War On Women

This year as Congress prepares it annual budget, most Americans are expecting cuts in many of the programs that serve some of the greatest good for our country.  Some of you, like me, may have only recently heard that Planned Parenthood is one organization that on the chopping block for budget cuts. While some trimming of their public funding is unfortunate but understandable, conservatives in the House of Representatives have recently taken up an initiative to cut all of the $371 million dollars of federal aid for family planning (nytimes.com).  This course of action will put millions of low-income women at risk.

If you didn't already decipher my political leanings from my previous blogs when I mentioned my involvement in the College of Democrats.. you guessed it I'm a Democrat.  However, I was also raised Roman Catholic and am ProLife when matters of abortion are discussed.  I wanted to make this clear because true debate on an issue is often avoided with the use of these tags.  In fact it is similar to the situation taking place in Congress as our representatives immediately tag Planned Parenthood with abortion.

I am strongly opposed to cutting out the family planning budget, or making large cuts that will defeat its purpose.  I will start by saying that none of the public funding for Planned Parenthood goes towards abortion. It is currently restricted by the government.  However it does go towards contraceptives, family planning, H.I.V counseling, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, cancer screening and other services.  These services are especially utilized by low-income women who cannot afford reproductive health care on their own.  The Conservative members of the House of Representatives have initiated a war on these women by moving to cut the entire family planning budget.

Most of us, luckily, are able to afford this type of care, and if we are unable to, our parents can. However, each of us can think of a friend, or even themselves, that has used Planned Parenthood as a minor in order to receive discounted contraceptives to avoid an accidental pregnancy.  That is one reason why the conservative's movement should alarm and bring us into action.  Why else should it matter to us?  Well, if over five-million unprotected and uncared-for women is not enough to move you to act, consider what Susan Cohen from the Guttmacher Institute, a research institute said, "For every dollar spent on contraception for low-income women, the government saves four dollars in medical costs within the next year by averting unwanted pregnancies"

Seems like the conservatives in Congress are thinking a little backward to me...Save one dollar now to spend four later doesn't sound like a sound economic plan. Their thinking is short-sighted and extremely dangerous for women.  If you feel strongly like I do about this event help raise public awareness of it, and let your Congressmen know that you do not support these type of cuts.  The public voice can make a difference and the College of Democrats will be hosting an event soon to raise awareness of the growing War on Women.