo & Top Story
  What do affluent Americans owe the country?
• At Your Beck and Call Segment
  Glenn Beck on Breitbart and more
• Impact Segment
  Massachusetts changes marijuana regulations
• From the Gut Segment
  Greg Gutfeld on the news
• Culture Warriors Segment
  New York issues dumb playground rules
• Back of Book Segment
  Great American News Quiz
• Factor Mail
  Viewers sound off
• Pinheads and Patriots
  You decide who's who!
  
  

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.

"On this Holy Thursday, it is fitting that President Obama continues his campaign to urge Americans to give to the poor. The problem is that the President is not asking for voluntary charity; he wants to mandate it through higher taxes on the wealthy. Talking Points does not believe that cutting federal spending is breaking the backs of the poor. Quite the contrary, if the President continues racking up debt, all of our backs will be broken because the American economy will collapse. There is merit in Mr. Obama's theme that a just society should help the downtrodden, but many 'social justice' programs don't work. Americans are the most generous people in the world, and studies show that conservative Americans give more to charity than liberals. So it's unfair for the President to label Republicans and conservatives as uncaring, and the President should get off that. What needs to be done now is massive budget cutting while instituting smart programs. Smart policy, not lavish spending, is the key to America's future success."

The Factor asked conservative radio talk show host what she and other wealthy Americans owe to the less fortunate. "My Christian views," Ingraham answered, "compel me to contribute. But that's very different than the government telling us that we must give a portion of our income for programs that don't work and haven't worked." Ingraham argued that a vibrant economy is the best way to help the poor. "An America in decline is going to be really bad, especially for poor people. America becoming more prosperous is an America that gives people across the board a shot at wealth and a better life for their children. Your staff puts in more time putting out The O'Reilly Factor than this President spends focusing on how to grow this country, how to make sure we're out of debt, and how to get this country going again. I don't see a sense of urgency to fix a country that is going down the tubes if we don't stop it." The Factor agreed that "there is certainly no urgency from the President about cutting the national debt."

Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart, a favorite target of the left, was harangued and implicitly called a racist by an interviewer on MSNBC. Glenn Beck entered the No Spin Zone and complimented Breitbart's vigorous self-defense. "Breitbart is absolutely fearless," Beck said. "He's a little like you, he walks right into the lion's den. How long can MSNBC stay in business doing what they're doing?" Turning to the economy, Beck issued a stinging indictment of policy makers, particularly the Federal Reserve. "Ben Bernanke is a brilliant guy, but all of this is not working. In the last eight years your dollar has lost 20% in value, and as they devalue our dollar, the price of oil goes up. This isn't working for the American people and everyone around the world says we're insane for what we're doing."

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that police officers can not search a car simply because they smell marijuana. The Factor dissected the decision with attorneys Geoffrey Nathan and Wendy Murphy. "Massachusetts voters chose to decriminalize the possession of a small amount of marijuana," Murphy reported, "and the argument is that if it's not a crime, you have to leave people alone, even if they are in their car. But cops should be able to take action." Nathan defended the court's ruling as perfectly reasonable. "This case pertained to the rights of a passenger who was ordered out of a stopped motor vehicle. It's an individual's right to decide what they want to do. I'm worried about the police intrusion on my civil liberties." The Factor fired back with both barrels: "I can't believe that you're comfortable having people driving on the Massachusetts Turnpike stoned! You think that's great? What's your right when you get whacked by that guy and you're dead?"

The Factor introduced a new feature called "From the Gut" with FNC's resident humorist Greg Gutfeld. This was Greg's gut reaction to Nancy Pelosi's assertion that elections shouldn't matter as much as they do: "She's saying that two parties are one too many. She wants an ideology as rigid as her face." Gutfeld on Charles Manson, who expressed his concern about global warming: "This is how smart Manson is - he knows that to get to the heart of an editor, talk about 'climate change.' Yeah, he may be a mass murderer, but he cares about the trees." And Gutfeld's take on the British retailer that is marketing environmentally-friendly bras: "For every bra that is made, a tree is planted. Carbon-neutral underwear! I actually own some!"

Culture Warriors Gretchen Carlson and Margaret Hoover analyzed the New York State proposal to regulate kickball, tag, waffle ball and other kids' games. "This says that any activity with a 'significant risk of injury,'" Carlson reported, "would have to have medical staff on hand and a $200 registration fee. Do you wonder why American children have an obesity problem?" Hoover denounced bureaucrats whose first instinct is to regulate anything that moves. "This is an overreach by the left. They want to regulate what you're eating and deal with the obesity problem, but then at the same time you're not allowed to exercise." The Factor pointed out that the rules may never go into effect: "The state has backed away from this because there was a public outcry. If you can't play kickball and tag, that's insane!"

Steve Doocy took on Fox Business anchor Dagen McDowell in the Great American News Quiz. Among the questions: "Charles Krauthammer has compared Donald Trump to which left-wing figure?" ... "Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. blamed what for killing American jobs?" ... "Where will the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton actually take place?" McDowell, in her debut performance, defied the Las Vegas odds makers and squeaked out a one-point victory over the savvy and seasoned Doocy.

Alex Hyman, New York, NY: "Bill, why are you propping up the potential Trump candidacy?"

Adrienne Dunn, New Orleans, LA: "Bill, why don't you give Donald Trump a break? You are constantly snickering at every idea he has."

Michael Turbeville, La Serena, Chile: "If Trump is really serious he needs to get off the birth certificate and stop boasting. Being president is no reality show."

Phil Coupal, Centennial, CO: "If air controllers continue falling asleep in DC, they'll have to change the name of the airport from Washington Reagan to Washington Biden."

Thursday's Patriot or Pinhead: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, whose character on "Glee" warned against anonymous insults on the Internet. Was the not-so-gleeful warning patriotic or pinheaded? Cast your vote here on BillOReilly.com. Wednesday's P or P asked about Jill Biden, who ribbed her husband about falling asleep during a recent speech by President Obama. 76% of you called Mrs. Biden pinheaded for taking a good-natured shot at her man.