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With the Badger state facing a reported $137 million deficit, the legislature is considering budget cuts that may result in fewer taxpayer dollars flowing into Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. Currently 24% of their budget comes from state and federal grants.

Apparently out of fear, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is now pursuing the bizarre tactic of attacking the state’s pregnancy centers in an attempt to protect their funding stream. 

At the same time the legislature is considering the defunding measure, the legislature is considering AJR 34, a resolution based on a model by Americans United for Life to honor the lifesaving work of pregnancy care centers who work to help pregnant women in need keep their baby and build a better life.

In a written note to legislators, Planned Parenthood targets the resolution and its sponsors by saying that pregnancy centers “do not provide women’s health services” – evidently because they don’t offer abortion. In the two page memo, the group attacks Wisconsin’s pregnancy centers and hold themselves up as “the state’s oldest, largest, and most trusted reproductive health care provider.”

Among the more interesting accusations, the letter states that pregnancy centers:

– “do nothing to solve the health care crisis so many families are facing right now.” (Evidently because they don’t offer abortion.)
– “do not meet the health care needs of the women they target.” (Evidently because they don’t offer abortion.)
– “offer women medically inaccurate or incomplete information….” (Evidently because they don’t offer abortion.)
– “do nothing to keep women and pregnant women healthy.” (Evidently because they don’t offer abortion.)

The resolution by Sen. Dan Kapanke and Rep. André Jacque merely honors these non-profit entities for their life-saving work and makes October 2011 “Pregnancy Care Month.” If Planned Parenthood is scared of this, then maybe they really will be on their last ropes if government stops giving them untold sums of taxpayer dollars.

Of course, the easiest way to stay in the state’s good graces is to stop performing and referring for abortions. But I predict you will see Planned Parenthood fold before you ever see them agree to that.

To see the Planned Parenthood memo to legislators, visit here.

To read the text of AJR 34, visit here.