Bill O'Reilly: Three big things government owes Americans

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What we the people are entitled to receive from our gov't

'The O'Reilly Factor': Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points 3/9

There is great confusion all over the land about rights and what the government really owes us. Essentially, there are three major expectations that the government should meet under the constitutional banner of pursuit of happiness.

Number one, security. We are entitled to have an effective defense against people who would kill us. But today, our security is wobbling because of hackers and leakers, and the federal government does not seem to be able to stop the espionage.

While many Americans don't pay attention, this issue, that we cannot guard our defense secrets or even protect the president of the United States when he talks to a foreign leader, is something that America has never seen before.

Simply put the high-tech world is creating threats to our security that are almost out of control.

This is, perhaps, the most important issue the federal government faces right now. But close to that is health care.

Americans are entitled to an affordable medical system that can alleviate their suffering. All of us are going to get sick, and we will need help. But right now, that help is confusing, to say the least.

It is pointless for “The Factor” or anyone else to debate ObamaCare and what might replace it until a new specific proposal is put forth. When details are decided and the bill is ready to be considered, we'll be all over it.

The guiding principles of health care should be that it is financially reasonable, affordable, but you have direct access to the doctors you want, and that you are not bogged down in a chaotic system of red tape and delays. So Congress has a lot of work to do, to put a fair health care system in place.

Finally, all American adults should have fair access to the free marketplace. By that I mean, you can't be denied a job because of your color, your race, or anything else.

Also, the government needs to put sensible guidelines in place that protect workers from exploitation. With many unions now politically corrupted, the feds and the states have much more responsibility to working Americans.

That's it. That is what we are owed.

The Bernie Sanders philosophy that everybody should be guaranteed a job and a set wage and shepherded through life is not what America is all about.

We compete here but in some cases, some Americans are not treated fairly in the marketplace. Best example, best example, children from families who don't really care about them. These kids are often thrown into awful schools and wash out early without much of an education. They have little chance to succeed economically in this country.

For far too long, Americans looked away from that reality. Every American child deserves a quality education, and right now, the system is not providing that for millions of kids. That must change.

Adapted from Bill O'Reilly's March 9 "Talking Points Memo".