Saturday, September 19, 2015

Tension Mounts Between Boehner and Jordan Over Planned Parenthood Defunding



Tension Mounts Between Boehner and Jordan Over Planned Parenthood Defunding
by Dr. Susan Berry 19 Sep 2015
Tension is mounting between House Speaker Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) 35% and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) 92% – both of Ohio – over strategy on how to defund Planned Parenthood in the wake of revelations about the abortion giant’s organ harvesting practices.

Though ten videos have been released exposing the abortion provider’s booming business in the sale of baby parts, Boehner and other House leaders chose to push through the House a stand-alone bill to freeze Planned Parenthood’s federal funding for one year, rather than attach a bill to defund the organization to a must-pass spending bill.

Both Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) 52% have dismissed any strategy that would allow Democrats and the liberal media to blame Republicans for a government shutdown over the elimination or redirection of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding.

According to Cincinnati.com, Boehner met with pastors from his home district in Ohio who are concerned that Republican leaders in Congress are not putting the responsibility to veto a spending bill that defunds Planned Parenthood on President Obama.

One pastor, Dale Christian of First Baptist Church in Troy, reported that Boehner would not commit to eliminating the abortion business’ taxpayer funding if it meant an ensuing government shutdown. Boehner’s aides, however, denied the speaker was that specific about ruling out particular tactics.

“His message to the pastors from our area, to his colleagues and to the American people has consistently been that he is working to hold abortion providers accountable for their horrific practices and advance the pro-life cause,” said Olivia Hnat, a spokeswoman for Boehner.

However, Jordan, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, wants Republicans to show moral courage in their convictions about the horrific and gruesome practices of Planned Parenthood as shown in the recent investigative videos.

“Sometime in the next 13 days, everyone’s going to have to face a pretty fundamental question: Are we going to continue to allow taxpayer dollars to go to this organization?” Jordan said in an interview Thursday. “The right thing is they should not be getting another dime.”

The House Freedom Caucus said in a statement last week:

Given the appalling revelations surrounding Planned Parenthood, we cannot in good moral conscience vote to send taxpayer money to this organization while still fulfilling our duty to represent our constituents. We must therefore oppose any spending measure that contains funding for Planned Parenthood.

The caucus’ strategy would force a decision of whether to fund the government without providing taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood on President Obama, who has already said he would not sign any spending bill that does not include funding for the abortion giant.

The Ohio pastors reportedly also met with Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) 96% of the House Freedom Caucus, who had called for a vote for a new speaker.

Other House Republicans – even those who are not members of the Freedom Caucus – have agreed that GOP leaders must not compromise the Party’s pro-life convictions for seeming political expediency.

“I am one who wants to defund Planned Parenthood, and I will go to virtually any lengths to do that,” said Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, who is not a member of the Freedom Caucus.

Jordan agreed that if Senate Democrats and Obama choose to block any spending bill that eliminates funding for Planned Parenthood, the responsibility for an ensuing government shutdown is theirs.

“No one wants a shutdown,” Jordan said. “If the president says ‘No, we insist, we demand … that money” go to Planned Parenthood, “that is indefensible. Our position is so logical, so common sense. If we’re willing to fully commit to it and to having the debate, then we’ll win.”

On Thursday, House GOP leaders reportedly reviewed polling data with Republican members that suggested they would be blamed for a government shutdown if Obama and Democrats refused to give up funding for Planned Parenthood. The “blaming,” however, would take place through the lens of a liberal media that has covered for Planned Parenthood despite its many ethical and legal violations throughout the years. As has already occurred, whenever Planned Parenthood’s practices are questioned, Democrats and the liberal media reignite the “war on women” narrative that essentially casts the abortion business as “women’s healthcare” – when it actually provides minimal “healthcare” – but is the nation’s largest provider of abortions.

While Jordan supports the premise of the stand-alone bill passed by the House on Friday to redirect funding from Planned Parenthood to healthcare facilities that do not provide abortions, he asserts the strategy places Congress in a weakened position.

Stand-alone bills “don’t involve us using the ultimate power that we have at the legislative branch, and that is the power over spending,” he said, adding that the continued tension between House leadership and conservative Republicans over Planned Parenthood and other high-profile issues has been getting increased attention.

“I think the whole country is watching,” Jordan said.

Planned Parenthood
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Note: George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a contributor for MoveOn.org, and married in 2013.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and Media Matters.  
Jack Valenti was a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a member of the Burning Tree Club.
Ann McLaughlin Korologos was a chair emeritus for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and is married to Tom C. Korologos.
Tom C. Korologos is married to Ann McLaughlin Korologos, and a member of the Burning Tree Club.
John A. Boehner is a member of the Burning Tree Club, the speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives, and was a sponsor for the No Child Left Behind Act.
Margaret Spellings was the architect for the No Child Left Behind Act, and is the U.S. program advisory panel member for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Nelson Smith was the federal negotiator for the No Child Left Behind Act, and the president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Raben Group is the lobby firm for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and was the lobby firm for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a national partner with America Votes.
Kirk Adams is the international EVP for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), married to Cecile Richards, and was an organizing director at the AFL-CIO.
Cecile Richards is married to Kirk Adams, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, was the founder & president of America Votes, and Nancy Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund is a national partner with America Votes.
AFL-CIO is a national partner with America Votes.
NARAL Pro-Choice America is a national partner with America Votes.
Ilyse Hogue is the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, a senior adviser for Media Matters, and was a director of political advocacy for MoveOn.org.
Nancy Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff was Cecile Richards, was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception, is the minority leader for the U.S. House of Representatives, and Terri McCullough is her chief of staff.
Terri McCullough is Nancy Pelosi’s chief of staff, and married to Howard Wolfson.
Howard Wolfson is married to Terri McCullough, Michael R. Bloomberg’s adviser, was a contributor for Fox News, and a partner at the Glover Park Group.
Media Matters monitors Fox News.
Glover Park Group is the lobby firm for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Michael R. Bloomberg’s adviser is Howard Wolfson, and is the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.
Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Jack Valenti was a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a member of the Burning Tree Club.
Ann McLaughlin Korologos was a chair emeritus for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and is married to Tom C. Korologos.
Tom C. Korologos is married to Ann McLaughlin Korologos, and a member of the Burning Tree Club.
John A. Boehner is a member of the Burning Tree Club, the speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives, and was a sponsor for the No Child Left Behind Act.
Margaret Spellings was the architect for the No Child Left Behind Act, and is the U.S. program advisory panel member for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

No comments: