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Was Federal Ruling Good for Family Planning Providers? ("uncompromising" Rick Perry)
Texas Tribune ^ | December 14, 2011 | Thanh Tan

Posted on 12/14/2011 4:38:59 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

The federal government's rejection this week of a state request to exclude certain providers — namely Planned Parenthood — from the Medicaid Women's Health Program came as a victory to some family planning advocates, and a travesty to others.

Sandie Haverlah, an Austin lobbyist for Planned Parenthood, said it's a great outcome because it buys advocates time and forces the state to re-evaluate its stance on trying to force Planned Parenthood out of business. "It means the state is probably considering their position,” she said.

But Fran Hagerty, chief executive of the Women’s Health and Family Planning Association of Texas, characterized the federal decision — which extends the program for three months while state officials decide whether to back down from their request — as “the ugliest possible scenario.” She fears the state will opt to end the Women’s Health Program rather than allow Planned Parenthood to continue to be part of it, and that 130,000 low-income women may end up losing out on cancer screenings and birth control.

Following legislators' direction last session, Texas' Health and Human Services Commission asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for permission to operate the Women's Health Program without including clinics linked to providers that perform abortions. (No abortions are provided with Medicaid dollars, or through the Women's Health Program.) On Monday, the federal agency said no — and that doing so would violate the Social Security Act. Instead, federal officials offered to extend the existing program through March to buy time to negotiate a renewal agreement with the state.

On Tuesday, state health officials said they would consult with Attorney General Greg Abbott to determine how to proceed. But Gov. Rick Perry doesn't appear to be in a compromising mood. In a statement from the campaign trail, he said Texas is "committed to protecting life in Texas, and state law prohibits giving state dollars to abortion providers and affiliates — a fact the Obama Administration ignores."

If state officials decide to forgo the Women's Health Program in protest, Hagerty said major hospitals like the University of Texas Medical Branch and Parkland in Dallas would be able to maintain some semblance of family planning services, “but nothing like what we have now.” If the program does not extend past March, Hagerty said, community clinics would have to dramatically reduce services, lay off employees or shut down completely.

Perry is "blaming the feds and saying that this money was going to go to abortions. That’s a complete lie," Hagerty said. “This is a federal program, and they have any right to say you have to let every qualified provider participate. You can’t pick and choose who you like and don’t like.”

Nearly 130,000 women a year rely on the Women’s Health Program. About 46 percent of those clients go to Planned Parenthood clinics for nonabortion services like breast and cervical cancer exams, STD testing and birth control. In fiscal year 2010, HHSC reported that Planned Parenthood clinics received 44 percent of the program’s total reimbursements, making it the largest provider of Women’s Health Program services.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said the future of the program now rests with HHSC — and by default, with Perry, who appointed the agency's commissioner. He said the Legislature’s “draconian” restrictions against Planned Parenthood “have nothing to do with abortion. It has to do with giving women the right to go where they choose for family planning services.”

But abortion opponents are throwing the blame right back at the federal government. “By threatening to cancel the Women's Health Program in Texas, the Obama Administration is showing it would sooner deny tens of millions of dollars of medical services to low-income women rather than allow the State of Texas to cut off tax funding to Planned Parenthood,” Joe Pojman, the executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, wrote in an email.

State Sen. Robert Deuell, R-Greenville, said there is a quick solution to this entire debate. “The problem could be solved tomorrow if Planned Parenthood just renounces abortions and just does family planning and comprehensive care, which they’re capable of," he said. "Then we could provide a lot of family planning, and there wouldn’t be abortions and this problem would go away.”

Hagerty said family planning in Texas is trapped in a culture war, and that it's getting increasingly hard for providers to remain optimistic. “This is a political battle that we’re going to lose," she said. "There’s no winning here."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: abortion; federalfunding; life; plannedparenthood; rickperry; texas
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To: CynicalBear
Let's look at what one of the top conservatives in the country, Dr. Jack Wheeler says about your garbage:

Salon, put up this hilarious hit-piece Wednesday (8/09), Rick Perry: The Pro-Sharia Candidate? The kid who wrote it, Justin Elliott, is wonderfully ignorant of what he's blathering about.

His accusation is that Perry is buds with the Aga Khan. Somehow, that means he will promote the imposition of radical Moslem sharia law upon America if president. The Aga Khan is indeed, as Elliott says, the spiritual leader of a form of Islam called Ismailism, and is revered by the some 20 million Ismailis round the world.

We talked about the Ismailis in The Pamir Knot (September 2010). We learned that they "believe in a mystical, peaceful form of Islam that is the antithesis of hate, violence, and Sharia imperialism that infuses mainstream Sunni or Shia Islam."

Further:

"There are no mosques in the Pamirs, because Ismailis have no mosques. They pray privately - men and women together. Ismaili men are extremely respectful of women. The thought of treating women as an inferior form of humanity as does mainstream Islam is as disgusting to Ismaili men as it is to us. No Ismaili man would even think of demanding his wife wear a veil or cover her face in public...

"Up in these lost mountains on the roof of the world, there is a form of Islam that should be a model for Moslems all over the world, a moral contrast to the medieval evil of Wahhabi Islam of the Saudis, the Deobandi Islam of the Taliban, or the Khomeini Islam of the Mullahs of Iran."

Which is why the Islamist missionaries of sharia hate Ismailis more than us infidels. So good for Perry being friends with Ismailis. To claim this makes him "pro-sharia" is a twisted joke.

But maybe Elliott wants the joke to be on us. Maybe he does know the difference between Ismailis and Wahhabis, and is counting on conservatives being ignorant enough not to know. His goal is to smear Perry, and is hoping conservative ignorance will achieve it.

Let's not let this lib smear artist get away with it.

41 posted on 12/14/2011 1:31:29 PM PST by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
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To: Katarina

Wouldl that be “getting personal”?

Rick Perry’s dangerous Muslim compromise; http://www.prophezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=391:rick-perrys-dangerous-muslim-compromise&catid=41:top-headlines

Mawlana Hazar Imam signs agreement between the Ismaili Imamat and the State of Texas

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/900/Mawlana-Hazar-Imam-signs-agreement-between-the-Ismaili-Imamat-and-the-State-of-Texas

It’s been talked about here before.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2742014/posts

From the Aga Kahn development network.

The US State of Texas and the Ismaili Imamat sign a landmark cooperation agreement

http://www.akdn.org/Content/863


42 posted on 12/14/2011 2:16:18 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: shield

Yep, they are the good Muslims. Right? They don’t use the Kora …..wait…..what?


43 posted on 12/14/2011 2:18:33 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear
So in other words Rick Perry is:

Soft on immigration
Soft on border security
Soft on corruption
Soft on islamofacism

So when will Texas children be forced to bow towards Mecca five times a day?

44 posted on 12/14/2011 2:38:58 PM PST by montyspython (This thread needs more cowbell)
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To: CynicalBear

You know what, I have met a lot of nice moslems and they’d give me the shirt off their back. I will pray for them, they are lost but being down on all moslems cuz of a few radical moslems doesn’t make sense.


45 posted on 12/14/2011 2:45:41 PM PST by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
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To: shield
They all use the Koran.

Sura (2:191-193) - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution of Muslims is worse than slaughter of non-believers...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."

Sura (5:33) - "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement"

Sura (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them"

Sura (8:39) - "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah"

Sura (9:29) - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, even if they are of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."

Sura (9:30) - "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!"

Sura (9:123) - "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness."

They are also told to lie to you to promote the conquering of Christians and Jews.

Qur’an (16:106) - Establishes that there are circumstances that can “compel” a Muslim to tell a lie.

Qur’an (3:28) - This verse tells Muslims not to take those outside the faith as friends, unless it is to “guard themselves.”

Qur’an (9:3) - “…Allah and His Messenger are free from liability to the idolaters…” The dissolution of oaths with the pagans who remained at Mecca following its capture. They did nothing wrong, but were evicted anyway. Qur’an (2:225) - “Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts”

Qur’an (66:2) - “Allah has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths”

46 posted on 12/14/2011 3:00:13 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear

Wow. You take that pretty literal don’t you.

How do you feel about Matthew 5:44?


47 posted on 12/14/2011 3:32:02 PM PST by TexMom7
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To: CynicalBear

Have you ever studied the bible the Jehovah Witnesses use? OR the book of Mormon? Have you ever studied the Torah or the Talmud? All of these books are weird in their teaching...why not also focus on those books? Why are you singling out one group of people who many are extremely moderate and are ashamed of the radicals who are moselems.


48 posted on 12/14/2011 3:34:25 PM PST by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
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To: TexMom7
>>How do you feel about Matthew 5:44?<<

You absolutely pray that they will turn from their error. You however give them no quarter or wish them God’s speed.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8-9

2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,

49 posted on 12/14/2011 4:22:51 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: montyspython
So when will Texas children be forced to bow towards Mecca five times a day?

Hyperbolic drama-queen nonsense.

50 posted on 12/14/2011 4:22:59 PM PST by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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To: CynicalBear
I have forgiven her that indiscretion. I do believe at that point it was the lesser of two evils but hadn’t at that point really looked at Perry’s history. I have however let her know that backing someone who is light on defense against the creeping Muslim problems would be problematic for future support.

I'm sure she was quaking while waiting for your forgiveness and waits anxiously each day for your counsel.

I believe you're confused though.

Rick Perry is not weak on defense.

Ron Paul, however, is.

51 posted on 12/14/2011 4:27:23 PM PST by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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To: shield

Do any of them have in their holy book that they must kill you?


52 posted on 12/14/2011 4:27:32 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: Allegra
>> Rick Perry is not weak on defense.<<

Where did I say that he was weak on defense?

53 posted on 12/14/2011 4:31:38 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear
Where did I say that he was weak on defense?

"...someone who is light on defense against the creeping Muslim problems..."

And I know where you're going with this. They're the same distortions another FReeper (who happens to adores Newt) uses.

You do realize that the governor of Texas has no input on the establishment of immigration quotas and restrictions, right?

There has been no real threat of Sharia Law in Texas and I can't imagine where there would be any time in the foreseeable future.

54 posted on 12/14/2011 5:18:22 PM PST by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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To: Allegra
>>You do realize that the governor of Texas has no input on the establishment of immigration quotas and restrictions, right?<<

Use deflection much? Good grief. It’s a long way from not being in control of quotas and aggressively working with them.

>>There has been no real threat of Sharia Law in Texas and I can't imagine where there would be any time in the foreseeable future.<<

Yeah, I would wait until Muslim numbers in Texas give you no choice. /s If you can’t take a hint from what is happening in Europe you will deserve what you get.

55 posted on 12/14/2011 5:40:15 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear

You’d be surprised what those books have in them. I was rather shocked at the Torah and Talmud.


56 posted on 12/14/2011 5:41:10 PM PST by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
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To: CynicalBear

Oh for crying out loud, where do you get all of this? You sound like a concern troll. Governor Perry has no intention of allowing Texas to be overrun and dominated by Muslim culture.

What sort of hyperbolic twisting of facts is driving your hand-wringing?

Be specific.


57 posted on 12/14/2011 5:53:46 PM PST by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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To: Allegra
>> What sort of hyperbolic twisting of facts is driving your hand-wringing?<<

No hyperbole and no hand wringing. Just the same cautions the founding fathers gave at the beginning of this country and an awareness of what has happened in Europe. Either Perry is much too naïve to be this countries leader or so corrupt that he overlooks the dangers of Islam to pander for their support.

58 posted on 12/14/2011 6:05:41 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear
That's just a tad overwrought and exaggerated.

Easy to see your agenda. You have a fellow Newt fan who does the same thing.

Just a quick perusal of your posts indicates that you are quite enamored of the Newtster. ;-)

Newt1

Newt2

Newt3

59 posted on 12/14/2011 7:04:22 PM PST by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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To: Allegra
>>Newt1<<

How could that possibly be construed as support for Newt? It was simply an observation of a trend of polls for him. The poster I was answering had stated that he “blew it” and I simply pointed out that there was no evidence of that. And have been proven correct btw. >>Newt2<<

There again. The poster gave his view and I agreed that it was beginning to look like Newt was trending to becoming the front runner. I then gave some reasons that I thought that was happening. I agreed that it had begun to look like Newt could well be in contention for the nomination where he had not been before.

>>Newt3<<

Once again. A simple analysis of what was happening. That was back in November during Newts beginning rise in the polls. One couldn’t deny that he was beginning to look like a front runner. No firm support on my part and there still isn’t.

At this point I believe we are looking at who may be the best of the worst. Not one of the candidates still in the race is someone I would support whole heartedly. Even if I were to support anyone currently running it would be half heartedly at best. I doubt I will voice support for anyone until after the primaries are over and the Republican nominee is known. At that point I may just go write in, vote my conscience and allow the country to end up with what they deserve and voted for.

60 posted on 12/14/2011 7:31:33 PM PST by CynicalBear
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