This is a big deal. Or it’s the first step of a really big deal.
The Senate has passed a bill saying that states can redirect federal funds away from Planned Parenthood to other clinics. It’s not the defunding of Planned Parenthood that we want but it’s a step. But that isn’t stopping the media from screaming, distorting, lying, and obfuscating the news.
Politico’s headline is “Pence breaks tie in Senate vote targeting Planned Parenthood funding.” Gotta’ love the word “target” right? But the federal government isn’t targeting Planned Parenthood. In fact, all they’re doing is allowing states to fund health clinics in the way they believe will be best.
Of course, in their story, the first two Senators quoted are the two pro-abortion Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski. That’s objective journalism, right?
PBS ran a wholly misleading headline by saying “Why the Senate voted to block funding for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.” They didn’t vote to block funding. I want them to but that’s not what happened here. They said states were free to not give money to Planned Parenthood.
Even Planned Parenthood itself says this is not about defunding Planned Parenthood.
This attack on health care doesn't "defund" PP, but it does undo protections for family planning care under #TitleX: https://t.co/9rhKBqv0cL pic.twitter.com/XdD7DKvGde
— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) March 31, 2017
Can we think about this for a second. All this news and brouhaha and outcry and gnashing of teeth and all that happened is that states are free to not give taxpayer money to a certain group. That’s all.
All the media is talking about “defunding” Planned Parenthood or “withholding” funding. None of them are talking to these other women’s health clinics that might be in line for some funding now that hadn’t receive any before. Hmmm. How about that angle?
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