[PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was a reporter for the Daily Astorian (in Astoria, Oregon) and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as an Oregon state government manager and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing pubic policy – to what I write. If you are reading this, thanks for doing so and please don’t hesitate to respond so we can engage in a dialogue, not just a monologue.]
The answer should be a simple and resounding no.
The first evidence was verification that the organization had sold baby body parts for a profit. Alone, that stunning news should have prompted supporters to become opponents.
To Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, it was enough, though she had a pro-life stance already. As columnist Frank Bruni wrote, “Even if she had said nothing else at the CNN debate, Fiorina would have stood out for her gut-punch of a statement about the horror of the guerrilla Planned Parenthood videos capturing the ghoulish organ harvesting that is an important side business of the organization (the main business, of course, is aborting babies).”
The second evidence against Planned Parenthood emerged in media coverage of the organization’s first appearance before a Congressional committee, the House Oversight Committee. The leader of the committee said that the Planned Parenthood had engaged in huge amounts of spending on entertainment and travel.
Here is an excerpt from a story that appeared in the newsletter, The Hill:
‘The head of the House Oversight Committee is accusing Planned Parenthood of misspending more than $40 million in federal dollars on “lavish” travel, theme parties and a costly Manhattan office.
“Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) on Tuesday accused the organization of racking up “exorbitant travel expenses,” including first-class flights, charter travel and entertainment costs that included $622,706 on “blowout parties” with celebrity guests.
Some of the themed parties had names such as “Gathering of Goddesses and Gods,” “Chocolate Champagne” and “Murder Mystery,” according to a report released by the committee during the hearing Tuesday.
“The findings were the results of a months-long investigation into Planned Parenthood’s spending, in which the committee analyzed several years of tax returns.
‘Chaffetz also questioned the salary of Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, who appeared before his panel for the first time on Tuesday.
“’That’s money that’s not going to women’s healthcare,’” Chaffetz said.
“The Oversight report details Planned Parenthood’s total of $5,109,997 on travel in 2013, which averaged approximately $14,000 a day.
“The committee’s report also noted Planned Parenthood’s real estate holdings, including $34.8 million for its corporate office space near Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2011. In 2015, it sold a 72,000 square-foot condominium to Brookfield Property Partners for $69.6 million.“
Again, even these revelations didn’t prompt Democrats to change their views. Consider this quote from The Hill about comments from the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee:
“’I find it totally inappropriate and discriminatory,” Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said. “I’ve never seen a witness beaten up and questioned…’”
From the standpoint of general government spending, there should be no question but that Planned Parenthood should lose its place at the trough.
Add to that the heinous selling of baby parts and the action is even more clear – kill the funding.
Perspective from the 19th Hole 