I received an email today from my Senator, Pat Toomey, which contains an outright lie. Misinformation- the kind far-right social issue activists use to distort reality.
I recognize your concern with potential reductions to federal funding for organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Although your views are well taken, I believe that the federal government should not be subsidizing an organization that performs abortions with taxpayer dollars, especially when we are running up record deficits.
The problem here is that no tax dollars are used to fund abortions. Over 85% of the work Planned Parenthood does is provide basic Health Care, and the vast majority of women who use these services are poor women who would have no other access to Heath Care.
I can accept that my Senator voted in a way differently than I would have wanted, but I can not accept that his justification is full of lies and misinformation.
What is most upsetting to me, and most outrageous, in my opinion, is the way that attacks on the poor, on women and other conservative “social” agendas are being framed as if they are all about the deficit and spending. The reality is that when Bush entered the White House, there was a budget surplus. But because of giving tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, and spending for two wars, deficits grew. The de-regulation that the Conservatives pushed led to major financial crisis. But today, they try and pin the problems on women and the poor by trying to withhold basic funding for basic Health Care. This isn’t leadership, Pat Toomey! This is irresponsibility!
I’ve worked as a case manager for medicaid, planned parenthood does pay for abortions lady! Woman with all insurance plans can and do use abortion as a form of birth control. What kind of womans healtcare organization approves of this? Profit is their motive.
1) Trisa, you are free to speak for yourself or offer your own opinion, but you are not an authoritative source to speak on “what all women with insurance do.
2) Abortion is legal in the US. That is a fact. You may personally disagree that it should be, but it is still legal. Period. If you are opposed to abortion, don’t have one.
3) There is no evidence that any woman uses abortion as birth control alone, in fact it seems just the opposite, especially with women who have insurance and can afford other forms of contraceptives. There is plenty of literature out there about why women have abortions. Check it out.
4) You miss the point of my post and what Toomey said as well. While Planned Parenthood does provide abortions, they do not do it using tax payer dollars. All tax payer dollars are used for other health services. That is a BIG and important point, and how Toomey’s comments are a lie.
5) I do not know why you are opposed to abortion, but for most anti-abortionists, it is religious views. If you hadn’t noticed, bearing false witness/ i.e. lying is a SIN too. Toomey is a hypocrite if he is acting out of some moral sense while sinning to accomplish that end.
For what it is worth, I am not pro-abortion. I believe that abortion should remain legal, but we should as a society work to decrease the number of unwanted births and abortions. The way to do that is through funding contraception for all, adequately funding and providing education. NOT by taking away a woman’s right to make choices about her reproductive health. And NOT by taking away funding for basic health care.