I know I am preaching to the choir, but
I have to get this off my chest.
Reading the comments sections of the various news sources (my first mistake) has driven my blood pressure up. I feel the need to reply to some of the more egregious posts made about the Planned Parenthood defunding.
1. We as taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for other women's abortions.
You aren't. You haven't since the Hyde Amendment in 1976. This bill defunds ALL of PP - their health care and family planning services. This bill is not an attack on abortion. This bill is an attack on people who need reduced-cost health care.
2. Why are we funding women's only health care? What about the MEEEEENZ?
PP provides reproductive health care and family planning to MEN as well. When men talk about having to "go to the clinic" that's what they are talking about. Just because many men do not take advantage of their services, does not mean that PP "discriminates" against men.
3. PP = Abortion and Abortion = evil so PP = EVIL.
97% of PP's services are NOT abortion services. In fact, most of the care they give is such that reduces the need for abortions. They are a health care provider. The end. I've gone to them for many things that had nothing to do with sex. I had my annual exams there for years. They took care of a few bladder infections for me. I know of one woman who went there for pneumonia when she couldn't afford to go to a GP.
4. This defunding is in line with the Republican promise to reduce spending.
Shrug. The government funded PP to the tune of $349.6 million in the 2008 fiscal year. Recent headlines remind us that taxpayers paid $32.8 million to advertise the armed services on NASCAR cars. In the grand scheme of reducing the budget, $350m is not only a drop in the bucket, but studies have shown that for every dollar spend on family planning, $4.00 is saved.
Every person treated at PP is one less person in the ER for common ailments. It's one less person going untreated and then showing up at an ER when it's very costly to treat them. It's countless children that won't be needing long-term support from the government because their parents can't afford them. It's catching cervical, testicular, and breast cancer early. It's providing prenatal care to ensure healthy children.
Saving $350 million now is terrible planning for the future.
Reading the comments sections of the various news sources (my first mistake) has driven my blood pressure up. I feel the need to reply to some of the more egregious posts made about the Planned Parenthood defunding.
1. We as taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for other women's abortions.
You aren't. You haven't since the Hyde Amendment in 1976. This bill defunds ALL of PP - their health care and family planning services. This bill is not an attack on abortion. This bill is an attack on people who need reduced-cost health care.
2. Why are we funding women's only health care? What about the MEEEEENZ?
PP provides reproductive health care and family planning to MEN as well. When men talk about having to "go to the clinic" that's what they are talking about. Just because many men do not take advantage of their services, does not mean that PP "discriminates" against men.
3. PP = Abortion and Abortion = evil so PP = EVIL.
97% of PP's services are NOT abortion services. In fact, most of the care they give is such that reduces the need for abortions. They are a health care provider. The end. I've gone to them for many things that had nothing to do with sex. I had my annual exams there for years. They took care of a few bladder infections for me. I know of one woman who went there for pneumonia when she couldn't afford to go to a GP.
4. This defunding is in line with the Republican promise to reduce spending.
Shrug. The government funded PP to the tune of $349.6 million in the 2008 fiscal year. Recent headlines remind us that taxpayers paid $32.8 million to advertise the armed services on NASCAR cars. In the grand scheme of reducing the budget, $350m is not only a drop in the bucket, but studies have shown that for every dollar spend on family planning, $4.00 is saved.
Every person treated at PP is one less person in the ER for common ailments. It's one less person going untreated and then showing up at an ER when it's very costly to treat them. It's countless children that won't be needing long-term support from the government because their parents can't afford them. It's catching cervical, testicular, and breast cancer early. It's providing prenatal care to ensure healthy children.
Saving $350 million now is terrible planning for the future.