Ethics & Religion
Column #2006
January 22, 2020
Cut Federal Funds for Planned Parenthood
By Mike McManus

The annual report of Planned Parenthood Federation of America reveals that in fiscal year 2018 the agency performed 345,672 abortions - up from 332,757 the year before.

Planned Parenthood's abortions number for 2018 is more than any other abortion provider in the U.S. The agency increased its share of U.S. abortions from 31% in 2011 to 37% in 2017.

The Federal Government played a major role by granting most of the $616.8 million Planned Parenthood received from federal, state and local governments.

Did you know that Planned Parenthood, which is technically a non-profit, has generated millions in profits - excessive revenues over expenses?

The Family Research Council issued a report providing evidence Planned Parenthood has generated a profit in "each of the last 19 years...For fiscal year 2017 Planned Parenthood reported a profit of $244.8 million. In 2018, Planned Parenthood generated its highest gross revenue ever, reporting $1.638 billion."

My question is why does Planned Parenthood need ANY federal subsidy if it is generating $244 million in profits?

Surely, at the minimum, federal aid should be cut substantially.

Patrina Mosley, Family Research Council's Director of Life, Culture and Women's Advocacy issued this statement:

"It is a sad day in our country when an organization can publicly announce their earnings from taken innocent human life. As Planned Parenthood's profit increased, so did their abortions. They aborted 1,768 babies for every single day in fiscal year 2018. It's inexplicable that a company as scandal-ridden as Planned Parenthood obtains nearly forty percent of their total revenue from the American taxpayer."

Ms. Mosley added, "The good news is that Planned Parenthood's refusal to comply with the Protect Life Rule - freed up valuable Title X resources for other federally qualified health centers and Pregnancy Resource Centers, which outnumber abortion facilities and provide true comprehensive care for women.

"We hope to see more efforts like this to disentangle American taxpayers from abortion and to promote a culture of life," Ms. Mosley concluded.

The Title X rule she referred to requires counseling to pregnant women be conducted in facilities that are completely separate from any building where abortion services are provided. Planned Parenthood refused to do so, and had to give up $40 million of federal funding.

Therefore, my question remains: why not cut more federal funding to Planned Parenthood, which is not really about parenthood, but about abortion?

Perhaps a more appropriate name would be Planned Abortionhood.

This week was the 47th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court which legalized abortion. Catholics held a National Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.

Catholic Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City stated, "January 22 marks the sorrowful anniversary of the tragic Supreme Court decisions of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton which legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. The Church will never abandon her efforts to reverse these terrible decisions that have led to the deaths of millions of innocent children and the traumatization of countless women and families."

He announced a nationwide effort from March 25, 2020 through March 25,, 2021 entitled Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service. It is designed to expand resources to expectant mothers within their own communities.

There were 862,320 American abortions in 2017., and from 2011-2018, a total of 2.6 million.

Sadly, there has also been a 46% increase in abortion facilities that are willing to conduct lucrative late-term abortions, according to Operation Rescue.

However, a group called Students for Life has organized 1,209 active pro-life student groups across the nation. "We are building the Pro-Life Generation who will end abortion in our lifetime," says its president, Kristan Hawkins.

She notes that half of all abortions are by college-age women, (18-24).

My question for her and other pro-life groups is simple. Why don't these groups urge men and women to stop having sex until they are married?

Chastity is the best way to reduce abortions.
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Copyright (c) 2019 Michael J. McManus, a syndicated columnist and past president of Marriage Savers. To read past columns, go to www.ethicsandreligion.comm. Hit Search for any topic.