[TiepayWrary]

LA Times: http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla...pinion+Blog%29

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has voted to eliminate $317 million in federal funding for Planned Parenthood, not a nickel of which can or is spent on abortions, in spite of some of the political points that are scored by inferring that.

Republicans argued, as they have before, that putting so much as a nickel of federal money in Planned Parenthood -- which uses the money to provide services like reproductive health tests and checkups, pelvic and breast exams, infertility and safe-sex counseling to millions of women who can't afford them -- could actually be subsidizing abortions, because it's money that Planned Parenthood doesn't have to raise on its own to spend on those services.

One Republican-sponsored bill would even deny the standard federal tax credits to any private insurance plan that pays for abortions, the real motivation pretty obviously being to try to force those plans to drop coverage for a legal medical procedure. There are lots more bills along these lines, which purport to be about cutting the budget but that really, like the magician's trick of misdirection, are about cutting back women's reproductive rights.

...

And for you budget-conscious taxpayers: The Republican majority decided to let the Army go ahead and keep spending $7 million a year to sponsor a NASCAR driver.

[Rffkwfct]

No funding for basic women's health but $7 million for a NASCAR driver? Bro's before ho's, right guys?

[Sandvikla]

One has to wonder how this whole GOP culture war gambit will play out. A majority of the country favors many of the things they've declared a desire to kill.

[Annyllop21]

How's this for a compromise: For every dollar cut from Planned Parenthood, we cut either an equal dollar amount or percentage from faith-based support.

[BGThomasis]

Let them do it.

Then let them lose in 2012.