“Planned Parenthood is all about profits”

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland scolded Iowa Republicans for lacking compassion. Why? Because they want to strip taxpayer funding from Planned Parenthood.

Jenifer Bowen, executive director, Iowa Right to Life, Des Moines, responded in this morning’s Register, which I excerpt below in a question & answer format.

Does expanded taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood really reduce the quantity of abortions as they suggest it will?

“In her recent column (April 28) Planned Parenthood of the Heartland CEO Jill June again makes the false claim that Planned Parenthood’s family planning efforts reduce the need for abortion in Iowa.

Here is the problem: Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s abortion business is growing exponentially. In Iowa alone, Planned Parenthood aborts the equivalent of a kindergarten class every two days. According to Planned Parenthood’s own numbers, the organization did 4,792 abortions in 2009, up from 2,898 in 2002. Planned Parenthood’s most recent numbers, which also include two locations in Nebraska and two in Arkansas that do abortions, brought their abortion total to 6,361 for fiscal year 2011.”

So is it just right-wing, pro-life extremists at work here meddling with women’s “reproductive health?”

“The other problem for Jill June is the nationwide movement to defund Planned Parenthood is not led by “out of touch extreme legislators” here in Iowa, as she suggests, but former Planned Parenthood employees. People like Iowa’s Sue Thayer, who was the former manager of Planned Parenthood in Storm Lake, Catherine Adair from Massachusetts and Abby Johnson from Texas all have the same message: They worked for Planned Parenthood because they wanted to reduce unintended pregnancies, but later felt betrayed when they realized Planned Parenthood’s real goal was to grow profits by increasing its abortion business.

Adair said recently, “The first thing they do at Planned Parenthood is take your money. Before you speak to a counselor, they ask about how you will pay.”

Does Planned Parenthood shoot straight with women contemplating an abortion?

“All three women have said Planned Parenthood withholds vital information from women that would lead them not to abort. Adair said Planned Parenthood employees were not allowed to use the words “baby” or “fetus” with women and were to describe the abortion as, “The doctor will gently extract the contents of the uterus.” Planned Parenthood drives abortion profits by misleading women.”

So what is really going on here?

“Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is a wealthy organization. June herself makes over $265,000 a year. Planned Parenthood reaps over $6 million in taxpayer funds annually in Iowa. And while the Susan G. Komen organization continues to lose money nationwide after being bullied by Planned Parenthood to restore funding, Jill June boasted in a recent Planned Parenthood of the Heartland publication how Planned Parenthood of the Heartland netted $21,000 in donations from the controversy.

Make no mistake. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is all about profits. If their intention is to reduce abortions in Iowa, they have failed miserably, because their abortion business is increasing, at the expense of the women they mislead. Women in Iowa deserve better.”

Thanks to Jenifer Bowen for her ongoing leadership in Iowa to promote the cause of Life.