March 8, 2011
Senator Chambliss,
Thank you for your response to my letter. However, it contained a number of misleading or inaccurate statements.
No federal dollars provided to Planned Parenthood directly fund abortions. Your personal objection to safe, legal abortions does not excuse your cutting off funding for life-saving pap smears, breast cancer screening, prenatal care, and treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. For many poor women, Planned Parenthood provides the only medical care they can afford.
Yes, life is fragile, including the life of our mothers, daughters, and sisters, who do not deserve to die from an undetected cancer or untreated illness, the inevitable result of Republican efforts to demonize and defund Planned Parenthood.
The poor women who disproportionately benefit from Planned Parenthood did not receive the massive tax cuts that you, sir, are on record as saying would pay for themselves and grow the economy. After waves of tax cuts for the very rich, our economy not only stagnated, but went through one the worst crisis since the 1930s. Tax cuts broke the budget and did nothing to prevent a painful recession. They should not know be financed by cutting off poor women's healthcare.
As you should know (or your staff could inform you), only 3% of Planned Parenthood's activities involve the termination of unintended pregnancies. They prevent over 3 abortions for every abortion performed, so shuttering Planned Parenthood clinics will lead to more abortions, not fewer.
You may disagree with a woman's right to access safe, legal abortion services, but you have no right to cut off funding for all women's health services. Massive tax cuts for hedge fund managers and CEOs should not be paid for by slashing services for the least among us.
Sincerely,
Mark Vakkur, MD
2200 Century Parkway
Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30345
On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 7:02 PM, Saxby Chambliss wrote:
Senator Chambliss,
Thank you for your response to my letter. However, it contained a number of misleading or inaccurate statements.
No federal dollars provided to Planned Parenthood directly fund abortions. Your personal objection to safe, legal abortions does not excuse your cutting off funding for life-saving pap smears, breast cancer screening, prenatal care, and treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. For many poor women, Planned Parenthood provides the only medical care they can afford.
Yes, life is fragile, including the life of our mothers, daughters, and sisters, who do not deserve to die from an undetected cancer or untreated illness, the inevitable result of Republican efforts to demonize and defund Planned Parenthood.
The poor women who disproportionately benefit from Planned Parenthood did not receive the massive tax cuts that you, sir, are on record as saying would pay for themselves and grow the economy. After waves of tax cuts for the very rich, our economy not only stagnated, but went through one the worst crisis since the 1930s. Tax cuts broke the budget and did nothing to prevent a painful recession. They should not know be financed by cutting off poor women's healthcare.
As you should know (or your staff could inform you), only 3% of Planned Parenthood's activities involve the termination of unintended pregnancies. They prevent over 3 abortions for every abortion performed, so shuttering Planned Parenthood clinics will lead to more abortions, not fewer.
You may disagree with a woman's right to access safe, legal abortion services, but you have no right to cut off funding for all women's health services. Massive tax cuts for hedge fund managers and CEOs should not be paid for by slashing services for the least among us.
Sincerely,
Mark Vakkur, MD
2200 Century Parkway
Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30345
On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 7:02 PM, Saxby Chambliss
Dear Mr. Vakkur:
Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns about Planned Parenthood's funding and activities. It is good to hear from you.
As you are aware, the American people spoke clearly on November 2, 2010 when they said that the unbridled federal spending must stop, and that we should be critical of how our federal tax dollars are spent. My moral convictions prevent me from supporting abortion and I believe that federal tax dollars should not be used for abortions. I feel that a significant portion of Americans agree with me.
As a father and grandfather, I understand the value, fragility, and miracle of small helpless lives. I am adamantly opposed to abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is in danger. I assure you that my votes in the United States Senate will reflect these beliefs and that I will always vote in favor of life.
Should any legislation regarding Planned Parenthood come before the Senate for consideration, please be assured that I will keep your views in mind.
2 comments:
You have some misconceptions about Planned Parenthood. It's easy to see why, as they have no problem lying to the public about what they do. PP does NOT provide mammograms. They are not some sort of philanthropic women's health care organization. They simply aren't, but it's been a great front for years while they pull in money covering for pimps and abusers of under-age girls. They never question who is bringing an underage girl in for an abortion - never. Apparently, the law doesn't apply to them. Call any one of their affiliates around the country. Not a single one offers mammograms. Money is fungible. If you really believe taxpayer money doesn't go to fund abortions, you are kidding yourself. An interesting link for you: http://barefootandpregnantblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-woman-in-crisis-really-needs.html
Some Planned Parenthood centers do provide mammograms directly, but most refer. For poor women seeking healthcare it is the same thing, since one cannot walk in off the street and request a mammogram; rather, an initial evaluation and breast exam done (which Planned Parenthood does) then a referral made for the mammogram. This is the same thing. For many women in underserved areas, no Planned Parenthood, no mammogram. Yes, money is fungible, but defunding an entire organization for a minority of its activity (which is safe and legal, by the way - you really have no standing to demand it not provide this service among others) is illogical and immoral. My state executes people, but I still must pay my fungible state taxes despite my objections. I must pay my federal taxes despite my objection to many aspects of foreign policy, water-boarding, torture, etc. The fact that "only" 4% of my tax dollars go directly to the military does not allow me (nor would I advocate) defunding the government entirely, yet for a smaller proportional objection, those opposed to Planned Parenthood would throw out the baby with the bathwater.
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