Bachmann calls for Congress to defund Planned Parenthood
Tuesday, December 07, 2010 at 10:48 am
- 10 Comments
Rep. Michele Bachmann called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood in an interview with Republican news outlet CNSNews. Bachmann also said that health care reform should be defunded as well because she says it pays for abortions. Much of what Bachmann had to say about abortion in the interview has previously been ruled false by independent fact-checkers.
CNSNews’ Terrence Jeffrey asked Bachmann, “What should Republicans do to advance protect the lives of those unborn babies who are being slaughtered in this country?”
“Well, I think one thing that we can do, quite simply, is to withhold funding from Planned Parenthood,” Bachmann said. “It’s the largest provider of abortion in the United States. They are a billion-dollar industry. As a matter of fact, the head of Planned Parenthood in Illinois said that Planned Parenthood wants to be the Lens Crafters of big abortion.”
But that’s not the quote that the head of the Illinois Planned Parenthood gave back in 2008 in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. The article focused on Planned Parenthood’s move toward smaller clinic in suburban areas that don’t actually perform abortions.
“It is high time we follow the population,” said Sarah Stoesz, who heads Planned Parenthood operations in three Midwest states.
She recently opened three express centers in wealthy Minnesota suburbs, “in shopping centers and malls, places where women are already doing their grocery shopping, picking up their Starbucks, living their daily lives,” Ms. Stoesz said.
The mall sites promise walk-in convenience and “clothes-on” care, with services limited to birth-control counseling and tests for pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Most patients are in and out in less than half an hour.
“I like to think of it as the LensCrafters of family planning,” Steve Trombley, the top executive in Illinois, said as he toured an express center a few doors down from a hair salon and a Japanese restaurant in the well-to-do suburb of Schaumburg, Ill.
Bachmann also called for the defunding of “Obamacare.”
“For the first time in American history under Obamacare — socialized medicine — under President Obama, we have federal funding of abortion,” said Bachmann. “President Obama denies that, but we know that it’s already happened in the state of Pennsylvania. And so, therefore, it’s imperative that we in the House completely defund Obamacare so that we no longer force Americans to violate their moral conscience and pay for other people’s abortions.”
Politifact says that statement is false — as does the state of Pennsylvania. From a statement by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department:
This program will provide much-needed assistance for the sickest of the sick. The likelihood that any of those covered will seek abortion services is remote, but if they do need such services, they will have to pay for them out their own pocket. … Pennsylvania’s position is not a statement about the broader abortion debate. It simply recognizes that health care reform, particularly extending health coverage to those with preexisting conditions, is too important a priority to be hijacked by those who seek to turn common-sense health reforms into a rancorous debate about whether the federal ban on abortion funding is too broad or too narrow. These efforts failed to derail health reform this spring and they will fail to stop much-needed coverage for thousands of Pennsylvanians now.
It’s not the first time Bachmann has called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood. In 2008, she made similar claims on the House floor.
Here’s Bachmann’s full interview:
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Comment posted December 7, 2010 @ 8:59 pm
So…she wants to defund an organization that probably prevents more abortions than it carries out…AND she wants to defund legislation that would help care for babies already born, too? The logic boggles…
Comment posted December 8, 2010 @ 11:01 am
ALIE: Give me a break on Planned Parenthood’s so-called PREVENTION ! They murder children, even if they killed one child and did all sorts of other “good things” how can we fund them with OUR hard earned money? You send them all the dollars you want to and stop shoving abortion down the throats of people who love children. Besides- there are many other reasons to defund Planned Parenthood- like the way they conceal statutory rape and rape of minors, the misinformation, and the FACT they protect their KLAN speaking racist founders image and place her as a hero- watch the film Maafa21 and get some education: htto://www.maafa21.com
Comment posted December 8, 2010 @ 11:42 am
“Much of what Bachmann had to say about abortion in the interview has previously been ruled false by independent fact-checkers.”
When has that ever so much as slowed her down?
You could delete the words “about abortion in the interview” from that sentence and publish it on a weekly basis.
Comment posted December 8, 2010 @ 1:47 pm
Clearly, Anon and I differ horribly on the basic tenets of what it means to be pro-choice, so therefore, I will not engage. Although, I am curious about how PP shoves abortions down the throats of anti-choicers. Do they perform them in the den of their houses, or what? I mean, it’s not like they go around bombing or shooting up anti-choicers’ gathering places or anything…
Comment posted December 8, 2010 @ 7:22 pm
How about defunding her government paid health care? I don’t like my tax dollars supporting her moonbat “morals”.
Comment posted December 15, 2010 @ 7:07 pm
Dear Michele,
You seem awfully sincere with regard to slowing down the rate of deficit and reducing the national debt, Dog Bless you…and being so sincere, I know you will consider my proposal for a new bill to be introduced into the Congress.
Ok, here it is… we revoke the Tax Exempt status currently enjoyed by religious organizations and churches. Why, we would have this deficit under control quicker than you could could say. Where’s the Birth Certificate?!”
Whattya think?…I know you will give this your full consideration, know how sincere you are regarding the effort to reduce the national debt.
Once again, Dog Bless You!!!
A Patriotic (Constitutional) American.
Pingback posted December 16, 2010 @ 7:10 am
[...] also called for the defunding of “Obamacare.” : “For the first time in American history under [...]
Pingback posted February 25, 2011 @ 2:31 pm
[...] Planned Parenthood offers a wide range of sexual health and family planning services that cannot be found anywhere else for the price they charge and quality they offer. Financially underprivileged women can receive birth control, yearly exams, testing for sexually transmitted infections, as well as treatment for STIs, and valuable family planning advising – all for free. These services are part of what Planned Parenthood calls the “Title X” program. According to Plannedparenthood.org 67% of [Title X Users] have incomes that are at or below the federal poverty level, and 61% are uninsured. If legislation to end funding for Planned Parenthood is passed, all money for Title X will be kaput, leaving these women to fend for themselves. The kicker – none of the money that funds Title X goes towards abortions. What is Representative Bachmann’s biggest argument for defunding Planned Parenthood you ask? “It is the largest provider of abortions in the United States.” [...]
Pingback posted April 15, 2011 @ 8:48 am
[...] Rep. Michele Bachmann’s remarks about Planned Parenthood on Tuesday, particularly Bachmann’s repeated claims that “Planned Parenthood wants to be the LensCrafters of Big Abortion.” Cooper found [...]
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