Chart: What Planned Parenthood actually does

[n2doc]

As you can see in the chart atop this post, abortion services account for about 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s activities. That’s less than cancer screening and prevention (16 percent), STD testing for both men and women (35 percent), and contraception (also 35 percent). About 80 percent of Planned Parenthood’s users are over age 20, and 75 percent have incomes below 150 percent of the poverty line. Planned Parenthood itself estimates it prevents more than 620,000 unintended pregnancies each year, and 220,000 abortions. It’s also worth noting that federal law already forbids Planned Parenthood from using the funds it receives from the government for abortions.

So though the fight over Planned Parenthood might be about abortion, Planned Parenthood itself isn’t about abortion. It’s primarily about contraception and reproductive health. And if Planned Parenthood loses funding, what will mainly happen is that cancer screenings and contraception and STD testing will become less available to poorer people. Folks with more money, of course, have many other ways to receive all these services, and tend to get them elsewhere already.

The fight also isn’t about cutting spending. The services Planned Parenthood provides save the federal government a lot of money. It’s somewhat cold to put it in these terms, but taxpayers end up bearing a lot of the expense for unintended pregnancies among people without the means to care for their children. The same goes for preventable cancers and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. You can find a lot more information about Planned Parenthood and its services here.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/what-planned-parenthood-actually-does/2011/04/06/AFhBPa2C_blog.html?tid=pm_pop

[saras]

1. Kind of misses the point. Someone has to fund abortions - I want to give money to them.

The question is what proportion of abortions are funded by them, not what percentage of their funds go to abortions.

But I know, you're trying to make it look good to the "against-abortion-but-not-too-much" crowd.

But I personally just don't think it is, or should be, of that much moral consequence either way. It is a private medical concern between a woman and her chosen medical care personnel, that's all. A miscarriage that didn't happen soon enough. If someone WANTS to make a big emotional deal about of it, they are free to, of course, as long as it's THEIR OWN abortion they're moaning about and not SOMEONE ELSE'S.

[tooeyeten]

8. too much interference

in women's bodies, since the majority of those that use these services are poor. Rich people can afford a doctor and a private room.

[ChadwickHenryWard]

13. It is so important that this be said.

Abortions are a medical necessity in any modern society. It is of the highest importance that PP supporters openly admit that. While PP keeps money for abortions separate from all the other medical services they provide, they do in fact need money to perform abortions. While it's important that they keep that stuff separated in order to get federal money, it is cowardly not to maintain that abortions are morally right and necessary.

[Suich]

2. Somebody needs to tell O'Reilly!

The other night he said, "It's a known fact that 97% of their business is abortions. That's a given."

[Zoeisright]

4. That's just one example of the right wing lies.

They take the truth and turn it around completely and make it into a lie. 97% of PP's services are NOT abortions.

Just like the way that asshole Rove and his evil minions attack opponent's strong points. It's literally upside-down world with that stinking crowd.

[Bucky]

6. He was close. If he'd just put the word "not" in there, he'd've been correct.

I mean, the actual number was 3%, not 97%. That can't be a coincidence.

[tooeyeten]

9. No one needs to tell him

he's playing to the base, the viewers of Fox that count on lies that reaffirm their misguided beliefs and prejudices.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

19. it's a known fact that O'Liely is a flaming ass-wipe

Also, a POS.

That's a given.

[baldguy]

3. And now the religious nutcases want to ban contraception, too.

[tooeyeten]

10. yes they do

they want bibles not birth control, save the soul, the hell with the body.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

20. to hell with the Earth, too. Human overpopulation IS killing the planet. n/t

[caraher]

15. Not only that...

A lot of them argue that some contraception is essentially abortion (anything other than barrier methods allow fertilization to occur but not implantation, so they'll call the pill or IUD an "abortifacient." So they'd move much of the contraceptives category into abortion anyway.

[ashling]

5. My daughter put this on facebook

I imediately posted to the facebook group for my government class.

[eggplant]

7. See? SEE?!?

They spend *3 times* the money on Abortion Services than they do on Other Services. THREE TIMES!

[allan01]

11. re: Chart: What Planned Parenthood actually does

Gee. I wonder when it will be made against the law for us men to have our tubes tied. No one thinks about that . Its ok for us men , but if a woman ( and it is her body dang nabbit and no one elses )heaven help u when the whackos go off on you. My mom rememberd the back alley abortions well. God awful. Meanwhile abortion is outlawed the rich robber barons wife goes overseas and the poor 99% are left w back alley abortions and an increase of abandonment.

[JDPriestly]

26. I know a couple that is fanatically opposed to abortion.

He had his tubes tied some years ago after they had a number of children in rapid succession.

I view his conduct as responsible. I wonder whether he understands that by advocating for no choice for women, he is siding with people who would condemn his choice. I don't think that he understands that the real agenda behind the anti-abortion movement is to abolish both abortion and birth control. It is a Catholic agenda.

Responsibility in one's sex life is really important, but people make mistakes. The first time one of these anti-abortion fanatics' daughter has a tubal pregnancy, they may see the light. Or do they not consider ending a tubal pregnancy to be abortion?

[liberalmuse]

12. Now we need someone to create a graph...

of what the Republicans think Planned Parenthood does.

[Stuart G]

16. I would love to see that graph....great idea....

[Bragi]

14. Abortion serviecs need to be DEFENDED not MINIMIZED

Trying to play down abortion services is the wrong tactic. Go down that road and the right wing wins before our side even gets out of the gate.

[Uncle Joe]

17. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, n2doc.

[progressoid]

18. But but but...contraception = abortion.

The Pope told me so.

[etherealtruth]

21. Planned Parenthood provided me with excellent prenatal care ...

30 years ago. my beautiful baby will be 30 this week. Thank you Planned Parenthood!

[thelordofhell]

22. Remember John Kyle (r)

[doeriver]

23. Boycott Susan G Komen Foundation - Facebook group page

Boycott Susan G Komen Foundation - Facebook group page

[iandhr]

24. Working with Planned Parenthood

We can make abortion safe legal and rare.

[unc70]

25. PP spends 3x $ on Abortions than Other Services

Last edited Mon Feb 6, 2012, 04:34 PM - Edit history (1)

That would be the RW interpretation of that chart. Of course, Other Services (aka misc.) and Abortions together are just 4% of total spending.