Ohio has resurrected some old business that didn’t get past lame duck because Sen. Neihaus scrapped it [a fine republican prolife move…?] that will tier, or prioritize money according to those that do not OFFER abortion services FIRST and can be appropriated to pregnancy centers and REAL health centers that have actual general practitioners and nurses:
“House leaders also used their overhauled bill to resurrect a proposal that would effectively strip federal dollars from Planned Parenthood and other stand-alone family-planning clinics. The proposal was shelved late last year by the Ohio Senate.”
ANYTHING that Rep. Nickie Antonio calls ‘absolutely deplorable’, I’m all over. “Women are a weird political football,” said Nickie Antonio (D) who is always trying to KICK THE FOOTBALL…ironic.
What I want to establish is what the money is for – health for poor uninsured and underinsured Ohioans – and where they want it to go. Now, I have said MANY times that women have other health issues that do not have one thing to do with the reproductive system such as cholesterol screenings, diabetes, and cancers other than reproductive. Interestingly, most people know that the SO-CALLED ‘war on women’ means abortion, not general health and well-being for the under or uninsured. As usual, women are still looked upon as a sex object, not a giver of LIFE thanks to Planned Parenthood and our current federal government.
HB No. 59 had some interesting testimony…here are the highlights!
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio’s Jaime Miracle bemoaned this is an ‘out of touch political agenda’. She continued her whining about how desperate and unhealthy crisis pregnancy centers are; how that money already goes to pregnancy centers through BMV ‘choose life’ plates which I have on my own vehicle:
“Today the Ohio House of Representatives released its amended state budget, Sub. H.B. 59. The revised budget reprioritizes the criteria for federal family planning dollars to defund Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers. A separate section of the revised budget would redirect federal TANF dollars to anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs).”
Further, she demonized and demoralized real pregnancy centers that do not advocate killing unborn children AND does NOT teach our kids about sex, contraception, etc. NARAL’s Miracle also said that ‘they (?) won’t know how to prevent pregnancy without their [NARAL, Planned Parenthood, etc.] help.’ Why is it so hard to tell kids not to have sex or to communicate with their parents first? Incredibly, it’s NOT news that our children are being groomed to accept contraception and abortion agenda BEFORE they become an adult.
Denise Leipold, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life, Northeast Ohio: I was in absolute AWE of this woman’s testimony. It was given in love and honor of the unborn while trying to make real the truth of what Planned Parenthood really is. I have to summarize her testimony because there was so much information that I couldn’t have possibly taken good notes. She did not let Antonio or any of her ‘boys’ try to take her down, not even a tiny bit. Someday, I want to shake this woman’s hand and tell her THANK YOU.
Public Children Services Assoc. of Ohio called ‘Planned Parenthood a valuable partner’ with regard to poverty stricken teens; pregnancy, STD’s, ‘medically accurate information’ about contraception….to teach children ‘accurate biology’. Mentioned ‘Reducing the Risk’ initiative [PREP] with Planned Parenthood BY Public Children Services; they also use other resources that advocate LGBT Youth and says they have no opinion on abortion. It is easy to see that these people have access to our kids especially if they are in the system as foster kids, Welfare/Medicaid, or in crisis.
Stephanie Kight, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio called Planned Parenthood an ‘expert in reproductive healthcare’, cancer screenings, and being non-judgmental; ‘reproductive healthcare [abortion], yes….but cancer screenings? It has been PROVEN that PP does not, CAN NOT determine or treat cancer. PREP [Personal Responsibility Education Program] is being lauded as essential by Ms. Kight. She also claims Planned Parenthood to be ‘partners’ with local health departments to work together for a strong healthcare safety net which is code for ‘there is strength in numbers’. She adamantly says that abortion services are not funded with the federal money they accept through Title X which has been proven to be ‘inaccurate’… Does one pocket know what the other pocket is doing or spending? Ms. Kight did admit to being competitive with other health organizations to get more federal and state money. In Ohio, there are 27 PP clinics, 3 are surgical abortion facilities. Rep. Ron Maag (R) asked, “Why not let other providers perform abortions so you can get the money?” Kight says abortion services are a ‘good work’…..for whom? FYI: Title X pays for administrative costs and other services by abortion providers….yes, that pocket knows what the other pocket is doing. Don’t believe the sleight of hand tactics of Planned Parenthood.
And this is always my personal favorite….Jewish women that want the opportunity to kill their Jewish unborn child; a private holocaust: Marian Harris, Co-President National Council of Jewish Women, Columbus section: Interestingly, she says Jewish women should have the religious freedom to have reproductive health care and access to abortion. Yes, religious freedom to kill their own unborn…figure that out. Jewish women make up about 1-2% of all abortions.
A board member of Planned Parenthood says that PP builds ‘healthy communities’. And she’s pregnant. Again, explain to me how killing is healthy.
Tanja R., a private citizen: “I’m poor, underserved and uninsured.” OF COURSE she is a HUGE supporter of PP and takes her 13 year old daughter to PP to get birth control FOR MEDICAL REASONS. How does a 13 year old CHILD NEED MEGA DOSES OF HORMONES? And this was confusing…somehow PP is vital to her diabetic health AND grateful for PP’s stance on abortion that she continued with her pregnancy? I’m not sure I can follow that train of ‘thought’. BUT WOW. Nice way to teach your daughter.
OBSERVATION: It appeared that a bottle of Pepto exploded in the Committee Room…
Samira Deeb, an outreach worker: Immigrants needs Planned Parenthood because of fear of hospitals? SERIOUSLY? I had to have heard that wrong.
Jessica R., a private citizen supports Planned Parenthood 100% and said, “As a black woman, I don’t agree with the beginning of Planned Parenthood.” So, she is aware of the hideous roots of the abortion industry…eugenics to rid the world of ‘human weeds’.
John T. Coats II, ORTL Executive Director: Mentioned there are 130 local health districts in the state that provides screenings and family planning which are NOT Planned Parenthood or an abortion provider that the money can go to. Community Health Centers sees 500K clients; true primary health care – ACTUAL medical services, not PP. Encourages children, support working poor and elderly at little or no cost to the patient. PP does NOT provide complete medical care. He also commented that we need to move the money from the abortion industry back to actual health care providers. PP does not do mammograms EVER. Planned Parenthood’s net worth is over 1 BILLION. Tax payers contribute 1 MILLION per day to PP. Planned Parenthood does not exist in rural Ohio as PP testified earlier. 99% of pregnant women that go to PP get abortions, not prenatal care or adoption referrals. Women identify Planned Parenthood with abortion and do not offer free care as pregnancy centers do. NOTE: While I have never been a fan of ORTL because they do not back ALL PROLIFE LEGISLATION, I did like Mr. Coat’s fervor with his testimony. It was informational and dead-on correct.
Ashton Stubblefield, a private citizen and student: Does not recommend Planned Parenthood, especially to her friends. She also commented that Planned Parenthood does not offer actual healthcare along with prescribing medicines for things such and high cholesterol which is important to uninsured students and young people. I found her testimony to be a great big breath of fresh air! It’s so nice to see young people that get what Planned Parenthood and abortion really is. I think we’ll hear much more about her in the future.
Beth Vanderkooi, Executive Director GCRTL: Passing a law does not eradicate a behavior [re abortion]. She mentioned that abortion should be unthinkable and that society has fundamentally failed women. Women need ALL basic health services, not just reproductive healthcare. I’m glad she brought up the huge GRAPHIC [use your own imagination] ‘lady parts’ photo display that was endorsed by the University of Cincinnati; it was hideous and demoralized ALL women. Ms. Vanderkooi also says to give women a BETTER choice, a full range of health services, not just family planning services. Now this is where it got weird….why did Ramos ask Ms. Vanderkooi about public transportation?
Karen Rainey, AAUW [American Association of University Women] of Ohio: The AAUW supports Planned Parenthood for cancer screening [nonexistent]. She also claims we are playing politics with women’s health. Worried about needy families in deep poverty? Incredible that women like this can wake up in the morning, look themselves in the mirror and really believe that they are doing a good work that actually hurts and kills: “Like it or not, abortion may be the best choice for her family,” she quips. Other testimonies from AAUW: http://aauwoh.org/aauwoh/advocacy/public-policy/statewide-public-policy-advocacy/
This always proves that we have MANY organizations and non-profits under the radar that support and testify for abortion rights. I’m still stymied at how few prolifers were there – I wasn’t aware of committee hearing testimony until I saw it on television.
To our legislators: We cannot change one thing if we don’t know about it. The communication between elected Representatives and Ohio citizens is nearly non-existent. How can we change that? What does the Statehouse have to do to make us part of the process? And if our State Representative is on these committees, why aren’t they giving us a head’s up on upcoming testimonies and debates? It’s too bad that most people think this is what we are paying our legislators to do FOR us instead of being part of the process as it was meant to be.
To summarize…Planned Parenthood was positioned there perfectly because certain Representatives gave them time to prepare for it and had pre-written ‘questions’ to ask PP to emphasize their allegiance to PP and its agenda. How much more prolifers could have done if we’d had the chance to circle the wagons like PP did. This has been eye-opening and sobering. HOWEVER we do have a Republican majority in the House and Senate so I am quite sure that this sideshow of Planned Parenthood was essentially ignored as rhetoric.
But be advised that much is going on in your Statehouse and you have a right to know and a right to be involved.
keeplifelegal.com 