GOP to Planned Parenthood: Hand over records

foxholeatheist

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foxholeatheist
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GOP Wants Planned Parenthood's records

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican-led House panel has asked the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to hand over more than a decade's worth of documents in a probe of whether the organization improperly spends public money on abortions.

Democrats and Planned Parenthood supporters say the 90-year-old group is audited regularly and publicly and that the probe is the latest Republican run at shutting it down.

At issue is whether American taxpayers are unwittingly underwriting elective abortions, in violation of federal law. Absolutely not, says Planned Parenthood. But congressional Republicans are not so sure.
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The party of small gumberment strikes again!
 
foxholeatheist said:
The party of small gumberment strikes again!
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What were you expecting? That they'd sit back passively while their opponents spend money on a project they don't like? Of course not. They're going to look for ways to kill that spending, and this is an attempt to do exactly that. There's nothing incompatible about taking a small-government approach and making such demands of those who accept federal money. Quite the reverse: it rather drives home the point that when you accept federal dollars, they come with strings attached, and if the feds want to pull those strings, you've got no choice but to dance. What better way to demonstrate the intrinsic problem with federal funding of private organizations than to start pulling the strings that were always there? It's the small-government argument made flesh.
 
I suppose, as with ACORN, they're fishing for something that enables the right-wing agitprop machine to call them "corrupt and criminal" without getting sued for slander.
 
From the article:

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America — the formal name of the organization — says taxpayer money is strictly separated.
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Sounds to me like they shouldn't have anything to worry about.
 
Ziggurat said:
What were you expecting? That they'd sit back passively while their opponents spend money on a project they don't like? Of course not. They're going to look for ways to kill that spending, and this is an attempt to do exactly that. There's nothing incompatible about taking a small-government approach and making such demands of those who accept federal money. Quite the reverse: it rather drives home the point that when you accept federal dollars, they come with strings attached, and if the feds want to pull those strings, you've got no choice but to dance. What better way to demonstrate the intrinsic problem with federal funding of private organizations than to start pulling the strings that were always there? It's the small-government argument made flesh.
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The GOP, trying to demonstrate government doesn't work well by assiduously running government extremely poorly.
 
Gazpacho said:
I suppose, as with ACORN, they're fishing for something that enables the right-wing agitprop machine to call them "corrupt and criminal" without getting sued for slander.
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I thought they had their "that was not intended as a factual statement out".
 
Thank goodness these folks are all about keeping the government out of our lives.
 
foxholeatheist said:
GOP Wants Planned Parenthood's records



The party of small gumberment strikes again!
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Yes the investigation could be abused in a partisian manner.

At issue is whether American taxpayers are unwittingly underwriting elective abortions, in violation of federal law. Absolutely not, says Planned Parenthood. But congressional Republicans are not so sure.

That bolded statement has long been in dispute. I have no problem with establishing the facts.
 
foxholeatheist said:
GOP Wants Planned Parenthood's records



The party of small gumberment strikes again!
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Auditing recipients of federal funds is not inconsistent with "small" goverment, and legitimate audits are a legitimate function of goverment. The GOP opposes convenience abortions. The GOP is (probably) attempting to act on its position, and appears to be doing so legally.

Of course, this may be a witch hunt - unless it turns out that PP is actually violating the prime string attached to their federal funds. In that case, then of course PP should lose federal funding. If it turns out that PP is doing nothing wrong, then PP continues to receive federal funds and the GOP may suffer at the ballot box. This is all as it should be.
 
sarge said:
Of course, this may be a witch hunt
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Of course it is a witch hunt or, more specifically, a fishing expedition. Does congressional Republicans have any indication that PP has done anything wrong? Other than, of course, a feeling of not being so sure?
 
Ziggurat said:
What were you expecting? That they'd sit back passively while their opponents spend money on a project they don't like? Of course not. They're going to look for ways to kill that spending, and this is an attempt to do exactly that.
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I'd expect them to present a bill to defund PP, do their best to argue the bills merits, and have congress vote on it. If they don't like the results, they can try again with another bill. You know, democracy?

This is nothing more than a stunt like what happened to ACORN. If you can't beat 'em, badger 'em.
 
mhaze said:
That bolded statement has long been in dispute. I have no problem with establishing the facts.
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That´s what the Birthers said, long after Obama presented his birth certificate.
 
Upchurch said:
I'd expect them to present a bill to defund PP, do their best to argue the bills merits, and have congress vote on it. If they don't like the results, they can try again with another bill. You know, democracy?

This is nothing more than a stunt like what happened to ACORN. If you can't beat 'em, badger 'em.
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ACORN was sort of skanky cool comical drama.

Can we have more of that?

That'd be okay with me.

:)
 
Upchurch said:
Of course it is a witch hunt or, more specifically, a fishing expedition. Does congressional Republicans have any indication that PP has done anything wrong? Other than, of course, a feeling of not being so sure?
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What informs your opinion that it is a witch hunt? I don't disagree - but I've only my "feelings" to guide me here.

It is not generally unreasonable for Congress to demand that the recipient of federal funds demonstrate that the funds are being used in accordance with federal law. What, specifically, makes this action unreasonable?
 
sarge said:
What informs your opinion that it is a witch hunt? I don't disagree - but I've only my "feelings" to guide me here.

It is not generally unreasonable for Congress to demand that the recipient of federal funds demonstrate that the funds are being used in accordance with federal law. What, specifically, makes this action unreasonable?
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IMHO, it's because PP has regular audits and, while occasional discrepancies have been found and dealt with, there hasn't been anything to suggest what Congressional Republicans claiming. Now, perhaps this is just the OP article's poor choice of wording, but it sounds like this was all initiated on a collective gut feeling. I interpret that as "We're going to dig until we either find something wrong or find something we can spin as wrong."

I could, of course, be wrong. Maybe there is a valid reason to be concerned that this one chunk of federal funding is not being used in accordance to the law. It seems more likely to me that this is politically motivated based on how the organization spends it's non-federal funds.

Even Zig would appear to agree with me on that.
 
Upchurch said:
IMHO, it's because PP has regular audits and, while occasional discrepancies have been found and dealt with, there hasn't been anything to suggest what Congressional Republicans claiming. Now, perhaps this is just the OP article's poor choice of wording, but it sounds like this was all initiated on a collective gut feeling.....
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First, there are many varieties of "audit", and the previous historical ones may not have got to the root of this issue. For example, funds may be commingled. Then the use of federal funds for an illegal use couldn't be proved from an audit that accepted that accounting convention without simply apportioning on a percentage basis.

Other materials may have been shielded on the basis of patient confidentiality or other ruses.

I'm okay with the audit, but would much prefer it to be done by GAO, not Congress...don't they have other things they are supposed to be worrying about?
 
sarge said:
What informs your opinion that it is a witch hunt? I don't disagree - but I've only my "feelings" to guide me here.

It is not generally unreasonable for Congress to demand that the recipient of federal funds demonstrate that the funds are being used in accordance with federal law. What, specifically, makes this action unreasonable?
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They seem to be singling out Planned Parenthood, for one. I assume Planned Parenthood currently undergoes regular audits. If that's not the case and Planned Parenthood is unique in not having received standard audits for the past 90 years as the OP claims, there should be some evidence presented. If there's evidence, then certainly a special audit is in order. Otherwise, that's the very definition of a "witch hunt" isn't it?

Also, there is evidence of the GOP singling out Planned Parenthood already. The Republican Congress already attempted to fully defund Planned Parenthood even though it would only affect the non-abortion health care services Planned Parenthood offers. And several GOP-controlled states have increased regulation only on Planned Parenthood (not any other medical facilities) that makes it much more difficult for them to provide services. I think there's plenty of evidence of motive of the GOP to shut down Planned Parenthood.

-Bri
 
mhaze said:
First, there are many varieties of "audit", and the previous historical ones may not have got to the root of this issue. For example, funds may be commingled. Then the use of federal funds for an illegal use couldn't be proved from an audit that accepted that accounting convention without simply apportioning on a percentage basis.

Other materials may have been shielded on the basis of patient confidentiality or other ruses.

I'm okay with the audit, but would much prefer it to be done by GAO, not Congress...don't they have other things they are supposed to be worrying about?
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This is exactly concerned with what Congress worries about. Getting re-elected.

It's a fishing expedition and they are bound to get something if allowed to continue. In an organization the size of PP, there are bound to be one off mistakes that were made. If Republicans can find a single abortion that was funded incorrectly (even if it was subsequently corrected) they will use that as an excuse to defund PP and make their anti-abortion core happy.
 
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