America's Family Planning Programs

Planned Parenthood is an organization that provides healthcare and education to both men and women, having over 650 health centers that provide healthcare to countless communities around the world. Shockingly, 78% of those who use Planned Parenthoods services live at or below 150% of the federal poverty line, showing how important this organization is to low-income families (Topulos, Greene, Drazen). Their mission statement is “A Reason for Being”, which is shown through their efforts to provide health care, advocate public policies, create educational programs, and endorse research. There are those who do not believe Planned Parenthood should be funded by the government, though, due to the fact that they provide abortions to women in need. Studies show that the effects of not having Planned Parenthood available are disastrous, causing low-income families to lack a healthcare provider and the number of those who are infected with STD’s and STI’s to rise. The biggest concern communities have about the government defunding Planned Parenthood is the effects that it would have on low-income families who would no longer have access to something that many people take for granted: health care. Although many believe that Planned Parenthood mostly provides abortions, in reality, only 3% of the people that seek help from them receive an abortion, while 97% receive affordable and, in many cases,

Planned Parenthood is one of the most controversial businesses out there to date. If you were to get a group of ten random people, I would imagine that at least six of them have an opinion related to it, and all of them an opinion on abortion, another highly controversial subject. Why is Planned Parenthood so controversial? Why do so many people want to fight for defunding from the federal government for that entity? Abortions are the biggest reason.

The specific government spending program I have decided to talk about today is Panned Parenthood. This is one of the biggest issues in America due to the constant links between planned parenthood1. Planned parenthood, though funded by society, is also funded by the government. For many it is also considered basic health care for women. According to the Washington Post (2015) Planned Parenthood received $528.4 million from the government (this does include state, local, and federal money). That number makes it (the government) the largest funder for PP (planned parenthood) in 2014.

Choose one position on the topic that you learned about during your research. What are the “pros” or “arguments for” that position?

Planned Parenthood a program that has been servicing communities for over 100 years by providing sexual health care and preventative services for women and men is going to be possibly defunded by the government according to “the Grand Old Party”, or Republican Party. In an order to avoid government a shutdown in efforts to save federal funding, the government will defund Planned Parenthood for one year to create financial savings. According to the Washington Post, “Planned Parenthood receives about $500 million annually from the government (Paquette, 2015, p.1)”. The bill that is subject to pass by the government, “prohibits for a one-year period, the availability of federal funds for any purpose to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. or any of its affiliates or clinics, unless they certify that the affiliates and clinics will not perform, and will not provide any funds to any other entity that performs, an abortion during such period. The restriction will not apply in cases of rape or incest or where a physical condition endangers a woman’s life unless an abortion is performed (H.R.3134 - 114th Congress, 2015-2016).”

The Title X Family Planning program was enacted in 1970 as Title X of the Public Health Service Act (Public Law 91-572 Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs). Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs (OPA) oversees the Title X program (U.S. Department of Human Services, 2014).

When the name, “Planned Parenthood”, comes into conversation, the first thing to come to one’s mind it simply: abortion. The current controversy is that Planned Parenthood should not be funded by the government because its use of money to the perspective of the public eye. Because the company is so highly associated with abortions, taxpayers bring up the fact that the government should not be funding companies like Planned Parenthood due to their affiliation with the medical fields including abortion. However, Planned Parenthood should continue to receive funding because despite getting government aid, the establishment is so much more.

For nearly a century, Planned Parenthood has opened its doors to a myriad of women from all stations in life to provide health education and services. Women flock to Planned Parenthood due to its affordability, confidentiality, and the generous amount of support this organization supplies. Allegations have been made in an attempt to shut down Planned Parenthood, and in some states they have succeeded. These unfounded accusations are manipulated and twisted from the truth. These claims, in an aftermath, have put millions of women at risk and may well continue on this treacherous path. Planned Parenthood should not face massive funding cuts; they offer a wide assortment of services at affordable prices with the sole intent of keeping women safe

Today we dare to be scientist, analyst, or philosophers as we attempt further dissect the true meanings behind a photo posted to the Planned Parenthood twitter page. Attach to the photo was the following caption that states that, “Senators Graham & Cassidy are pushing the worst #ACArepeal bill yet. We've rejected every other version of Trumpcare.” Within these few words it is revealed the cause that brought this group of concerned American citizen to the capital. Various people, men and women alike, came out to show their support with pink T-shirts powers and signs in tow as made evident by the photograph. Now women have not always had a voice within politics, it is still a very young part of the American government dating back only a few decades. With this “call to arms” the men and women of the United States can get a word in about the terrible reform of the American healthcare system being proposed.

There are many different laws and policies that the government put in place which will affect various social issues; in this case the family. Some sociologists believe that this social policy the government enforces can make the family far more diverse; whilst others disagree. An example of this social policy can be in China there is a ‘one-child policy’, which limits families from having more than one child and in the instance that they do have more the government can inflict a series of penalties, this policy is in place to control the population of China; ‘For a prosperous, powerful nation and a happy family, please use birth planning’. In the following item I intend to discuss how social policies and laws in the UK may have affect the

Imagine living in a world where birth control did not exist or was considered illegal to all women. This is the reality that women from our history dealt with for many years. Until the year 1965 birth control was banned for women living in the state of Connecticut. Whether married or unmarried the simple right of contraception, or asking a pharmacist about preventing pregnancy was illegal. This law prohibiting the practice of contraception was changed with the help of birth control activist such as Estelle Griswold. Griswold appealed the law in the popularly known case of Griswold vs. Connecticut. Her claim for legalized birth control helped changed the future for women living in the state of Connecticut. The revised law gave married women the freedom and privacy to take charge of their bodies and prevent unwanted pregnancies with the practice of birth control.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America has been a governmentally funded program in the United States of America since 1970 despite countless efforts nationwide to defund the organization. Founded by Martha Sanger and Ethel Byrne, Planned Parenthood (PPFA) is a nonprofit organization which provides reproductive health services in Africa as well as North, Central and South America. Over 650 clinics across the nation provide a collective four million medical visits annually.10 PPFA, one of the largest reproductive health providers, bestows economically challenged citizens with health care that was previously unaffordable. In order for the United States to continue supplying adequate, and accessible, public health care to its citizens, Planned Parenthood must remain governmentally funded.

As you may have heard, Planned Parenthood is what the government officials are talking about recently. The Republicans want to take away the government funding for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is an organization that does scientific research and offers advice on contraception, family planning, and reproductive problems. Currently, the government funds the organization with the tax payer’s dollars. (Planned Parenthood at a Glance, 2014.) I am going to explain the history of the problem, the arguments, the opinions of experts and give why I am interested in this topic.

This source focuses on Planned Parenthood and the role it has taken in the debate surrounding abortion and its function in providing essential health services to many women. The author takes pains to minimize their own bias by presenting multiple viewpoints by including interviews with different women who offer their own personal stories and beliefs, which invites the reader to form their own opinion on the subject. The audience of this article appears to be those who are undecided in how their view Planned Parenthood and its function for women. Mendoza’s article is helpful as it provides multiple viewpoints on the central topic of Planned Parenthood within the debate regarding women’s health. This source was found via the National Newspaper

Generation Action was my first real taste of what the power of Planned Parenthood was outside of a health center. It showed me that not only were there people like me all over the country fighting for the same causes I cared so deeply about but that I could make a difference. It was incredible to lobby at a national level and truly see the depth of response so many of my peers gained.