Report: As Independent Abortion Centers Close, Planned Parenthood Biz Expands
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 15, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A new report from a pro-life group that tracks the number of abortion centers nationwide finds that while independent abortion facilities are closing, Planned Parenthood is expanding its business. Operation Rescue says that’s because the abortion giant receives large amounts of taxpayer funding.
The pro-life group released a report in December listing every abortion center in the United States and a tally of 713.
The number dropped by five since then with the closing of abortion businesses in places like Ohio and Michigan. But that figure is adjusted upwards by two thanks to the opening of new massive abortion centers by Planned Parenthood in Houston and Portland — which brings the overall total to 710.
"It is very clear that the only abortion group expanding its business is Planned Parenthood, and the only reason it can do so is with the help of our tax dollars," OR president Troy Newman told LifeNews.com today.
"This news emphasizes the need to de-fund Planned Parenthood nationwide. Without being artificially supported with our tax dollars, Planned Parenthood would be closing clinics, not building new ones," said Newman.
Newman says he expects the new Planned Parenthood centers to continue pushing smaller, independent abortion facilities out of business.
"Because demand for abortions has decreased, it is more than likely that" will happen, he says.
Although federal and state governments lavish Planned Parenthood with taxpayer support, Newman says the general public does not.
"These clinics enjoy little support in their respective communities. When the Houston clinic opened last month, it was to a massive protest of several thousand of pro-lifers. Also last month, over 3,000 pro-life supporters gathered in the rain to protest at the new Portland office and were countered by a mere 125 abortion supporters," he noted.
The 2010 elections provide the pro-life movement with a prime opportunity to de-fund Planned Parenthood if abortion advocates can be defeated and replaced with pro-life lawmakers who will support a bill put forward by pro-life Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana to cut the $336.7 million dollars the abortion giant receives annually.
Newman also says more abortion centers will close like the Planned Parenthood in Birmingham, Alabama that was placed on probation for a year for hiding cases of statutory rape and urging teens to violate the parental consent law.
"It is despicable that, at a time economic instability when 71% of the American people oppose tax-funding of abortion, that millions and millions in public funds are going to bolster the bottom line of abortionists, many of which are violating the law," said Newman.
"Once Planned Parenthood is stripped of its tax funding, we will see their abortion clinics close down like a row of falling dominoes. That is a short-term goal for the pro-life movement that is completely doable and will save countless lives," he explained.
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