Republican War on Women - The Battle Against Planned Parenthood in Ohio

This is the thirty-ninth in a series of articles on the subjects of women, abortion rights and the Republican Party. 

Republicans continue to say they don’t have to change their core principles, they only have to change the language they use to get their message out.  One perception they want to alter is the idea that they are running a “War on Women”.  Looking at the news over the past few years, I’d say the Republican Party has a long way to go on this subject.

• Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky): “Talk about a manufactured issue.  There is no issue.” 
• RNC Chairman Reince Priebus:  “It’s a fiction.”

 The Ohio Front

what eye thynk:  Ohio Governor and Republican presidential candidate John Kasich has stated clearly that he will "fight like crazy" to defund Planned Parenthood.  The Ohio legislature is doing everything in its power to see that he has that chance.

Eye Recommend:

OHIO SENATE VOTES TO DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFTER HEARING LIMITED PUBLIC TESTIMONY, by Jackie Borchardt

(Any underlines are mine.) 

The Ohio Senate hearing on
defunding Planned Parenthood

The Ohio Senate on Wednesday quickly passed legislation to block state funding for Planned Parenthood's health education and prevention programs.

Because who would want Ohio's citizens to learn how to remain healthy or to have access to health testing, right?

Senate Bill 214 passed the Republican-controlled Senate along part lines in a 23-10 vote and now heads to the House for consideration. 

The bill would redirect about $1.3 million annually from Planned Parenthood to federally qualified health centers, health departments, and other clinics that don't perform or promote abortions or contract with facilities that do.

This sounds great until you remember the latest state budget passed and signed by Ohio's Republican dominated leadership has already cut the budgets of other health clinics by 43%, leaving these facilities struggling to care for the patients they have let alone being able to absorb more patients.

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio offers birth control, cancer screenings, tests for sexually transmitted diseases and well-woman exams at its 28 centers across the state.  Three centers perform abortions. 

The bill cleared the Ohio Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee a few hours earlier after two hearings. More than 50 opponents and a handful of proponents signed up to testify during Wednesday's hearing. 

Fifty against the bill, a handful for the bill.  Should we call the bill's passage an example of how the Republican party listens to "the people?"  Or maybe by "the people" they mean only like minded members of their own party? Yes, that must be it.  Silly me, to think "people"was an all-inclusive term.

(Committee Chairman Bill) Coley disputed allegations that the bill was sent to his committee...instead of the health committee for political reasons.

No, not political at all. Pshaw!  Sending a bill designed to limit women's health services to the Health Committee?  What an outrageous, liberal idea.

"We're not talking about health issues," Coley said. "We're trying to get a better spread of that money throughout the state."

Geographically, Ohio is a small state.  There are 28 Planned Parenthood clinics from Cincinnati to Cleveland, from Columbus to Toledo. That sounds pretty spread to me.

The bill's sponsor, Senate President Keith Faber, dismissed the notion that the bill was rushed.  The Celina Republican said defunding Planned Parenthood was discussed throughout the summer after undercover videos surfaced purporting to show the organization sells aborted fetuses and fetus parts.  The videos were not filmed in Ohio, where fetal tissue donation is illegal. 

"This bill is not about women's health care," Faber said after the vote. "It's about whether we're going to fund an organization that has its senior leadership nationally...who believe it's good public policy to chop up babies in a way that makes their parts more valuable so they can buy a Lamborghini."

Unbelievable! Basing legislation on disproved "evidence" that at least eight states and the U.S. Congress agree is false in order to shove YOUR beliefs down the throats of countless Ohio women is despicable beyond belief.  Even a Texas grand jury couldn't find any wrong doing or any proof that PP was selling fetal tissue.  Instead they handed down indictments to the people who perpetrated the fraudulent videos upon the American public.  

And if limiting a woman's choice for health care "is not about women's health," then what is it about?

But, by all means, Mr. Faber, continue to sell your tall tales to your fellow Republicans who are only too happy to ignore the truth.  You go ahead and continue to say this "is not about women's health" while Ohio women die from lack of available preventative health care.

As for the GOP's claim that other health clinics--despite your budget cuts-- are ready to fill the gap left by PP...

Sen. Capri Cafaro, a Hubbard Democrat, said most of those facilities won't be able to provide reproductive health services and information to patients who currently visit Planned Parenthood centers.  Cafaro surveyed the health departments and health centers in her district and found many of them did not provide family planning or gynecological services...

...Just because it physically exists doesn't necessarily mean it would provide the services that would go away if Planned Parenthood were to not receive funding," Cafaro told her colleagues on the Senate floor.

My husband and I have access to a wonderful health care center with fantastic general practitioners; but when he needs care for his heart or I need care for my allergies, our GPs don't attempt to step in, they send him to a heart specialist and me to an allergist.  What this bill is saying is that, when it comes to women's health, any healthcare facility will do, no matter their expertise.  

In addition to blocking grants directly awarded to Planned Parenthood, the bill would prevent local health districts, schools, and other entities from partnering with Planned Parenthood for programs such as sex education.

Because who needs those programs right?  The Ohio GOP wants to eliminate abortion and at the same time prohibit sexually active teenagers from learning how to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. The stupidity is overwhelming!  

Buxi Iacobone, who first visited a Planned Parenthood clinic for a pap smear and now volunteers at her local PP facility said, "I've been watching and listening to the legislation put forth at the Statehouse, and here is what I have heard:  when bills are crafted to defund Planned Parenthood, I hear that getting my pap smear...is not important to you.  When bills are crafted to defund Planned Parenthood, I hear that the patients I serve--the Ohioans who flock to my workplace every day, and thank me with tears in their eyes for being present for them in their moment of need--are not important to you."

I'd say she has hit the proverbial nail on the right-wing head.

You can read Ms. Borchardt's entire article here.

The Republican War on Women is "fiction?"

WHAT YOU DO SPEAKS SO LOUDLY

THAT I CANNOT HEAR WHAT YOU SAY.