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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Planned Parenthood threatened
This is scary stuff. I urge everyone to read about this and sign the petition.
Re: Planned Parenthood threatened
I just can't support cutting funding to a company that provides necessary services (STD testing, birth control, pap tests, pregnancy tests) to people who need it and may not have insurance.
I don't love that they provide abortion services since that would not be an option for myself. However, I do believe that every woman has a right to choose, even if that option isn't for myself.
Federal funds don't go to abortions, so what is wrong with providing exams, screenings, and bc?
I find it funny how the tea partiers lament "all the money" that is spent on social programs but don't bat an eye at the subsidies to big oil. Where in the Constitution does it say we need to help out Big Oil?
I would honestly like to hear what your viewpoint is. I have not been able to understand why people believe it is a good idea to cut funding for an organization that provides affordable contraception to millions of people who cannot otherwise afford it. It seems to me this will only result in more unwanted pregnancies and more abortions.
Planned Parenthood provides sexual and reproductive health care, education, and information to more than five million women, men, and adolescents worldwide each year.
-- I understand that Republicans feel that these cuts in Federal spending are necessary in order to reduce our national debt, but cutting PP's spending will negatively affect over 5 MILLION people. I would like to see if they are suggesting an alternative, so that these people don't go without services.
Planned Parenthood provides nearly one million Pap tests and more than 830,000 breast exams each year, critical services in detecting cancer.
-- Think of the "cost" of an extra 830,000 women/year living with breast cancer without their knowledge.
Planned Parenthood provides nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
-- I'm scared for our children if these testing services are no longer at their fingertips, because PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX, regardless if abstinence is being taught in schools. It's scary enough that 1 in 4 women have/will have an STI of some kind.
Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services.
-- Abortion is a LEGAL option. That's all I'm going to say. Whether or not you agree with it, Federal funding doesn't pay for it... so I really don't see the issue.
I happily signed the petition. I also used PP in college when I needed BC pills. I paid for it out of pocket, even though I was on my mom's insurance, because I felt that it was a private matter and I didn't want to include my mom.
They provide a necessary and appreciated service to the community. As long as the health care system is the way it is, there are going to be uninsured people who need these services.
I am also pro-choice. I have no problem sharing that, not that I think anyone would be surprised by that information.
Very well-said! I will never understand those who feel it is okay to deny basic needs to others so long as their own needs are met.
ETA: Tavia, please don't think I'm accusing you of this. I'm not sure what your reasons are, but I totally respect you not wanting to discuss it on a message board. I just meant this statement in general.
I don't feel like I have much to add besides these points.
ETA: Like Boymom, it's not an option to me due to my personal religious/spiritual beliefs. But I still want abortion legal and accessible, and I REALLY want PP to still be able to offer the preventive care (pelvic exams, paps, birth control, etc.) to any woman in need.
I actually think everyone has been really calm about this subject so far. They don't want to spend the money...I'm not really sure what you're asking and don't want to sound like a smart@ss accidentally, so I would suggest looking it up for yourself.
Kellyn,
It's part of the government spending bill the House passed this week. The bill cuts federal funding to hundreds of programs and projects.
CNN article
Fox News article
is npr and pbs getting unfunded? I heard something about that proposal. Npr has interesting stories.
As some of you may or may not know, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer during spring break of my 21st year. Guess how I found out? A pap at Planned Parenthood. Well, its a longer story than that but it was found in the very, very early stages and taken care of and I am STILL ALIVE because of the Planned Parenthood assistance.
I find it interesting that this program caters to women and is one of the first programs on the chopping block - kind of reminds me how, at one time, birth control wasn't covered by most insurance programs but viagra was.
stripes!! I had no idea. I'm so sorry that happened...that had to have been really scary. Three cheers for Planned Parenthood!
I didn't know this. I'm so glad for you that it was caught and taken care of so early!
I was just saying to DH--I feel like this kind of takes us back half a century in terms of women's health care and rights with limited access to birth control, lack of knowledge regarding family planning, preventive care, etc.
I realize this was all part of a huge spending cut bill, so I know I need to step back and look at it with some fiscal perspective.
Here is some fiscal perspective: The amount of funding that is in the proposal to be cut from Title X to Planned Parenthood is about $75 million. The total federal budget is near $3.8 trillion. That means that the money they are proposing to cut to PP is approximately two/one-hundred-thousandths of a percent (or 0.0000197368) of the total budget. To put it in better perspective, an equal percentage of $52,000 (which was about the median U.S. income in 2008) would be $1.03.
ETA: Stripes, I am also glad that they were able to catch your cancer so early and treat it effectively. Thanks for sharing that and highlighting one of the reasons why it is so important to keep Planned Parenthood's services available to women.
I am truly interested in hearing the reasonings for being "for" this particular federal cut.
This is a program that, in the long-run, SAVES its citizens billions of dollars. Revaming the welfare program, for instance, would be a better solution and would be more fiscally conservative in the long run (not getting rid of - REVAMPING). Getting rid of the flawed income tax system and putting a consumption tax in its place would also be a better long-term solution. Of course, cutting this program out all together is 'easiest' so by all means.....