Want to Abolish Abortion? Privatize It

The Left’s favorite holiday has thankfully come and gone.

As Americans filed their taxes this year, many were astonished to discover certain medical expenses now qualify for tax deductions. When going through the list, one can find birth control pills and abortion listed. The IRS form reads, “You can include in medical expenses the amount you pay for a legal abortion.” Is human life so expendable it can be written off? For a movement that begrudges tax deductions, this is ironic and equally alarming.

Undoubtedly, the Obama administration is favorable to the abortion lobby and eager to fund them through our taxpayer dollars—even though most Americans oppose it. For example, new healthcare plans under Obamacare contain an “affordability tax credit” that covers elective abortions. Heritage Foundation notes:

“For the first time, the federal government will provide an ‘affordability tax credit’ to millions of low-income and middle-income individuals and families to help subsidize the purchase of health plans on the exchanges.[2] By allowing health insurers that sell plans on many state exchanges to cover abortion while remaining eligible for federal subsidies, Obamacare opens new avenues for federal funding of abortion coverage. These federal tax credits could facilitate the purchase of health plans that cover elective abortion for millions of Americans who did not have such coverage previously.”

Due to the gruesome nature of abortions and our skyrocketing national debt, our country can afford to save more lives and save more money, respectively, by privatizing Planned Parenthood and similar entities.

The abortion industry—specifically Planned Parenthood—rakes in nearly a billion dollars from private donations. According to Planned Parenthood’s 2012-2013 annual report, the “family planning” organization performed 327,166 abortions and received $540.6 million in taxpayer funding, or roughly $1.5 million per day. In 2012, it had $58.2 million in excess revenue and raked in over $1.3 billion in net assets. Moreover, as Susan B. Anthony List’s Planned Parenthood fact sheet notes, “abortions made up 93.8% of Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy services, while prenatal care and adoption referrals accounted for only 5.6% (19,506) and 0.6% (2,197), respectively” that same year.

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Like other government subsidies, abortion subsidies are unnecessary, wasteful, and most of all, inhumane.

Why is Planned Parenthood—a corporation worth billions—afraid to compete in the free market? Simple. It wouldn’t survive given the high unpopularity of their anti-life services.

By forcing Planned Parenthood to operate independently of the government, it will fail to market the murder of preborn babies to the general public. A recent CNN poll found that 56 percent of Americans oppose federally-funded abortions, while 39 percent favor it. Moreover, that same poll found that 58 percent of Americans think abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. As a result, abortion is difficult to sell.

The free market allows for businesses that solicit bad products and terrible services to be rooted out. Planned Parenthood’s primary product (abortion) and poor services (unsanitary conditions and botched abortions leading to death) will be avoided as more women continue to discover alternatives to abortion available through the free market. Instead of opting for abortion, Planned Parenthood’s primary service, women can seek out pregnancy crisis centers to be treated with dignity rather than disrespect.

There will be backlash from abortionistas when their beloved organization becomes unviable in the free market. Don’t fret—their hysteria shouldn’t intimidate you.

Here are three points to make if Planned Parenthood is privatized:

· Abortion advocates will decry the privatization of Planned Parenthood as an “assault” on women’s rights. Remember: abortion is not the only issue concerning women. Women care about life, personal responsibility, responsible gun ownership, paying bills, and reducing the size and scope of government. Women shouldn’t have to bear the burden of seeing their tax dollars pay for products and services they don’t like.

· Abortion advocates will suggest that privatizing abortion excuses rape and incest. These are red herring statements they use to delegitimize the pro-life movement. Rather than being baited into saying ridiculous things like “legitimate rape,” counter this with facts. Planned Parenthood’s primary service is abortion. Even the pro-abort Guttmacher Institute says rape and incest “account for less than 1.5% of all abortions.”

· Abortion advocates despise alternative options in lieu of abortion being made available to women. (Whatever happened to choice?) Abortion is a medically invasive procedure that has negative implications. Women shouldn’t be bullied into doing something dangerous and harmful to their health and preborn babies. Pregnancy crisis centers are wonderful resources for expectant mothers. These centers are privately-funded, help expectant mothers prepare for birth, and encourage adoption.

Our strides to eliminate abortion must be gradual and incremental. It’s encouraging to see the country trending pro-life, despite living under the most pro-abortion administration to date. Defunding Planned Parenthood has been met with agreement by conservatives, libertarians, and independents who are morally and financially opposed to federally-funded abortion.

Choice shouldn’t be constricted; choice should be unlimited. Choose life and choose how your money is spent!