Tony Perkins Washington Update
Starting this May the federal government will phase out more than $30 million in health coverage for the most underprivileged people in Texas -- all because Texas wanted its citizens to have the benefit of unbiased care.
The Obama administration decided to kill the funding for cancer STD and breast screenings because Gov. Rick Perry (R) dared to look beyond Planned Parenthood to providers who
arent under congressional investigation.
Last Friday the Obama administration proved that its more than capable of cutting funds -- in retaliation. As payback for Texas severing ties with Planned Parenthood HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius promised to take out her anger on the states low-income women.
Now Gov. Perry is left to scrounge through his budget to fill the 90 program void created by the administrations ideological blackmail. I was in a meeting with the Governor this weekend where he said he wouldnt allow the poor of Texas to be held hostage by HHS. Earlier he
vowed to fund the program: Well find the money Gov. Perry said.
But under federal law he shouldnt have to.
Washington has always left it up to state leaders to decide who is and isnt eligible for Medicaid funding. In this case there are more than 4000 providers in Texas who are ready to step in and provide the abortion-neutral services women need.
Why would the Obama administration take away access to hearth care for low-income Texas women? Because this administration puts funding for abortion providers... ahead of funding for womens cancer screenings and other preventative health care... To me this reflects a twisted set of values not to mention a continued disregard for the basic concept of states rights Gov. Perry
wrote in an op-ed.
If this debate were really about health care the Obama administration would allow the Texas Womens Health Program to continue.
Unfortunately this kind of ideological blackmail is becoming standard practice in this White House. We are witnessing this conform or else mentality across the Presidents health care policy--whether its in the contraception mandate or meddling in state programs.
Texas meanwhile says it will find a way to keep the Womens Health Program operating until either Washington resolves the issue or the courts do. At least three lawsuits are already working their way through the system challenging the Presidents right to hold the funding ransom until leaders abide by his criteria.
Until they iron out those fundamental questions Gov. Perry has an even stronger case for booting Planned Parenthood from its network now that its been accused of
87075 cases of Medicaid fraud in Texas. Abby Johnson the former Planned Parenthood clinic manager-turned-pro-life activist is teaming up with Alliance Defense Fund to expose the groups multi-million dollar scam in which it allegedly billed the federal government for thousands of services it never provided.
Extortion seems to be a recurring theme for the organization which has faced similar charges in California New York and Washington.
Still President Obama is sticking by the abortion giant. This is a man who
threatened to shut down the entire government if a penny of federal funding was cut from the group. Now hes willing to risk the health of 130000 low-income women until Planned Parenthood gets its share. So when liberals say there is a war on women theyre right.
Its being waged by President Obama.
