Congress is grappling again with shutdown drama. On October 1, the government runs out of money. Last time, the government was shut down, it was a sloppy attempt to gut Obamacare. It was done with the full knowledge that a) Obama would never eviscerate his signature domestic achievement (ever) and b) the Republicans never had the votes to be successful. Even with public opinion siding with the GOP over the various mandates within the health care law, Obama won. The government was reopened–and Obamacare remains the law of the land.
With the current squabble over Planned Parenthood, the numbers aren’t on our side. Yes, the Center for Medical Progress conducted a thorough and extensive undercover operation that allegedly shows the non-profit engaging in illegal trafficking of human body parts from aborted babies, yet Planned Parenthood enjoys health favorability ratings. Moreover, not many Americans have heard, or even watched, about the CMP investigation.
According to a new Quinnipiac poll, 69 percent of Americans do not want the government shut down over the debate about defunding Planned Parenthood. Another 52 percent oppose cutting off funding to the non-profit:
American voters oppose 69 - 23 percent, including 56 - 36 percent among Republicans, shutting down the federal government in the dispute over funding Planned Parenthood, according to a Quinnipiac University National poll released today.By a smaller 52 - 41 percent, voters oppose cutting off federal funding to Planned Parenthood, the independent Quinnipiac University Poll finds. There is a large gender gap as men support a fund cutoff 49 - 44 percent, while women oppose the cutoff 60 - 34 percent. Opposition to the cutoff is 82 - 12 percent among Democrats and 56 - 37 percent among independent voters. Republicans support the cutoff 71 - 25 percent.
The Senate has passed a clean spending bill to avoid a shutdown. It’s fate in the House remains unknown. Procedural “martial law” was invoked in the House to speed up the process regarding approving the spending bill. Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and outgoing Speaker of the House John Boehner have made their intentions known to not shut the government down. Republicans may have Congress, but they don’t have the votes to defund Planned Parenthood. Obama will veto, and this time he definitely has the votes to sustain it.
As Guy wrote previously, there is no debate about birth control. The vast majority of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents think it’s morally acceptable to use birth control. This isn’t about curtailing women’s health, reducing breast exams, or referrals for mammograms. As Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards noted in yesterday’s hearing, not a single PP clinic has a mammogram machine. This is about the alleged butchering of babies for their organs. Of course, the largest abortion provider shouldn’t be receiving fungible federal dollars, but there doesn’t seem to be a feasible avenue to victory on this one. That’s why the National Right To Life would rather keep the government open, and wait until we have a pro-life president to deal with the issue of federal funding.
A Townhall/Hot Air poll also found that 64 percent don't want the government to cut funding to Planned Parenthood.