Jonathan Alter at Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Do so-called pro-life activists want to posture about abortion or actually reduce the number of aborted fetuses each year? If it’s the latter, they should be trying to expand Planned Parenthood, not kill it.” Thanks, Jonathan. The best way to reduce an injustice: legalize it and use government funds to finance it. Who knew?
Alter’s hissy fit was a reaction to the Pence Amendment, a bill that Alter falsely claims would prevent Planned Parenthood from offering various reproductive health services unless they stop providing abortions.
Shifting the debate to money, Alter claims that the Pence Amendment “might even increase the deficit” and argues that Planned Parenthood “saves the government money.” And what does saving money have to do with saving human life? Nothing. But when has a pro-abortion apologist ever let the facts get in the way of a pro-abortion theory?
Alter then quotes Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, who says, “For most of these women, who tend to be younger, we’re the only doctor they see.” Richards says that sixty percent of the women who visit Planned Parenthood clinics report seeing no other doctors at all. So? This argument is a logical fallacy. Unless you have a medical condition that requires a specialist, why would you see more than one doctor? Richards, as is her style, uses scare tactics, attempting to position Planned Parenthood as the only health provider for women. The facts prove her wrong.
Enough about facts, though, Alter was on a roll. He continued, “According to the best available studies (from the Guttmacher Institute, named after a former Planned Parenthood chief), the birth control handed out by the organization prevents more than 600,000 unwanted pregnancies a year. Think about that number: At least 600,000 women a year go in for birth-control pills or condoms and end up not getting pregnant. Given that a large percentage would have an abortion if impregnated, it’s fair to say that Planned Parenthood prevents a few hundred thousand abortions a year.”
First, Alter admits the “best” available studies are from the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion organization that was founded as a division of Planned Parenthood. No conflict of interest there.
Second, Alter falsely assumes the 600,000 women a year who get birth control from Planned Parenthood wouldn’t have anywhere else to get birth control. He then falsely assumes Planned Parenthood is the reason 600,000 women a year end up not getting pregnant. He completes his argument with the ridiculous claim that Planned Parenthood prevents a few hundred thousand abortions a year, a claim based on his own false assumptions. You’re a gem, Alter.
And what’s a pro-abortion propaganda piece without a little pro-life bashing? Alter opened his tirade questioning the integrity of pro-life advocates by using the term “so-called” pro-life activists. He closed by declaring, “Women’s health issues don’t register with them [anti-abortion conservatives].”
Just another objective report from our unbiased media.
