DFW Catholic reports that today "leaders from more than 20 pro-life organizations will come together in Rosemont, Ill., to draft a joint resolution, expected to outline a plan to de-fund and shut down Planned Parenthood."
I think what may be the best response to Planned Parenthood is good old fashioned competition in the marketplace. The Pro-Life Action league and other organizations can publish detractions against Planned Parenthood all they want, but they shouldn’t expect it to disappear unless the needed services it provides are more effectively provided by others. The case against Planned Parenthood will carry much more weight if the pro-life movement can offer viable alternatives.
Pro-lifers have instituted and supported centers that offer services to mothers, but these centers don’t receive funding to match what goes to Planned Parenthood, making competition difficult. Planned Parenthood also receives millions in government aid each year, the amount of which has risen each year since at least the mid 90's. In 2005 government funding accounted for about 33% of its income, about 34% in 2006. Cut that funding and, yes, Planned Parenthood would have to cut back on its clinics and its services, but it would still survive. It thrives not just because of government funding, but because it has effectively sold the idea that pregnant women have certain needs (some real, some false) and has positioned itself as the best place where those needs can be met.
With good organization and effective capital campaigning, competition is possible even if our pregnancy centers don't get the government funding that Planned Parenthood gets. For one thing, we would not be looking to provide abortions and contraceptives, but rather healthcare services for women wanting to keep and raise their babies. We wouldn't need to raise the full amount of money on which Planned Parenthood operates, but enough to do better what it does some of the time: prenatal care, breast exams, testing, etc, and enough to offer additional services it doesn't provide but would give women with "crisis pregnancies" a choice. I'd like to see our pregnancy centers employ full time OB/GYNs and pediatricians who could offer free support to women who believe they have no other choice but to go to Planned Parenthood.
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