Texas’s Fight against Planned Parenthood

With the election and Hurricane Sandy sucking up most of the news oxygen, you may have missed the epic showdown in Texas going on between Rick Perry’s administration and Planned Parenthood.

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The Texas legislature passed a law last session (2011) prohibiting any state tax dollars from going to abortion providers or their affiliates. In short – Texans shouldn’t have to fund the killing of babies against their will. You would think that even the abortionists and feminists out there would appreciate that this is fair enough, but of course not.

The feds have their hands in it too. Federal taxpayers fund much of the womens’ health program – and thus, traditionally Planned Parenthood – through a Medicaid waiver from Washington. So, Texas requested to maintain its program while excluding Planned Parenthood. How do you think that request went? Not surprisingly, federal HHS denied it.

So, Governor Perry decided to fund the women’s health program with entirely Texas money and tell Washington to stuff it.

Planned Parenthood trotted on down to the last resort for child killers thwarted by the will of the people – that is, the court system. Not just one court of course — when suing for fictitious rights or favorable interpretations of the law, you have to increase your odds by suing in multiple courts under multiple theories.

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You see – it’s far more important to Planned Parenthood that it continue to be able to push women into abortions than it is for the Texas Women’s Health Program to continue to operate. They don’t really care about women’s health – they care about abortion and the taxpayer money they suck in to promote more abortion.

The 5th Circuit sensibly said that Texas could shut out Planned Parenthood under the current program without violating the Constitution. In response, Governor Perry said, “[t]oday’s ruling affirms yet again that in Texas the Women’s Health Program has no obligation to fund Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform or promote abortion. In Texas we choose life, and we will immediately begin defunding all abortion affiliates to honor and uphold that choice.”

Planned Parenthood then sought sympathy from a local state judge in that bastion of common sense – Austin, Texas. I mean they may have great barbecue and great live music – but they also have a lot of crazy people, including judges.

The state judge – Amy Clark Meachum – took a whole 5 minutes to deliberate and then issued a Temporary Restraining Order with a $100 bond at the request of Planned Parenthood. Then it gets interesting. Who do you think is a Planned Parenthood supporter? Yep. The judge. She admitted so herself in open court before the hearing began. Did she recuse herself? No, of course not. Wouldn’t want to give anyone the idea she is impartial or anything like that.

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Planned Parenthood may continue to operate for now. But Texas is right to fight against Texas taxpayer money going to fund abortions. And Governor Perry, his newly appointed State HHSC Commissioner, Dr. Kyle Janek, and the Texas legislature should be applauded for this fight.

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