Paul Ryan: GOP will defund Planned Parenthood

[pauldun170]

Washington (CNN)House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that Republicans will move to strip all federal funding for Planned Parenthood as part of the process they are using early this year to dismantle Obamacare.

Ryan made the announcement during a news conference on Capitol Hill.
Congressional Republicans have tried for years to zero out all federal funding for Planned Parenthood because the group provides abortion services. The issue helped trigger a 16-day government shutdown in 2013, and Democrats and President Barack Obama insisted any provision targeting the group be removed from a bill to fund federal agencies.
Another effort to defund the group will spur another high-profile clash and could be a tough vote for some moderate Republicans such as Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has opposed past efforts.
The vast majority of federal money that Planned Parenthood does receive funds preventive health care, birth control, pregnancy tests, breast cancer screening and other womens health care services. Democrats also point out that much of the money the group received is through the Medicaid program, which reimburses health care clinics that provide care to those covered by the federal program.
Under the "Hyde amendment" that is attached to annual funding bills, no federal money is allowed to go to programs that include abortion services, unless they are needed to preserve the life of the mother or are caused by rape.
Democrats immediately denounced the news that Republicans again were working to bar future federal funds for Planned Parenthood.
"This is a priority for the Republicans," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Thursday afternoon. "So I just would like to speak individually to women across America: this is about respect for you, for your judgment about your personal decisions in terms of your reproductive needs, the size and timing of your family or the rest, not to be determined by the insurance company or by the Republican ideological right-wing caucus in the House of Representatives. So this is a very important occasion where we're pointing out very specifically what repeal of the (Affordable Care Act) will mean to woman."
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said "it's likely no accident that this attack was launched the day after Vice President-elect Mike Pence, a long-time opponent of Planned Parenthood, held a closed-door meeting with Speaker Ryan and the Republican leadership."
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/05/politics/paul-ryan-planned-parenthood-obamacare/

more at Rolling Stone

As a House member in 2007, Pence introduced the first bill seeking to defund Planned Parenthood. As governor of Indiana, he slashed public health funding, shuttering Planned Parenthood clinics and fueling an HIV epidemic in rural Indiana.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politic...ds-cecile-richards-on-surviving-trump-w458739

also washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...care-repeal-ryan-says/?utm_term=.bb7626464377

 

[K1052]

The GOP is going to cheerfully preside over a public health debacle the likes of which the country hasn't seen in living memory.

 

[PokerGuy]

I think defunding PP is a shortsighted and dumb move, I'm opposed to the gop doing that. Fighting this battle over ideology instead of focusing on practical matters is dumb. It's just not even a rounding error in the grand scheme, why waste political capital on this.

That said, Pelosi's statement is completely stupid and ignorant (as one would expect from her). She says: "So I just would like to speak individually to women across America: this is about respect for you, for your judgment about your personal decisions in terms of your reproductive needs, the size and timing of your family or the rest, not to be determined by the insurance company or by the Republican ideological right-wing caucus in the House of Representatives.".

Nobody is saying women aren't allowed to make whatever decisions they want, their personal decisions on their reproductive needs are not at issue. If you want someone else (the taxpayer) to pay for services you want, then of course those parties should have a say in what they will or won't pay for. There is a huge difference between having the right to do something versus having the right to have government (or someone else) pay for it for you.

 

[bshole]

I think defunding PP is a shortsighted and dumb move, I'm opposed to the gop doing that. Fighting this battle over ideology instead of focusing on practical matters is dumb. It's just not even a rounding error in the grand scheme, why waste political capital on this.
.

Because it plays extremely well with the pro-life crowd. It is an easy bone to throw I guess.

 

[K1052]

Nobody is saying women aren't allowed to make whatever decisions they want, their personal decisions on their reproductive needs are not at issue. If you want someone else (the taxpayer) to pay for services you want, then of course those parties should have a say in what they will or won't pay for. There is a huge difference between having the right to do something versus having the right to have government (or someone else) pay for it for you.

Assuming I could round up the votes would you be in favor letting me cut off government paid medical treatment for overweight and obese Americans?

 

[momeNt]

Because it plays extremely well with the pro-life crowd. It is an easy bone to throw I guess.

Pro-life crowd is also usually characterized as the racist crowd by many here. Why not just release the abortion demographics and make them extremely pleased?

edit: on another note. Planned parenthood serves poverty-stricken people. Defunding it is basically tripping over dollars for dimes if you consider the entitlements avoided by keeping the unborn... unborn.

 

[UNCjigga]

I don't understand why the GOP would single out "Planned Parenthood" versus any other family planning services provider? In other words, why wouldn't they just eliminate Medicaid reimbursements for *any* service provider that also performs abortions, or just eliminate federal funding for ALL family planning services?

My guess is that Planned Parenthood itself may benefit from disentangling itself from federal/state bureaucracy and operating solely as a not-for-profit with private funding, but would probably have to scale down and rural areas will lose options. I don't really follow the abortion issue so not sure how ill-informed I am.

I think any upper or middle class woman under the age of 30 with any sense should probably just "vote with their feet" and just fucking leave the backward states that seek to block Medicaid exclude women's health providers from Medicaid or limit access in other ways. I guess most educated young people (male or female) are doing that already, flocking to coastal cities with better jobs and leaving middle America behind...no wonder Trump got elected!

 

[Darwin333]

I think defunding PP is a shortsighted and dumb move, I'm opposed to the gop doing that. Fighting this battle over ideology instead of focusing on practical matters is dumb. It's just not even a rounding error in the grand scheme, why waste political capital on this.

That said, Pelosi's statement is completely stupid and ignorant (as one would expect from her). She says: "So I just would like to speak individually to women across America: this is about respect for you, for your judgment about your personal decisions in terms of your reproductive needs, the size and timing of your family or the rest, not to be determined by the insurance company or by the Republican ideological right-wing caucus in the House of Representatives.".

Nobody is saying women aren't allowed to make whatever decisions they want, their personal decisions on their reproductive needs are not at issue. If you want someone else (the taxpayer) to pay for services you want, then of course those parties should have a say in what they will or won't pay for. There is a huge difference between having the right to do something versus having the right to have government (or someone else) pay for it for you.

From what I understand existing law bars federal money from being used for abortion services unless the mothers life is at risk or in cases of rape.

 

[dank69]

I think defunding PP is a shortsighted and dumb move, I'm opposed to the gop doing that. Fighting this battle over ideology instead of focusing on practical matters is dumb. It's just not even a rounding error in the grand scheme, why waste political capital on this.

That said, Pelosi's statement is completely stupid and ignorant (as one would expect from her). She says: "So I just would like to speak individually to women across America: this is about respect for you, for your judgment about your personal decisions in terms of your reproductive needs, the size and timing of your family or the rest, not to be determined by the insurance company or by the Republican ideological right-wing caucus in the House of Representatives.".

Nobody is saying women aren't allowed to make whatever decisions they want, their personal decisions on their reproductive needs are not at issue. If you want someone else (the taxpayer) to pay for services you want, then of course those parties should have a say in what they will or won't pay for. There is a huge difference between having the right to do something versus having the right to have government (or someone else) pay for it for you.

The problem is that poor people are the ones who need abortions the most.

 

[UNCjigga]

Nobody is saying women aren't allowed to make whatever decisions they want, their personal decisions on their reproductive needs are not at issue. If you want someone else (the taxpayer) to pay for services you want, then of course those parties should have a say in what they will or won't pay for. There is a huge difference between having the right to do something versus having the right to have government (or someone else) pay for it for you.

But I thought federal funding for abortion services has been blocked since 1976? Basically they are blocking federal funds for other services (mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, etc.) performed in a Planned Parenthood clinic.

 

[K1052]

But I thought federal funding for abortion services has been blocked since 1976? Basically they are blocking federal funds for other services (mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, etc.) performed in a Planned Parenthood clinic.

The argument usually goes that providing any funding at all to PP while they preform abortions, even if that money can't actually be used to preform that specific service, is tantamount to federally funding abortions.

 

[Jhhnn]

The GOP is going to cheerfully preside over a public health debacle the likes of which the country hasn't seen in living memory.

They don't care. Defunding PP panders to the Fundie base & is one of the few areas where they'll be able to deliver. Besides that, low income women deserve lousy heath care because they don't make enough money I the standard right wing FYGM conceptualization.

Cut! Cut! Cut! eases the fiscal impact of Jerb Creator taxes on deficits, anyway, so it's all good in Republican Land. Just wait, it'll all trickle down. You betcha.

 

[Jhhnn]

The argument usually goes that providing any funding at all to PP while they preform abortions, even if that money can't actually be used to preform that specific service, is tantamount to federally funding abortions.

Yep. If the PP clinic isn't there then women won't be able to get abortions there. It's all they care about.

 

[glenn1]

The GOP is going to cheerfully preside over a public health debacle the likes of which the country hasn't seen in living memory.

Or PP could divest itself of the elective abortion business and just offer healthcare. It's not like the abortion business won't get picked up by some non-profit, non-taxpayer funded entity if they did. Sorta like a Glass-Steagall type law for abortion.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Assuming I could round up the votes would you be in favor letting me cut off government paid medical treatment for overweight and obese Americans?

I would.

The advantages of PP (more accessible contraceptives and abortions for the lower class that should not have kids) probably outweighs any cost to the taxpayer though.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I think defunding PP and repealing Obamacare will backfire on GOP. They clearly disagree, otherwise they wouldn't be doing it. I guess we'll see who's right in 2018. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad at the same time.

 

[momeNt]

Or PP could divest itself of the elective abortion business and just offer healthcare. It's not like the abortion business won't get picked up by some non-profit, non-taxpayer funded entity if they did. Sorta like a Glass-Steagall type law for abortion.

That's actually a pretty brilliant idea.

It would avoid the temporary loss of women's health services, and instead make it solely the temporary loss of abortion services, which could quickly be picked up by another provider.

 

[K1052]

Or PP could divest itself of the elective abortion business and just offer healthcare. It's not like the abortion business won't get picked up by some non-profit, non-taxpayer funded entity if they did. Sorta like a Glass-Steagall type law for abortion.

Yes, I'm sure the extensive and well documented social conservative assault on abortion providers would magically cease. The whole intent is to erode access until it's gone.

 

[dank69]

I think defunding PP and repealing Obamacare will backfire on GOP. They clearly disagree, otherwise they wouldn't be doing it. I guess we'll see who's right in 2018. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad at the same time.

Why would it backfire? America wants this.

 

[Jhhnn]

That's actually a pretty brilliant idea.

It would avoid the temporary loss of women's health services, and instead make it solely the temporary loss of abortion services, which could quickly be picked up by another provider.

Please. Abortion providers need a clinic from which to offer their services so they won't be able to do so in many parts of the country w/o PP. They won't make enough money to keep the doors open, which is the whole point.

 

[bshole]

Cut! Cut! Cut! eases the fiscal impact of Jerb Creator taxes on deficits, anyway, so it's all good in Republican Land. Just wait, it'll all trickle down. You betcha.

...like shit down the leg of an incontinent hobo....

 

[Jhhnn]

Yes, I'm sure the extensive and well documented social conservative assault on abortion providers would magically cease. The whole intent is to erode access until it's gone.

Well, yeh, of course. Rich Repubs don't care because their women can pop off for a holiday in Sweden if they want. We'll probably see private clinics in Canada catering to American customers, as well.

If you're broke in Oklahoma, well...

 

[OrByte]

Assuming I could round up the votes would you be in favor letting me cut off government paid medical treatment for overweight and obese Americans?

I'm thinking smokers....

I pay for government to fund medical care for stupid smokers. I would like to stop that now please.

Thank you.

 

[ivwshane]

I don't understand why the GOP would single out "Planned Parenthood" versus any other family planning services provider? In other words, why wouldn't they just eliminate Medicaid reimbursements for *any* service provider that also performs abortions, or just eliminate federal funding for ALL family planning services?

My guess is that Planned Parenthood itself may benefit from disentangling itself from federal/state bureaucracy and operating solely as a not-for-profit with private funding, but would probably have to scale down and rural areas will lose options. I don't really follow the abortion issue so not sure how ill-informed I am.

I think any upper or middle class woman under the age of 30 with any sense should probably just "vote with their feet" and just fucking leave the backward states that seek to block Medicaid exclude women's health providers from Medicaid or limit access in other ways. I guess most educated young people (male or female) are doing that already, flocking to coastal cities with better jobs and leaving middle America behind...no wonder Trump got elected!

Its illegal for government to target one particular business so they will indeed be affecting all women's health providers.

When we start hearing about back alley abortions the GOP will own it including any deaths that may result from it. When teen pregnancy increases across the country, the GOP will own it. When snap or other welfare claims go up, the GOP will own it and when they cut that spending they'll also own the increase in crime that's likely to happen.

Its going to suck for a lot of people but hey we get the government we deserve.

 

[momeNt]

Please. Abortion providers need a clinic from which to offer their services so they won't be able to do so in many parts of the country w/o PP. They won't make enough money to keep the doors open, which is the whole point.

Fuck the rural places. The large metropolitan areas would cover probably 75% of the people needing abortions anyways. It would become a lot more efficient that way. And if you looked at the election map, those places further away from metropolitan centers can deal with a little less abortion access.