Forget About Planning Parenthood

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Author: Sarah Spinuzzi

Exploitation, the spread of HIV, sexual assault — this might sound like a list of scourges associated with the porn industry or some heinous crime, but really it is just business as usual in Washington. Some call the recent Pence Amendment to cut all funding for Planned Parenthood an attack on women. It ought to be called an attack on anyone who plans on having sex … ever. Face of the farthest right and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence has made it his life goal to decimate sexual health clinics across the country and has passed his amendment to cut all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. This amendment is morally reprehensible and fiscally irresponsible.   

This seek-and-destroy mission against Planned Parenthood and all Title X programs is just the first step in Pence’s war against Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that legalized abortion in the United States. It should be noted, however, that the federal funds received by Planned Parenthood do not go towards abortions at all, as this would be against the law.

The funds that the House decided to cut went towards HIV testing, breast exams, contraception and other basic sexual health necessities of all sexually active women.

If enacted, the women who cannot afford contraception and health exams will be expected to look elsewhere for their sexual health needs. The entire goal of Planned Parenthood is to make health care services affordable and accessible. The benefits include fewer unplanned pregnancies, prevention of STDs and HIV and fewer coat-hanger abortions. Apparently the GOP and 11 brain-dead Democrats think this is a terrible idea.

Proponents of the bill have strength in their arguments. They argue that the government needs to cut spending to reduce the national debt. This bill would immediately pay 0.0002 percent of the debt that has been accumulating, leaving only another 99.9998 percent to go! But the idea that this will actually save the government a dime is absurd. Women who cannot afford birth control or condoms probably cannot afford children either. Now the government gets to pay for the prenatal needs of mothers with unplanned pregnancies and the diapers too. The House can just plan on transferring funds to Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and other programs for low-income families with infants.

This plan to save money is like building a house out of straw to save on building materials.

Besides the huge chunk of money the government is saving, the GOP and other like-minded (or absent-minded) Democrats are also slowly eliminating abortion clinics because they have no respect for the opinion of the Supreme Court.

Who cares if they ruled that abortion must be legal 38 years ago? If they eliminate the clinics that provide the procedure, they do not really need to pay attention to the Roe v. Wade decision. Pence is not shy about his position either. On Feb. 17, the evening his amendment was passed, he said, “I long for the day that Roe v. Wade is sent to the ash heap of history, when we move past the broken hearts and broken lives of the past 38 years.”  

The real ash heap of history was the time before unmarried women had access to birth control. The ash heap of history was the time when women were forced to poison and harm themselves to escape an unplanned pregnancy. Let’s hope the Senate adds the Pence Amendment to the ash heap of history.

Sarah Spinuzzi is a sophomore philosophy major. She can be reached at spinuzzi@oxy.edu

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