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How Trump Can Help Working-Class Americans: Keep Funding Planned Parenthood
Can Congress stop harassing Planned Parenthood? That would be my wish for the new year. Unfortunately, the harassment may increase in a Trump administration. But it doesn't have to. It is within President-elect Donald Trump's power to put a stop to it.
Jan 02, 2017
Can Congress stop harassing Planned Parenthood? That would be my wish for the new year. Unfortunately, the harassment may increase in a Trump administration. But it doesn't have to. It is within President-elect Donald Trump's power to put a stop to it.
Past congressional attempts to defund Planned Parenthood have failed because President Obama has vetoed them. This is all part of a congressional effort to punish the healthcare provider for also providing legal abortions. Of course, no federal funds that Planned Parenthood receives go to abortion, anyway. By law, no federal money can be spent on abortion. (Which is unfair -- but that's another story.)
What Congress would essentially be doing by defunding Planned Parenthood is depriving millions of Americans -- many lower-income -- of health services (that have nothing to do with abortion.) Across the country, Planned Parenthood health centers provide a vast array of medical services to women as well as men-- cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, family planning and contraception.
Overall, Planned Parenthood health centers serve 2.5-million patients each year. Many of these clients are low income and on Medicaid. Planned Parenthood is a certified Medicaid provider. In the state of California, alone, Planned Parenthood gets nearly 1.5-million patient visits each year. In terms of funding, that amounted to $260 million of federal reimbursements this past year in California.
Currently, Planned Parenthood clinics have the resources to see patients and provide services quickly. Getting an appointment at other private clinics that are Medicaid providers in underserved areas can take weeks.
The positions of Vice President-elect Mike Pence (the governor of Indiana) and U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the nominee for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, are well-known. They are both against abortion rights and have both voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
Less clear is how President-elect Trump will view efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. I would urge him to make a distinction between Planned Parenthood, the abortion provider, and Planned Parenthood, the health services provider. Planned Parenthood has been nothing less than a lifeline and safety net for people seeking crucial, noncontroversial healthcare across the country. The government should not that take that care away from millions of people. If Trump cares as deeply as he says he does about working-class Americans, then he should not take away one vital source of their healthcare.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
© 2023 Los Angeles Times
Carla Hall
Carla Hall is a Los Angeles Times editorial board member who writes about popular culture, reproductive rights, animal welfare, and human rights in Asia and Africa, among other topics.
Can Congress stop harassing Planned Parenthood? That would be my wish for the new year. Unfortunately, the harassment may increase in a Trump administration. But it doesn't have to. It is within President-elect Donald Trump's power to put a stop to it.
Past congressional attempts to defund Planned Parenthood have failed because President Obama has vetoed them. This is all part of a congressional effort to punish the healthcare provider for also providing legal abortions. Of course, no federal funds that Planned Parenthood receives go to abortion, anyway. By law, no federal money can be spent on abortion. (Which is unfair -- but that's another story.)
What Congress would essentially be doing by defunding Planned Parenthood is depriving millions of Americans -- many lower-income -- of health services (that have nothing to do with abortion.) Across the country, Planned Parenthood health centers provide a vast array of medical services to women as well as men-- cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, family planning and contraception.
Overall, Planned Parenthood health centers serve 2.5-million patients each year. Many of these clients are low income and on Medicaid. Planned Parenthood is a certified Medicaid provider. In the state of California, alone, Planned Parenthood gets nearly 1.5-million patient visits each year. In terms of funding, that amounted to $260 million of federal reimbursements this past year in California.
Currently, Planned Parenthood clinics have the resources to see patients and provide services quickly. Getting an appointment at other private clinics that are Medicaid providers in underserved areas can take weeks.
The positions of Vice President-elect Mike Pence (the governor of Indiana) and U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the nominee for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, are well-known. They are both against abortion rights and have both voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
Less clear is how President-elect Trump will view efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. I would urge him to make a distinction between Planned Parenthood, the abortion provider, and Planned Parenthood, the health services provider. Planned Parenthood has been nothing less than a lifeline and safety net for people seeking crucial, noncontroversial healthcare across the country. The government should not that take that care away from millions of people. If Trump cares as deeply as he says he does about working-class Americans, then he should not take away one vital source of their healthcare.
Carla Hall
Carla Hall is a Los Angeles Times editorial board member who writes about popular culture, reproductive rights, animal welfare, and human rights in Asia and Africa, among other topics.
Can Congress stop harassing Planned Parenthood? That would be my wish for the new year. Unfortunately, the harassment may increase in a Trump administration. But it doesn't have to. It is within President-elect Donald Trump's power to put a stop to it.
Past congressional attempts to defund Planned Parenthood have failed because President Obama has vetoed them. This is all part of a congressional effort to punish the healthcare provider for also providing legal abortions. Of course, no federal funds that Planned Parenthood receives go to abortion, anyway. By law, no federal money can be spent on abortion. (Which is unfair -- but that's another story.)
What Congress would essentially be doing by defunding Planned Parenthood is depriving millions of Americans -- many lower-income -- of health services (that have nothing to do with abortion.) Across the country, Planned Parenthood health centers provide a vast array of medical services to women as well as men-- cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, family planning and contraception.
Overall, Planned Parenthood health centers serve 2.5-million patients each year. Many of these clients are low income and on Medicaid. Planned Parenthood is a certified Medicaid provider. In the state of California, alone, Planned Parenthood gets nearly 1.5-million patient visits each year. In terms of funding, that amounted to $260 million of federal reimbursements this past year in California.
Currently, Planned Parenthood clinics have the resources to see patients and provide services quickly. Getting an appointment at other private clinics that are Medicaid providers in underserved areas can take weeks.
The positions of Vice President-elect Mike Pence (the governor of Indiana) and U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the nominee for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, are well-known. They are both against abortion rights and have both voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
Less clear is how President-elect Trump will view efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. I would urge him to make a distinction between Planned Parenthood, the abortion provider, and Planned Parenthood, the health services provider. Planned Parenthood has been nothing less than a lifeline and safety net for people seeking crucial, noncontroversial healthcare across the country. The government should not that take that care away from millions of people. If Trump cares as deeply as he says he does about working-class Americans, then he should not take away one vital source of their healthcare.
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