The GOP wants to paint itself as fiscally conservative. In the face of all evidence to the contrary (i.e. George W. Bush skyrocketing the size of government and the unpaid tax cuts bearing his name being championed by his party), they want to pretend they're the "grownups" on budgetary matters. Yes, conservatives are prudent and sound when it comes to spending.
And jobs? They're mono-minded and singularly focused... according to their tweets.
Then naturally this means the majority of their time in session is spent on - abortion. Yes, they want to make abortion illegal, but they stand a better chance of just making it prohibitively expensive. And when anything is intentionally made to be too expensive to access - it makes being poor punitive.
The 112th Congress, at least the House, has used its fiscally conservative "mandate" to stick it to the marginalized. How focused are they on jobs? They've introduced a total of 18 bills so far, according to a simple Library of Congress search, dealing with abortion.
Eighteen bills just to make sure people who can't afford children are also unable to afford family planning.
And yes, defunding Planned Parenthood specifically is a goal. Planned Parenthood was recently the target of Live Action, a group claiming they're against sex trafficking, so they set up a sting of a health care provider. Which is like being against kidnapping so you aim to discredit van sellers. Their real goal is to "ACORN" the health centers so they will no longer provide health care to those in need.
The smear campaign has bordered on the ridiculous. One published letter to the editor in the Ventura County (Calif.) Star claimed, "Planned Parenthood makes billions of dollars every year on abortions... and pays absolutely no taxes." They can either profit from being a low-cost clinic or be a nonprofit. Not both. It's also been oft repeated by detractors, Planned Parenthood is given a whopping $362 million a year by the government.
Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit organization. Its IRS forms are available online. In 2008 its entire operating budget was $105 million - $30 million from grants.
Its finances are impressive; overhead low, services high. It operates hundreds of health centers around the country providing millions of Americans with cancer screenings, HIV testing and other health services. And yes, in some cases, abortions. Abortion is still legal. Why? Because the Supreme Court ruled there's a right to privacy in the Constitution (you know that document the GOP talks about almost as much as they do jobs). Roe v. Wade means someone else's abortion is none of your business... unless you're the 112th Congress and then it's the only thing you present to committees.
What Planned Parenthood really does is keep poor people out of emergency rooms. The clinics treat people with or without insurance for ranges of health issues. Yes, low-cost community clinics save taxpayers' money. Lots.
"Funding family planning saves the government over $3 for every $1 spent on health care and welfare programs," Gloria Feldt, author and former President of Planned Parenthood wrote me. "So eliminating family planning programs is the least conservative, most fiscally irresponsible thing they could do."
But why can't we have clinics to save money but don't offer abortions?
Clean, safe and legal abortions, thanks to the Hyde Amendment, cost taxpayers nothing. Botched illegal ones, however, are pricey.
So cutting funding to Planned Parenthood, as H.R. 217, the "Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act" wants to do, will end up costing more money than it cuts from the budget. Title X Family Planning already specifies its $317 million in funds can't be used if the birth control is abortion. The money is currently going to low-income patient's cancer screenings, STD treatment and birth control. H.R. 217 wants to cut funds to any facility providing an abortion anywhere on the premises. Which means Planned Parenthood would lose some of its funding. Other clinics and their communities would lose much more.
If something moves out of the light, it by definition has to go into the shadows and in the case of clinic care - to the E.R.
Which raises the question: does being a fiscal conservative still mean being conservative fiscally? If it does, then those who claim the title should be happy with the cost efficiency of Planned Parenthood. They should support the organization absolutely. That's if they really mean what they say.
Tina Dupuy is a columnist and fill-in host at The Young Turks. Shecan be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com.
quietgardens posted at 6:24 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
Why do I have to pay for other people's medical services? Especially if I believe abortion goes against my personal beliefs? And who do you think pays for all those "free" clinics? All of us do.
So now I have to pay for my own healthcare, and medication so I can breathe everyday for 275 dollars a month, my insurance that hardly covers anything, and now Mary's abortion that she should foot the bill herself?
Why not have her deliver the child and give him/her to someone who can't bear children? Why not they pay the bill and be a big boy or girl and take care of their own business, especially if they got themselves into this situation voluntarily? Hmm?
Leon Ceniceros posted at 6:36 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
I went to the Planned Parenthood website and found that the article "misstated" (that's what the Democrats/Liberals/Progressives call it when they tell a "falsehood" since it is politically incorrect to call it the "L" word any more). The 2008-2009 Planned Parenthood Organization Budget was a little over $1 Billion (with a "B") and US tax-payer funds were "Government Grants and Programs, $363.2 Million. The greatest part of their income is generated from "Health Center Income, $405 Million" and the rest comes from "Private Contributions, $209 Million". Abortions do generate funds that go into the "Health Center Income".
wdgnas posted at 8:37 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
quietgardens: the reason you are asked to pay for other people's medical services is the same reason i am asked to pay for bombs and bullets to fight two wars that goes against my personal beliefs. maybe when the government gets out of the protection business...
Dale Whiting posted at 9:01 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
wdgnas,
Interesting thought! You opine "maybe when the government gets out of the protection business." I agree.
This mess all started when the government first got into the protection of women seeking abortions from back room practitioners before medically safe proceedures were developed. Then when the practice was made safe and people left the US for abortions, Jane Doe Roe suid Wade to overturn those outdated laws and won.
Let's get government out of the business of making us safe and let us make our own decisions on what is and what is not safe. The freedom to chose is a sacred right, one where compulsion is Santanic!
Cerulean posted at 10:53 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
quietgardens,
The government grant of $363. million to Planned Parenthood does not necessarily fund abortions. Planned Parenthood provides many woman's health services including contraceptive plans.
Why do I have to pay for religious schools? In 2009 religious organizations received more than 100 billion dollars (one billion is one thousand times more than one million) in tax exempt contributions.
Here in Arizona religious schools are funded, in part, through STO's a tax 'gift' that is taken out of the general fund. With all the money going to religious organizations, why do I have to pay for religious schools?
[sad]
Accuracy posted at 11:14 am on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
Tina Dupuy is saying that Pro-Life Republicans should support the Planned Parenthood Organization just as Pro-Abortion groups do.
A number of pro-life organizations including the Pro-Life Women's Caucus are asking the public to call, e-mail or write their lawmakers in Congress to cut off federal funds to Planned Parenthood.
Yes, there is a massive move in the Republican-controlled House to cut off Planned Parenthood's millions of dollars in government grants and contracts. And Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-N.Y. says it loud and clear; "We are now going to cut an agency that exploits women both born and unborn," Buerkle said. "This is an opportunity for us to stand up for what's right."
chick posted at 1:27 pm on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
Tina Dupey
Have any comment on the "Butcher of Pennsylvania"?
Unsanitary conditions, murder of viable babies, women dead from infections or sick, baby body parts all over in the building?
Care to comment?
Why should anyone support THAT?
EmperorSmith posted at 2:32 pm on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
I agree with wdgnas comment. I was thinking it before I read it. Then I came across Dale's. I found last paragraph enlightening, so does that include mags greater than 10 rounds? After all who should say how we are safe.
azmesa posted at 11:06 pm on Thu, Feb 17, 2011.
""Funding family planning saves the government over $3 for every $1 spent on health care and welfare programs," "'
That may be true. But let's take it to extremes, if we killed all the people on ACCCHS think where we would be in savings. Oh wait, if you killed all children we wouldn't be burdened by this Education issue. Hey, I got an idea, that Jewish race seems to cause a lot of problems so..... HOW DID HITLER START? What a silly argument. WHO PAYS FOR THE $1 in the FIRST PLACE? It is the taxpayer, but we have LESS of them because we allow this murder in the first place. Sure, perhaps RINOs will support PP, but true conservatives don't.
Accuracy posted at 1:26 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 - A Philadelphia judge ordered an immediate trial of Dr. Gosnell's abortion clinic. Dr. Gosnell and eight workers from his clinic, including his wife, now face eight counts of murder.
Brutal practices at the clinic made a preliminary hearing unnecessary. According the the grand jury report, Gosnell's clinic contained refrigerators stuffed full of aborted fetuses. Authorities said it is likely that Gosnell killed more babies but destroyed most of the clinics records.
Many pro-life organizations believe the same types of abuses are happening in other facilities across America.
Dale Whiting posted at 1:51 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
Smitty,
It appears that you are having a problem with line drawing. So I shall step in and help you. Got you chalk out?
When the government draws a line to prohibit abortion for the safety of the woman due to a profound lack of safe proceedures, we see a situation where despirate women made to choose between having a child and risking their own life, choose to risk their own life. But then when the risks is gone and the government does not erase that line, leaving the line in place, someone has to step forward to erase that line.
When you and Slabside can find a way to make 33 round magazines as safe as 10 round ones, please let me know. But remember, it was not until Jared fired all 33 rounds that someone could step in and prevent him from reloading. How many of the six he killed were shot to death with rounds 11 through 33? Let's draw the line at 10!!!!!!!!
Does this line drawing help you see reality?
Cerulean posted at 2:11 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
azmesa,
I say we should tax religious organizations first. We get to start with 100 billion dollars and 0 unwanted births.
Also, I would like to hear a cogent definition of your version of a "true conservative".
EmperorSmith posted at 2:23 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
Buy some body armor Dale. Ever hear of multiple mags, in a belt holster? Anyone that as ever consider situations like that would know it takes 30 seconds to change a mag. Also I might be wrong but is the stock glock mag 15.
I spoke my mind not what wiki says (did not look it up you do).
EmperorSmith posted at 3:17 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
Actually the woman lake of safety procedures makes the need for large mags necessary it you think about it.
Accuracy posted at 6:52 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
The House of Representatives approved a Republican proposal on Friday to strip federal aid from abortion provider Planned Parenthood.
The Planned Parenthood defunding amendment, sponsored by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), was a heated debate Thursday night and the 240-185 vote was a victory for pro-life forces on Friday. He said taxpayer money should not go to groups that provide or promote abortion.
The proposal will prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding until the center stops performing abortions. It's outrageous that Planned Parenthood gets a third of its budget in taxpayer funds - your tax money should not go into the bank account of the nation's largest abortion provider.
The proposal is part of a measure that seeks to cut government spending this year. It now will go to the U.S. Senate.
Cerulean posted at 7:35 pm on Fri, Feb 18, 2011.
This bill will die in the Senate and good riddance.
EmperorSmith posted at 5:46 pm on Sat, Feb 19, 2011.
Side note can I have the columnist number?