It’s a question with no real, definitive answer, but it needs to be asked. So here we go . . .
According to the Planned Parenthood website: “At Planned Parenthood our mission is to ensure all people have access to the care and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures. Founded in 1916, Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care provider, educator, and passionate advocate here in the U.S. as well as a strong partner to health and rights organizations around the world. Each year, Planned Parenthood delivers vital sexual and reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of people.”
Here in New Hampshire, there are currently five Planned Parenthood (PP) health centers; Concord, Derry, Exeter, Keene and Manchester. These health centers offer services for birth control, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases along with cervical and other cancer screenings. PP also makes available for schools and communities programs, resources and tools designed to assist people in making informed choices concerning their own sexuality and relationships. There are compassionate and dedicated medical and support staff able to counsel and talk to patients concerning subjects that are of no business to others and giving them the support they need. Planned Parenthood is a registered non-profit.
For the fifth time in three years, on Nov. 29, the Republican majority in the Executive Council voted against the health and well-being of women yet again. The state’s health dept. put in a request for $1.3 million in contracts for Equality Health Center in Concord, Lovering Health Center in Greenland and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. This funding was to help those of low income or those with no health insurance. Naturally, this vote against the funding would negatively affect mostly women.
According to Patricia Tilley, Director of NH’s Public Health Services, the contracts were for an 18 month period and would have helped an extra 5000 residents obtain services for family-planning. Despite it being illegal, Executive Council Republicans are oh, so worried that money MIGHT be used to provide abortions. State auditors and health officials have stated abortions are not what that funding has been used for in the past. Federal and state laws forbid abortions being funded by government dollars.
The Republican Executive Councilors who voted against the health and well-being of women were Ted Gatsas, Manchester; Joseph Kenney, Wakefield; Janet Stevens, Rye; David Wheeler, Milford. The single vote in favor came from Cinde Warmington, Concord. Wheeler, who apparently still hasn’t been schooled in certain state and federal laws, still felt abortions should not be financially supported by taxpayer money. Even though, at the risk of being redundant, it is illegal to do so. Wheeler also expressed concern that more money would result in more people showing up to these family-planning centers (oh, the horror of it all. People needing help). That COULD lead to some of them (women, of course) receiving a referral for or an actual abortion.
Do the voting actions of these four Executive Councilors negatively affect you or someone you know, a friend or family member? Please remember that the next time their name appears on your election ballot.