WSJ: “Abortion foes open new front”
The Wall Street Journal today (complete article on page 2 for WSJ nonsubscribers who have trouble accessing it) covers pro-lifers’ attempt to shut off the Planned Parenthood spigot. (Don’t know the context of the photo WSJ included of pro-life Latin actor Eduardo Verastegui (of Bella fame) talking to a reporter in front of an unidentified PP, but hey, we’ll take it.)…
Abortion opponents are pressing state and local governments to stop sending taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood, arguing that the nonprofit group has plenty of cash and shouldn’t be granted scarce public funds at a time of economic crisis….
PP receives about $335 million a year – a third of its budget – from government grants and contracts to subsidize contraception, sex education and non-abortion-related health care for poor women and teenagers.
The group is also the nation’s largest abortion provider, and critics have long argued that the public funds indirectly subsidize abortions by keeping hundreds of PP clinics afloat.
But the new lobbying effort, backed by conservative Christian groups such as the Family Research Council, focuses more on economic than moral concerns. The campaign paints PP as a wealthy organization that doesn’t need taxpayer help. PP reported record revenue and a $115 million budget surplus last year, and it is building a network of elegant health centers to attract middle-class clients.
Cry me a river…
Past reductions in government funding have forced local chapters to close clinics, raise fees and cut back on subsidized contraception, which PP’s president, Cecile Richards, described as “a lifeline for millions of people.”…
Regional executives of PP say the campaign misleads legislators about the state of the nonprofit’s finances. The chapter in Sarasota, for instance, is wrapping up a $12 million fund-raising drive to build a new flagship building and three clinics.
“Our audits look pretty fat and they’ve used that against us,” said Barbara Zdravecky, chief executive of the chapter…. But operating revenue is down, Ms. Zdravecky said, and the chapter is running at a deficit.
Successes seen…
In recent weeks, PP chapters have lost public funds in 2 states as elected officials juggled tight budgets.
Fulton County, GA, which includes Atlanta, canceled a $420,000 contract as part of statewide cuts in health care.
Sarasota County, FL, ended years of subsidizing PP’s sex-education programs with annual grants of as much as $30,000….
Family Research Council… has been courting elected officials who they think would be receptive in states including IN, OH, VA and KY.
WSJ has added a related blog post on pro-life undercover stings of PP. Great quote:
PP denounces such tactics, saying the activists’ “propaganda videos” are spliced and edited to include “falsehoods and distortions.” The nonprofit added: “Posing as fake patients and making secret recordings inside medical facilities are activities that should be widely condemned.”
Of course the videos aren’t falsified. PP’s defenses are pathetic, clearly grasping at straws.
Wall Street Journal
December 10, 2008
Abortion foes open a new front
By Stephanie Simon
Abortion opponents are pressing state and local governments to stop sending taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood, arguing that the nonprofit group has plenty of cash and shouldn’t be granted scarce public funds at a time of economic crisis.
Planned Parenthood receives about $335 million a year — a third of its budget — from government grants and contracts to subsidize contraception, sex education and non-abortion-related health care for poor women and teenagers.
The group is also the nation’s largest abortion provider, and critics have long argued that the public funds indirectly subsidize abortions by keeping hundreds of Planned Parenthood clinics afloat.
But the new lobbying effort, backed by conservative Christian groups such as the Family Research Council, focuses more on economic than moral concerns. The campaign paints Planned Parenthood as a wealthy organization that doesn’t need taxpayer help. Planned Parenthood reported record revenue and a $115 million budget surplus last year, and it is building a network of elegant health centers to attract middle-class clients.
“The money needs to go to local organizations that actually need it and don’t have the backing of a multimillion-dollar organization,” says Scott Tibbs, an antiabortion activist in Bloomington, Ind.
Planned Parenthood responds that its health-care services fill a critical need, especially now, when so many people are losing their jobs — and their health insurance.
A new effort by abortion opponents to pressure Planned Parenthood relies on lobbying based on economic concerns, rather than demonstrations.
Past reductions in government funding have forced local chapters to close clinics, raise fees and cut back on subsidized contraception, which Planned Parenthood’s president, Cecile Richards, described as “a lifeline for millions of people.”
In recent weeks, Planned Parenthood chapters have lost public funds in two states as elected officials juggled tight budgets.
Fulton County, Ga., which includes Atlanta, canceled a $420,000 contract as part of statewide cuts in health care.
Sarasota County, Fla., ended years of subsidizing Planned Parenthood’s sex-education programs with annual grants of as much as $30,000.
“It had nothing to do with Planned Parenthood’s mission,” said Paul Mercier, who recently retired as a county commissioner. “It had everything to do with them not needing the funding.”
The Family Research Council is developing a kit to help grass-roots activists dig through financial reports so they can make detailed presentations to elected officials about the assets and revenue of local Planned Parenthood chapters. The council has sent letters to 1,200 state legislators describing Planned Parenthood’s strong financial position and urging “a second look” at public funding.
With a Democratic president soon to take office, “we’re very limited as to what we can do” on a federal level, said Thomas McClusky, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council. “But on the local level, there are a lot of victories to be had.” The group has been courting elected officials who they think would be receptive in states including Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky.
Regional executives of Planned Parenthood say the campaign misleads legislators about the state of the nonprofit’s finances. The chapter in Sarasota, for instance, is wrapping up a $12 million fund-raising drive to build a new flagship building and three clinics.
“Our audits look pretty fat and they’ve used that against us,” said Barbara Zdravecky, chief executive of the chapter, which covers southwest and central Florida. But operating revenue is down, Ms. Zdravecky said, and the chapter is running at a deficit.
She and others argue that cutting Planned Parenthood funding is short-sighted and will cost taxpayers more in the long run if low-income women can’t get services such as birth control or cancer screenings.
That argument has succeeded in some places. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who has said he opposes abortion but doesn’t want to ban it, has vowed to hold firm against cutting Planned Parenthood’s funds
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Don’t you love that they call us “abortion foes” like we’re some sort of nefarious comic book characters.
I think we should start refering to the PP people as Fetus Foes.
Foetus foes.
Good one.
“Past reductions in government funding have forced local chapters to close clinics… and cut back on subsidized contraception”
That’s the idea…
I’m thinking that photo could be from when Eduardo made an appearance at a clinic in L.A. during the 40 days for Life campaign.
“Fetus foes” reminds me of the label one allegedly prolife poster has put on me: “Pro-Fetus”. I don’t mind it too much, except that I wonder why she didn’t say “Pro-Baby” if she is really prolife?
Posted by: lauren at December 10, 2008 11:15 AM
Actually I’m surprised that they are using the term – normally it’s anti-choice etc.
The pro-abortion advocates have a movement to alter word usage, using positive words and distance themselves from the negative – they’ve identified “abortion” as being negative.
Newspeak here we come:
Death is life.
Freedom is choice.
Pro-life is death of freedom.
After a while it gets pathetic:
http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerkimball/2008/12/08/some-things-you-cant-say/
Because Eduardo is one hot papi.
It is illogical and counter productive to employ an organization to solve a problem that benefits financially when their proposed solutions fail.
If these folks repaired a/c systems, how many times would you call them back if they never solved the problem and blamed you for their repeated failures?
What if their attempted solutions made the problem worse and cost you even more money?
If you would have just given them enough of your money, they would have solved the problem.
Silly you.
This is not rocket science. You do not need an MBA to figure it out.
This is all about politics and power and logic does not enter into the equation.
yor bro ken
Did Cecile really say “a lifeline for millions of people”. The irony, how many deaths do they cause each year? The real lifeline would be to shut them down and stop killing our babies!!!
Because Eduardo is one hot papi.
Posted by: carder at December 10, 2008 2:08 PM
LOL, right on.
“New front?” Anti-choicers have been trying to get Planned Parenthood’s public funding cut for YEARS. Where has the WSJ been?
I doubt the “economic” argument will gain much traction. It’s well known that every $1 spent on subsidized contraception saves taxpayers more than $4. Why do anti-choicers want to waste more taxpayer money?
kbhvac
It is illogical and counter productive to employ an organization to solve a problem that benefits financially when their proposed solutions fail.
LOL! So companies that sell air conditioners shouldn’t be trusted to repair air conditioners as well? Car dealerships can’t be trusted to repair cars? Sears sells appliances so they can’t be trusted to also repair them?
Or does this only apply to doctors? So OB/GYNs can’t be trusted to provide birth control because they profit when it fails? Heart doctors can’t be trusted to prescribe anti-cholesterol drugs because they profit from open heart surgeries when it fails? Dentists can’t be trusted to do fillings because they profit when your teeth need new fillings?
Golly, you folks come up with the craziest ideas. 90% of Planned Parenthood’s patients don’t have abortions, most of their clinics don’t even do abortions, and anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that birth control prevents abortion, but you people keep on spewing nonsense.
you guys see this reaction in Slate?
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/humannature/archive/2008/12/11/the-pro-life-case-for-planned-parenthood.aspx
Quote:
Defunding Planned Parenthood is hardly a new idea. What’s new is the fiscal-responsibility angle. And from a pure cost-cutting perspective, you can make the case that Planned Parenthood brings in plenty of private funding and doesn’t need public money. I think the pure cost-cutting perspective is a mistake, given the enormous social and economic benefits of preventing unintended pregnancies. But you can make that case, if you really believe in fiscal austerity.
What’s insane, however, is the real motivation behind this push. The Family Research Council doesn’t really care about economics. That’s why, as you might have noticed, it’s called the Family Research Council. The campaign to defund Planned Parenthood is really about abortions. FRC would like to see fewer of them. So would I. And that’s the crux of the idiocy: The single best thing you can spend money on to reduce the number of abortions, not just in this country but around the world, is Planned Parenthood.
I’ll say that again: If you define pro-life as preventing abortions, Planned Parenthood is the most effective pro-life organization in the history of the world. No, it doesn’t give teenagers the idea of having sex. That idea comes to them quite naturally, thank you very much. What Planned Parenthood does, more comprehensively than anyone else, is to distribute the means and knowledge to control your risk of getting pregnant when you don’t want to be pregnant. And those two things, combined with pressure to exercise that control assiduously, are the surest way to prevent abortions. If you wait till women are already unhappily pregnant, you’re too late.
If you think Planned Parenthood is sufficiently funded, fine. Write your check or award your grant to some other, smaller organization that does similar work. But don’t imagine that defunding birth control will buy you fewer abortions. It will buy you more.
Hal, that Slate article is some upside down logic, for sure. LOL
I’ll say that again: If you define pro-life as preventing abortions, Planned Parenthood is the most effective pro-life organization in the history of the world.
************************************
*laughing*
Well, that’s only if you are trying to redefine “pro-life.” Seems like pro-choicers lately want to say, “Hey, we’re pro-LIFE, because we want to PREVENT abortions!” They just leave out the part where lives are actually EXTINGUISHED when ‘oopsies’ occur.
And anyone who thinks that birth control is pro-life (as in promoting and encouraging life) needs to rethink that.
Planned Parenthood does all it can to DIScourage life (because that, after all, is the point of birth control, yes?). But they’re not just in the business of PREVENTING conception, they’re in the business of ending human life POST-conception.
I’d like to know, where’s the personal responsibility of the WOMAN (and her partner) in all of this? Seems like they’re insinuating that it’s PP’s (and the government’s) responsibility to make sure there are no unhappy pregnant women?? Right.
The photo was taken here in Sacramento when Bella star, Eduardo Verastegui, visited our “40 Days for Life” prayer vigil this past October. The building in the background is Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in our area and of course, across the nation. What a surprise to see this photo in the Wall Street Journal! We will once again participate in the upcoming Lenten, spring “40 Days”. See details at http://www.40daysforlife.com as we bring a peaceful, prayerful, presence and the compassion of Christ right to the sidewalk in front of these killing centers within our communities. Over a thousand babies’ lives have been saved across the nation since “40 Days” started in the fall of 2007, while also sparing women from the life-long pain of this “choice”. Please join us and cities around the world as we pray and fast for an end to abortion and a conversion of our nation!
“fetus foes”…or fetusphobes?
Gotta love Eduardo. The world would definitely be a better place with more men like him around.
But don’t imagine that defunding birth control will buy you fewer abortions. It will buy you more.
Posted by: Hal at December 11, 2008 1:51 PM
so since my original question was deleted I will rephrase: if you used BC hal, how did this prevent you from having two abortions?
Thank you for rephrasing your question Patricia.
well as my 11 year old said: “I guess you can’t tell the truth on that blog.” And I would agree with her on this one. I think the prolife movement has spent too much time pussyfooting around and not calling things what they really are in an attempt to win over people. It never works and it hasn’t worked in the past. People need to acknowledge what they have done – in this case they have killed two of their own children.
Sorry Carla but that is the say I feel.
I’m clueless as to what was deleted, but perhaps you can contact me through myspace, as I am curious but may have some idea.
are you laura loo?
I don’t think that it serves any purpose to continually berate Hal about the 2 abortions. That is the way I feel.
I think my question is a valid one since his statement implies that if only people had access to more contraception they would not abort.
However, people abort BECAUSE they have access to contraception and it fails. In addition, a contraceptive lifestyle breeds (pardon the pun) a mindset that is not open to children.
You can defend Hal all you want Carla, but I will not. I cannot defend a person, in this case a married couple who deliberately together chose abortion.
I appreciate the question that you rephrased.
I am defending everyone here who has something to say. They should be able to not have inflammatory comments written about them. You have written quite a few in regards to Hal. Killing his 2 children etc. Again I ask what purpose does it serve? Does it speak the truth in love? Does it engage Hal in conversation?
What is your intent?
the intent is to remind Hal that he killed two of his children – that he and his wife chose this for themselves and that they have absolutely NO compunction whatsoever.
The comment was not inflammatory it was the truth. Two children died in those abortions. Two children were murdered. Two children where killed.
What would you call it Carla?
How many times does it need to written by you, Patricia? How many times can Hal be “reminded” by you? It may well be the truth but you do it only to provoke Hal and that is what I am taking issue with.
Enough already.
that’s fine by me Carla. However, I would submit that Hal does not wish to be engaged and that the “loving” approach does not work for his type of person.
I don’t want nor expect my question to be answered and will not be returning.
You have a blessed evening.
Patricia, I hope you will be returning. I greatly respect your thoughts and views here. They’ve caused me, over time, to rethink some of my own views, and that’s been incredibly valuable to me. Thank you for that.
I have to say that I cringe, however, anytime I see that someone’s past is repeatedly thrown in his/her face. Did Hal and his wife have two abortions? Yes. It is the truth…but it seems that there are ways that the topic is often brought up which are not in compassion and not in correction or as a plea for him to see his own error, but in spite. That may not be the case at all, but sometimes that is how it is *read* by me, and it’s hard to read someone’s tone when they’re posting online.
I don’t want to defend Hal. Frankly, I can’t even defend myself–none of us can defend the wrongs we have done, which is why we need forgiveness. I pray that Hal and his wife will one day repent of their decisions, but it isn’t up to me to be Hal’s accuser. He already has one of those; the same accuser who seeks each of our souls.
Anyway, as I said, I hope you will continue to post. God bless you, Patricia.
Yes, I hope Patricia returns. I understand how frustrating it is sometimes to feel like you’re getting nowhere.
Hal killed two innocent human beings and is proud to announce such actions to this board.
Since Hal is proud of killing the results of his desires. Patricia shouldn’t be “reminded” by anyone to not remind Hal of his pride for abortion.
Now, if Hal is not proud of his actions which resulted in the death of two human beings, then Hal is being a liar to himself.
In fact, Hal should have a bumper sticker which states; I killed two from my pride, and more if I decide too.
Or, My wife enjoyed killing two. How about you?
Abortion pride, say it loud, say it often.
Again, the pro abort has more worth at this site once again. You go Patricia. Leave this site and see if Stanek recruits you to come back as she did Asitis.
Atitis come back, you can blame it all on me.
It is the truth…but it seems that there are ways that the topic is often brought up which are not in compassion and not in correction or as a plea for him to see his own error,
Posted by Kel.
He made no error. He needs no compassion from your attempts to evangelize what is not in need of compassion, or error.
You pro lifers always eat yourself up, while there is never a disagreement amongst those you assume need your compassion or correct some error, which is not a error.
“You pro lifers…”
Posted by: yllas at December 12, 2008 7:53 AM
****************************************
Well, there it is again. “YOU” pro-lifers.
I don’t think I have anything to add to this discussion. Except, perhaps, a bit of surprise that you are so outraged by someone who does not regret abortions. There are millions of us. I’m just the only one here. (and Erin)
Yllas, you are an absolute lunatic.
Well, there it is again. “YOU” pro-lifers.
Posted by: Kel at December 12, 2008 9:54 AM
***
More than one person has thought that Yllas is really pro-choice and just acts stupid to try and make pro-lifers look bad.
I have to say that I cringe,however, anytime I see that someone’s past is repeatedly thrown inhis/her face. Did Hal and his wife have two abortions? Yes. It is the truth…but it seems that there are ways that the topic is often brought up which are not in compassion and not in correction or as aplea for him to see his own error, but in spite.
Posted by: Kel at December 11, 2008 10:11 PM
***
Some people get spiteful when they are faced with the truth here – that not everybody will have the same experiences, and that abortion is not necessarily bad.
Hal, his wife, and most women who have abortions don’t fit in the pretend “mold” that Patricia wants to see, in my opinion.
Hal,
I am not outraged that you do not regret your abortion experiences. I regret mine. There are millions of us that regret our abortions. I’m just the only one here.
I know you do Carla, and I’m sorry about that. Sorry that you didn’t have more options, or know you had more options, and sorry no one was there to help.
Obviously, I wasn’t talking about you.
Thanks, Hal.
There was a time I did not regret mine either, but you already know all about that.
You pro lifers…”
Posted by: yllas at December 12, 2008 7:53 AM
****************************************
Well, there it is again. “YOU” pro-lifers.
Posted by: Kel at December 12, 2008 9:54 AM.
Yes, you pro lifers at this board, who one up the other with some type of compassion contest which always ends in defending a typical happy pro abort, such as Hal.
How many times does it need to written by you, Patricia? How many times can Hal be “reminded” by you? It may well be the truth but you do it only to provoke Hal and that is what I am taking issue with.
Enough already.
Posted by: Carla at December 11, 2008 8:30 PM
Way to go Carla.
Defend a remorseless pro abort who is being reminded of his happy acts in his life, by Patricia, then demanding nothing from Hal, and something from Patricia.
What are you demanding of Patricia? To not remind Hal of a prideful act in his life?
Search you heart, Yllas.
Why is it ok to write that Hal is a baby killer? Why is it ok to write about torn up baby parts to Hal?
Why not do the same for Erin?
Why not do the same for Carla?
I probably shouldnt get involved with this, but I feel responsible because of the conversation that Hal and I had a couple of months ago where Hal promised me that he would never bring up his abortions again. That actually was not my intent- I didn’t mean for him to feel obligated not to ever bring them up, or never to be able to respond to people who bring it up. I was very frustrated at the time, very sad, and was just venting.
Now, I feel guilty every time that someone brings up the abortions…it’s not fair that everyone else can bring it up and rub it in his face, then he can’t respond. I thought he was being so considerate not to bring them up again, but ever since he promised not to, more and more people keep bringing it up. I feel guilty every time this happens.
If you’ll think about it, most people who have been won from supporting abortion, to the pro-life side have been won through loving actions and words…and unconditional love. Not having their wrongdoings rubbed in their face.
Think about Bernard Nathanson, who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocents, and think about Norma McCorvy who was responsible for Roe Vs Wade. They were both won over by love, and brought to conviction about their actions, not by judgement, but by the unconditional love they were given…
Just imagine that this is 10 years ago and Carla still had no regrets about her abortion. Carla may have responded to you just the way Hal does years ago, and you may have wanted to remind her of how bad she was for having her abortion…spiteful words may have actually hindered her willingness to listen to our side and understand why we are against abortion! I think Carla has said time and time again that it was love that brought her to realize how bad her abortion was and now she is such a firm pro-lifer, a warrior for life!
Have you ever tried telling a teenager what to do (I’m not comparing Hal or anyone else to a rebellious teenager, just trying to come up with an analogy that can help explain)?
Continually nagging and shouting at him or her about how bad he/she is only makes them resent you and want to rebel against you, and resent you. However, making an effort to show them that you love them no matter what they do (while never condoning their wrongdoings) makes them more willing to listen and care about what you have to say…I think the same is true of anyone.
Patricia, I hope you’ll stick around! We appreciate you on this blog…you have so much to contribute.
I absolutely was won by love, Bethany. There were women who waited for me and opened their hearts to me when I was ready.
I remember a lot of old friends who would say, “I can’t believe any mother would kill her own child!!” or “Women who have abortions are sick!!” or “Any woman who has an abortion should be in jail. Abortion is murder.”
I said nothing while cringing inside and stayed in the darkness for many more years.
I am here for the women reading and not commenting who regret their abortions and haven’t reached out for abortion recovery yet. There is hope and healing!!!
Search you heart, Yllas.
Why is it ok to write that Hal is a baby killer? Why is it ok to write about torn up baby parts to Hal?
Why not do the same for Erin?
Why not do the same for Carla?
Posted by: Carla at December 13, 2008 7:00 AM
Because Yllas isn’t interested. Yllas really only wants to make loony commentary and give her inner demons some exercise.
Did you see the long thread with Yllas and Oliver and Lauren going back and forth?
Nathan, you are right about Yllas. “Inner demons” is a good way to put it.
For a short while, I was pro-choice (or pro-abotion). In retrospect, I was (a)selfish; (b)making immoral choices; (c)neglecting/Rejecting religion so it was easy to justify abortion (although I never had one). Someone challenged me as to when life begins and if it truly begins at conception, then that life needs to be protected. I don’t think those who are pro-choice are cold-blooded killers who would just as soon kill their 5-year-old. I believe they are misled. Turn back to our Lord, Jesus. He will open your eyes and your heart. God Bless.
For a short time, I was duped into buying into the pro-choice mentality. It was easy to do that since I was rejecting religion and living immorally. Then someone challenged me saying that if life begins at conception, then that life needs to be protected. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Would you kill your 5-year-old if you felt burdened at being a parent? At what point DOES life begin? Do you think Our Heavenly Creator chose some ambiguous moment for life to begin? Some vague time between conception and birth? How long after birth as some babies are born prematurely? No..the only thing that makes sense is that life begins at conception; therefore, that life must be protected. If you don’t want a baby, don’t have sex. It’s a very basic concept.
Hey…maybe I should say it ONE MORE TIME?? The 1st one said it was rejected so I retyped it…sorry for sounding redundant. (I won’t apologize for sounding Catholic :)
I got a grant from the federal government for $12,000 in financial aid, see how you can get one also at
http://couponredeemer.com/federalgrants/
What I was specifically interviewed about was local government funding for Planned Parenthood. I’ve compiled a list of all the $$$ that PP has gotten from city government since 1999. Click my name for the list.
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