We’ve been hearing a great deal about our state and national budget woes and mounting deficits. I think if we encouraged all of us to come up with some concrete solutions, we could save money and still provide necessary services for our citizens.
In my opinion, one way we could save taxpayer dollars is to stop government funding of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). I’m not sure everyone is aware that PPFA is a billion dollar industry which annually receives over $360 million from federal and state funds in the form of grants and contracts.
What is Planned Parenthood?
Some people may believe that Planned Parenthood is an organization that helps people learn more about reproduction and voluntarily decide how to regulate sexual activity. Planned Parenthood often makes appearances at public schools promoting itself as an organization (as it says on its own Web site) to “provide up-to-date, clear, medically accurate information that helps you better understand your sexual health.”
Yes, it does provide information on birth control and sexuality. But it also has an objective to achieve “a U.S. population of stable size in an optimum environment.” I wonder how many young people are given subtle and not so subtle suggestions that they should use birth control methods for “population control.” And what about the condoning of sexual activity with the “do it, but protect yourself” message.
We also wonder whether some of its services are indeed received voluntarily or whether people are being coerced. Most recently, Live Action documented Planned Parenthood workers in Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., who willingly helped “sex traffickers,” some of whom brought young girls to Planned Parenthood clinics.
Nation’s largest abortion provider
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider — and it’s big business!
According to Barbara Lyons, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, Planned Parenthood and its affiliates performed 324,008 abortions in 2008. The Guttmacher Institute indicates that PPFA accounts for 26.8 percent of all abortions in our country.
Some people may say, “Well, not all Planned Parenthood clinics provide abortions.” That will soon be wrong. Lyons said that by 2013, Planned Parenthood will mandate that all their clinics do abortions. “They’re steeped in abortion,” said Lyons. “It’s past time we defund them. We should not be supporting Planned Parenthood with our tax dollars.”
Efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
Efforts are already underway to defund Planned Parenthood. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 240 to 185 to pass an amendment sponsored by Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana that would totally defund Planned Parenthood‚ its national organization, and its 102 named affiliates. The Pence Amendment now moves to the U.S. Senate and then a potential conference committee between the two legislative houses.
Pro-Life Wisconsin has urged people to contact Wisconsin senators and tell them to vote for the Pence Amendment.
• Contact Senator Herb Kohl: 202-224-5653 or kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm
• Contact Senator Ron Johnson: 202-224-5323 or ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
On the state level, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) has received millions of state taxpayer dollars each year through family planning programs, a Medicaid waiver program, and pregnancy related grants. It operates three large abortion clinics in Wisconsin. Hopefully there will be several opportunities at the state level to prohibit taxpayer dollars from going to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
Our tax dollars could be better spent helping young people abstain from sexual activity and assisting pregnant women and families in choosing life. Please remain vigilant that pro-life programs will not be cut.