The time has come to defund Planned Parenthood

People shouldn’t be forced to help provide abortions through their tax dollars. Prolife people can easily agree with that statement, and Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and promoter of abortions.

Many supporters of Planned Parenthood are led to believe that abortion is a low priority for the organization, however, and therefore Planned Parenthood should be able to keep their tax funding to provide low-income women with more health services. Is this public image fed to supporters accurate? Is this current defunding debate about Medicaid reimbursements, as Planned Parenthood claims?

Bear with me for a moment. Let’s ignore the fact that Planned Parenthood stands accused of and has settled cases of Medicaid fraud.

Let’s ignore the fact that legislation to defund them doesn’t actually cut funding for anything. The legislation simply makes them ineligible for federal funding that can now be used by other health centers. There are 20 community health centers for every Planned Parenthood office in America, and most of these centers provide more comprehensive care.

Let’s ignore the fact that Planned Parenthood has lied to their own supporters about how women depend on them for mammograms. During a hearing in Congress, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards was forced to admit they provide zero mammograms.

Let’s ignore the fact that they spend tens of millions of dollars lobbying every year. They get money from taxpayers in one door and then money is sent out the other door to give to supporters in Congress.

Instead, let’s ask their supporters this important question: does giving Planned Parenthood money actually result in them helping more women? It’s actually the opposite; when Planned Parenthood gets additional taxpayer dollars, they cut clients and health services and increase their abortion services.

Look no further than their own annual reports. Comparing their 2014-2015 annual report to their same report in 2004-2005, we get a clear picture. In the last decade, their tax funding has more than doubled, increasing by 103 percent. Have they expanded health care access in that time frame? No, clients are down 14 percent. Given out birth control to more women? Nope, down 14 percent as well. What about the manual breast exams they so frequently tout? Cut 61 percent.

Abortions? Those are up by 27 percent. How did James Frick put it? Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are.


Chris Gast
Director of Communication/Education
cgast@rtl.org | 616-532-2300