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Will GOP Fund Planned Parenthood But Not Border Wall?
Townhall.com ^ | April 26, 2017 | Terry Jeffrey

Posted on 04/26/2017 5:29:18 AM PDT by Kaslin

When Donald Trump stood in the lobby of Trump Tower on June 16, 2015 and announced he was running for president, he told all who listened to "mark" his words.

"I would do various things very quickly," Trump said.

"I would repeal and replace the big lie, Obamacare," he said.

"I will build a great, great wall on our southern border," he said. "And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.

"Mark my words," he said.

Fifteen months later -- after he won the Republican nomination and less than two months before his general election showdown -- Trump released a letter to pro-life leaders.

"As we head into the final stretch of the campaign, the help of leaders like you is essential to ensure that pro-life voters know where I stand, and also know where my opponent, Hillary Clinton, stands," Trump wrote.

"I am committed," Trump said, "to: ... Defunding Planned Parenthood as long as they continue to perform abortions, and re-allocating their funding to community health centers that provide comprehensive health care for women."

In his Inaugural Address, Trump did not back away from his pledge to secure the border.

"We will bring back our borders," he vowed.

Three days later, he used executive authority to reinstA week after Trump's inauguration, Vice President Mike Pence told the March for Life that Trump would keep his pro-life promises -- with the help of the newly elected, Republican-majority, pro-life Congress.

"Life is winning again in America," Pence said.

"That is evident in the election of pro-life majorities in the Congress of the United States of America," he said. "But it is no more evident, in any way, than in the historic election of a president who stands for a stronger America, a more prosperous America, and a president who, I proudly say, stands for the right to life -- President Donald Trump."

"I like to say that over there at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we are in the promise-keeping business," said Pence.

"That's why on Monday, President Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy to prevent foreign aid from funding organizations that promote or perform abortions worldwide," said Pence. "That's why this administration will work with the Congress to end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion providers, and we will devote those resources to health care services for women across America."

In 2011, after Republicans won back control of the House in the 2010 election, then-Rep. Pence introduced an amendment that would, as Pence put it, "deny any and all funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates for the rest of the fiscal year."

"I rise tonight because I also believe it's morally wrong to take the taxpayer dollars of millions of pro-life Americans and use it to fund organizations that provide and promote abortion -- like Planned Parenthood of America," Pence said when his amendment was considered on the House floor.

The House passed Pence's 2011 amendment, including it in the first funding bill approved by the then-new House Republican majority. But then-House Speaker John Boehner subsequently cut a spending deal with the Democrats in the Senate and the White House that did not include Pence's amendment to defund Planned Parenthood.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the Government Accountability Office determined that Planned Parenthood Federation of America affiliates received $400.56 million in Medicaid reimbursements in both federal and state dollars in 2012. Planned Parenthood affiliates, according to GAO, also spent $64.35 million in federal Title X funding in 2012.

When the House Republican leaders this year put together their weak and redistributionist reconciliation bill to "repeal and replace" Obamacare, it included language that would have denied Medicaid money to Planned Parenthood -- for just one year. But it would not have denied Title X money to Planned Parenthood -- because reconciliation bills do not deal with discretionary spending like that doled out under Title X.

When principled House conservatives opposed that Obamacare bill, the Republican leadership did not bring it up for a vote.

Now, Congress faces an April 28 deadline to pass a new government funding bill.

There is currently no talk that it will include language to prohibit funding of Planned Parenthood.

But there is talk that it will not include the language that President Trump has requested to provide $1.4 billion to begin his project to build "a great, great wall on our southern border."

The Republican House can pass and send to the Republican Senate a bill that funds the border wall but not Planned Parenthood. Or they can pass one that funds Planned Parenthood but not the border wall.

The former course of action would fulfill the campaign promises that got their president elected. The latter would appease congressional Democrats and the liberal press.

So, which will it be?ate the Mexico City policy, which denies federal funding to organizations that provide or promote abortions abroad.

But he needed congressional action to defund Planned Parenthood at home, and a congressional appropriation to begin building the wall he said would ultimately be funded by Mexico.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 115th; borderwall; plannedbutcherhood; presidenttrump; proaborts; taxpayerfunding; terryjeffrey
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1 posted on 04/26/2017 5:29:18 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Trump has some confusing statements and seems to be flipping on a few. I wouldn’t be surprised if Planned Parenthood gets funded as he apparently rolled over on getting the wall funded.


2 posted on 04/26/2017 5:32:44 AM PDT by Reno89519 (Drain the Swamp is not party specific. Lyn' Ted is still a liar, Good riddance to him.)
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To: Reno89519
This is a test of Trump's resolve.

If he allows the dhimmis to dictate terms for expediency sake it will never end, they'll continue to threaten gov shutdowns at every pass.

Bring on the shutdown and hit the dhimmis where they live, let their parasitic constituency feel the brunt of their intransigence.

3 posted on 04/26/2017 5:41:55 AM PDT by Pietro
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To: Kaslin

Yes, next question.


4 posted on 04/26/2017 5:43:04 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Kaslin
RE:”But he needed congressional action to defund Planned Parenthood at home, and a congressional appropriation to begin building the wall he said would ultimately be funded by Mexico.”

Trump has already signaled that he wants a budget not a shutdown so don't expect much new in it.(sorry Rush, if you wanted shutdowns you should have supported Cruz not Trump.)

Notice that the GOP in congress still don't pass individual appropriation bills, they prefer these huge spending bills.

Looks like they are counting on the 60 votes in Senate, not the 51, to pass this.

5 posted on 04/26/2017 5:45:56 AM PDT by sickoflibs (Trump "I will put America First!")
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To: Reno89519

He is not rolling on anything. We can’t have government shutdown when we are facing down both Korea and Iran. I can’t believe there are Americans out there who can’t figure that one out.

He needs a congress that will stand behind him instead of fighting him. Laura Ingram said last night that the senators are laughing about the wall. Laughing and saying it will never be built. Those vile swamp creatures have no connection to real Americans.


6 posted on 04/26/2017 5:47:19 AM PDT by McGavin999
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To: central_va

Trump will have to make some compromises because he is not a dictator, but his supporters do expect him to put up a fight. And while we are on the subject of promises, what about his promise to move our embassy to Jerusalem?


7 posted on 04/26/2017 5:51:33 AM PDT by Socon-Econ
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To: Kaslin
There are people right now talking with the Congressional staff and taking the Republican Congressmen out for drinks who are going to remind them that contributions both to their reelection campaign and funding for outside PACs to help with reelection depend on the continued flow of cheap labor. Also they will be advised that cutting funding to Planned Parenthood just like cutting PBS & NPR is just too risky from a public relations standpoint and will result in bad press. Ryan will arrange a show vote to fool the rubes back home then it will be back to business as usual with Ryan,McConnell,McCain,and Graham getting together with Schummer,Pelosi,Durbin,and Hoyer to map out how we can get back to reasonable government again. This path will of course require going around President Trump until the voters correct their “mistake” in 2020.
8 posted on 04/26/2017 5:53:06 AM PDT by bonehead4freedom
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To: McGavin999
So, NK and Iran rattle their sabers to get their political house in order and now we do the same. Both of those countries aren't going anywhere. I guess folks are tired of hearing about shutting down the government, so now it's NK and Iran as to explain no border wall.

How stupid are those who believe that... And yes, folks should laugh at the petty excuses for no wall. Sorry, the big early winners here are Ryan, Schumer and the the district judges. Perhaps we could add in Comey and the entire intelligence apparatus.

9 posted on 04/26/2017 6:11:17 AM PDT by Lagmeister ( false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders Mark 13:22)
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To: Socon-Econ

“Trump will have to make some compromises because he is not a dictator, but his supporters do expect him to put up a fight.”

Well said and very true.

I’ve been wondering about the Jerusalem Embassy move myself. Hope someone has an answer.


10 posted on 04/26/2017 6:14:44 AM PDT by Paulie (America without Christ is like a Chemistry book without the periodic table.)
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To: Reno89519

“he apparently rolled over on getting the wall funded.”

Yes, you are confused. Trump doesn’t fund anything. The only thing he can do is shut down the government but that won’t fund the wall. Paul Ryan is the problem.


11 posted on 04/26/2017 6:19:33 AM PDT by Helicondelta (Deplorable)
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To: Pietro

Bring on the shutdown and hit the dhimmis where they live, let their parasitic constituency feel the brunt of their intransigence.


How many battles did Patton fight without 90% of his staff? POTUS can only fight so many nuclear wars without his entire agenda grinding to a halt. Right now he is getting basically ZERO support from his own party in Congress. Until that changes expect more of the same. No POTUS can govern without his own party.


12 posted on 04/26/2017 6:19:46 AM PDT by lodi90
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To: McGavin999

He needs a congress that will stand behind him instead of fighting him. Laura Ingram said last night that the senators are laughing about the wall. Laughing and saying it will never be built. Those vile swamp creatures have no connection to real Americans.


POTUS has to go full Alinsky to get it done. He needs to personalize his attacks. Invite angel moms to White House and have his allies do the same on The Hill. POTUS TV interviews with local TV stations., etc., etc. He needs to use the bully pulpit and really humiliate those disgusting beltway pigs holding up the wall until they cry Uncle.


13 posted on 04/26/2017 6:24:37 AM PDT by lodi90
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: Lagmeister

Uh, have you been watching what is happening? Does it not matter to you that young Americans are getting charged in the gulf by Iranian vessels? Does it not matter that young Americans are putting their lives on the line protecting Japan and South Korea? Oh, but it’s someone else’s sons and daughters so it doesn’t matter to you, right? You can’t wait a couple months until October, but those kids can sacrifice for you, right? Because you want your wall right this minute and to hell with the military, that’s not your problem.


15 posted on 04/26/2017 6:39:44 AM PDT by McGavin999
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To: Kaslin

No doubt about it. Of course Congress will fund Planned Parenthood, but not the border wall.

Couple of end runs around this impasse. Seize and USE the assets of the Mexican drug lords (under the RICO statutes) to fund the construction of the wall. Poetic and street justice in one. Ask for a public subscription, in the best crowd-source tradition, to put up the necessary funds earmarked ONLY for the costs of construction of the wall.

Just seed money to get things going. Build the wall well, and build it NOW.


16 posted on 04/26/2017 6:42:56 AM PDT by alloysteel (Islam is not the highest and best end goal to be aspired to by mankind.)
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To: McGavin999
we are facing down both Korea and Iran. I can’t believe there are Americans out there who can’t figure that one out.

All great executives focus on two big things, one which they do themselves and one which they delegate to their next in command. Trump has no choice but to focus on NK right now, while it is merely a threat to the civilized world and before it becomes an existential threat. This is where 50 years of arms control policy wonk snowflakes have landed us [thank Harvard and Georgetown].

17 posted on 04/26/2017 6:45:07 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: Socon-Econ

Fighting and losing is losing.


18 posted on 04/26/2017 6:47:38 AM PDT by ecomcon
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To: lodi90

“No POTUS can govern without his own party.”

Which makes me wonder why Trump signed that pledge way back when.

It was well known the Republican Establishment and several Congressional GOPers were dead-set against Trump from the beginning.


19 posted on 04/26/2017 6:53:04 AM PDT by Paulie (America without Christ is like a Chemistry book without the periodic table.)
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To: Pietro

He doesn’t need when dem vote.

Let’s face the reality that the repugnantcans are traitors and just want more $$$ and power.


20 posted on 04/26/2017 6:53:56 AM PDT by dp0622 (IThe only thing an upper crust Conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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