On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood, in addition to two other “reproductive rights” groups, filed suit against the Trump administration over funding and sex education issues. The complaint filed by PP takes issue with the change in Title X funding that occurred in February of this year as well as the shift toward natural family planning and abstinence education.

According to their most recent annual report, the nation’s largest abortion provider received more than half a billion in federal funds during the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Specifically, they collected $543.7 million in reimbursements and grants.

And that money comes out of the pockets of taxpayers.

National Review reports, emphasis mine.

Planned Parenthood sued the Trump administration Wednesday over changes to federal Title X family-planning grants, claiming that the administration’s emphasis on abstinence and natural family planning will compromise the health of millions of Americans.

Two other reproductive-rights groups — the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association and the American Civil Liberties Union — filed a separate lawsuit Wednesday, which also challenges the new Title X guidance issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in February.

The HHS directive, known as a Federal Opportunity Announcement, emphasizes natural family planning, otherwise known as “fertility awareness,” but does not mention contraception. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Planned Parenthood affiliates in Wisconsin, Utah, and Ohio, alleges that the change in emphasis unfairly disadvantages organizations that provide contraception and STD screenings using Title X funds.

First of all, how horrible to focus on abstinence and natural family planning. How utterly responsible. These are not bad strategies in combating unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. However, to Planned Parenthood, which places itself in urban centers and preys upon the desperate, these approaches are unwanted. They cut out the need for a “reproductive rights” overlord who will most likely encourage young women to go through with the most extreme form of birth control: abortion.

PP is in the business of ending lives. Just look at other statistics from their latest report:

• Abortions: 321,384
• Prenatal services: 7,762
• Pap Tests: 281,063
• Miscarriage Care: 1,182 (ironic)
• Adoption Referrals: 3,889

Yes, PP clinics also do STI testing, HIV testing, and offer various treatments, but abortion is still their main source of revenue. Even on their website, they list the cost of a first-trimester abortion as up to $1,500.

If the federal government is encouraging better sexual health that won’t result in pregnancy and may even decrease STI and STDs, wouldn’t that be a good thing? Yes, it would. But Planned Parenthood has never been interested in the good of others. They desire to preach and perform their narrative and ask that you, the taxpayer, fund a portion of it.

LifeNews reports:

Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins slammed the lawsuit as based in “greed.”

“Planned Parenthood and abortion vendors seem terrified that people will discover just how easy it will be to live a healthy life without them,” Hawkins said.

Mallory Quigley, vice president of communications at Susan B. Anthony List, also criticized the abortion group for having an entitlement mentality.

“Clearly they view the Title X Family Planning Program as their personal slush fund,” Quigley told NPR, “to which only they are entitled for propping up their massive abortion enterprise.”

As far as sex education goes, it is clear that Planned Parenthood does not care about responsible practices.

In February, CBS also highlighted a group of North Carolina parents’ concerns. They said Planned Parenthood’s “Get Real” curriculum “encourages sixth graders to feel ‘comfortable and ready’ for sex. The petition says the curriculum provides flash cards outlining proper condom usage, for ‘vaginal, oral or anal sex’ and recommends the usage of ‘non-microwavable saran wrap’ as a prophylactic for certain non-reproductive sex acts.”

This is a damaging curriculum for children, teens, and young adults.

We live in a “feel good” society that attempts to remove responsibility from sexual acts. When those acts result in creating another human life, Planned Parenthood is only eager to step in and say, “We have a permanent solution!” Encouraging the dreaded concept called waiting, whether for marriage or through natural planning, is a good thing.

More of it, please.

While I commend the Trump administration for their attempts to redirect funds from those vendors who deal in abortion, we should not be talking about funding them – in any measure – in the first place. 

As my colleague, Sarah Quinlan, wrote recently, there has been absolutely no progress on the promise to defund Planned Parenthood. While he was a candidate, President Trump claimed he would defund the abortion provider. Other Republicans in Congress have made similar statements.

Shame on all of them for not working tirelessly to see this through. I thought the GOP was the party of life? Silly me. That must just be a great campaign slogan to lure pro-lifers into the voting booths.

Over the past few years, Planned Parenthood has inadvertently shown that they do not require taxpayer funding to survive. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Fundraising is quite strong on the pro-abort side. Their lawsuit shuns responsibility and simultaneously asks that we give them more.

Absolutely not.

However, the real problem is that we give them a single dime in the first place.

The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent those of any other individual or entity. Follow Kimberly Ross on Twitter: @southernkeeks.