Donald Trump Defends Planned Parenthood, Calls Abortions 'Small Part of What They Do'

The Daily Signal ^ | 8/12/2015 | Natalie Johnson

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Donald Trump suggested that he would not support ending taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood's non-abortion services in two interviews Tuesday.

"We have to help women," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity in an interview that aired on Tuesday night. " So we have to look at the positives, also, for Planned Parenthood."

Trump said he opposes federal grants going towards Planned Parenthood's abortion practices, but noted that abortions make up a "small part" of the organization. ...

Trump appeared to support shutting down the government rather than fund Planned Parenthood in an interview last week. "Asked directly by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt if its worth shitting down the federal government to strip Planned Parenthood's $528 million in government funding, Trump replied, 'I would,'" Politico reported.

Planned Parenthood released a statement Tuesday lauding Trump's comments, urging Republicans to "reconsider their extreme and unpopular positions on defunding preventative care" and "abortion bans." ...

[HiTech RedNeck]

What are the ethics implications if he does win. I believe the accepted practice is that the wealth of the incoming president is placed in a blind trust, though maybe for some it is more like a wink wink trust.

[HiTech RedNeck]

They’d lose the capability of doing referrals

[wardaddy]

I don’t play the personal in primaries

All that Palin blood soured me

I enjoy watching Trump fight back

None of them are what we want

Honestly

Cruz is best but his H1b screed is crazy

Carson....nice guy but ain’t happening

Fiorina. No thanks

That’s about it

Well see

[FourtySeven]

Abby said: "He said as long as they are doing abortions no tax money. If they stop the abortions, then he will look at whatever else they say they do for women."

Abby is right that's almost verbatim what Trump said on Hannity, I think Tuesday night.

The problem with that idea, and also what he said that started this thread ("Abortions are only a small part of what they do") is that it shows a lack of understanding of what "Planned Parenthood" is all about. Abortions aren't a "small" part of what they do, it's one of if not the chief cash cow for them. And as has been pointed out the money they are given each year is quite fungible so they could just use other monies they receive from sources like private donations (make no mistake they get millions from that too) for the abortions and "not use" federal money "for abortion".

The only real solution to PP is to stop giving them any money at all. Let them survive on donations and other revenue streams (although that might not be a good idea, seeing as how they raise money recently). A true (social) conservative would say this. Like Ted Cruz.

Again as I said before on this topic Trump should understand this "fungible" concept as a businessman. And he's obviously not educating himself about PP either.

But hey, he makes good theater. Maybe that's what the country needs right now, I dunno.

[driftless2]

"he doesn’t really have any strong pro-life principles"

That goes for all his positions. His only principle is how this (pick the position) will advance Donald Trump.

[RKBA Democrat]

“Running cover for your baby parts distributing service supporter by trying to derail the thread with some poll talk. Democrats never change their spots.”

Trying to spin words that were never said. Trump Derangement Syndrome Sufferers never change.

But TDS is extremely entertaining. So I look forward to the next thread. Probably something along the lines of TRUMP SKIPS CHURCH VISIT, IS HE THE ANTICHRIST?!

[hotsteppa]

Like you who is twisting Trump’s position? Don’t make me laugh. Below is his statement from Tuesday(you can go research yourself):
“the biggest problem I have with Planned Parenthood is the abortion situation,” he said. “It’s like an abortion factory. You can’t have it and you shouldn’t be funding it and that should not be funded by the government.”

Pretty straight forward to me and does not require multiple threads to discuss what he didn’t say.

[dfwgator]

Ok, so what if Trump is ignorant about this and someone clues him in, and he says, I had no idea Planned Parenthood solely did abortions, and they should be completely cutoff.

Would that change your view of Trump on this issue?

I give Trump some benefit of the doubt, one of the things about not being a career politician is that in the beginning he is going to wrong on some things, and be misinformed here and there, it comes with the territory.

I have plenty of time to determine if he really is POTUS-worthy, for now I am totally on his side as he wages battle against the GOPe.

[hotsteppa]

Ok, so he goes in, takes a look and if that is actually true, then defund. What is wrong with that opinion? You want him to go half cocked before knowing the lay of the land? Isn't the objective on our side to defund? Cmon, lets be intellectually honest here.

[CatherineofAragon]

*sigh*

[CatherineofAragon]

Exactly right. Cruz has been calling for the defunding of PP all along...no qualifications, no conditions. He understands the truth about that hellpit.

[CatherineofAragon]

"Defunding PP does not solve the problem."

Wow.