Stop public handouts for Planned Parenthood

Printed in the Indianapolis Star, July 2, 2014

To the Editor:

When the Bloomington City Council voted distribute funds to local social service agencies on June 18, they faced a situation where more money was requested than was disbursed. About $400,000 in funding requests were denied, but the council felt the need to once again give a handout to Planned Parenthood.

One councilor justified the handout by saying abortion is legal and the council must uphold the law. This is a logical fallacy known as a non sequitur, meaning "it does not follow." The legality of abortion does not require the city council to subsidize the operating budget of the local abortion clinic, especially since the Jack Hopkins Fund is designed to support one-time expenses.

The people of Bloomington deserve better than these weak justifications, especially since that councilor admitted that funding Planned Parenthood is a political decision.

Another councilor whined that so much attention is given to the Planned Parenthood handout and not the other work that is done. The solution to that is simple: Do not fund Planned Parenthood! Surely there is another deserving organization among the $400,000 in denied funds.

The council has given handouts to PP nearly every year since 1999. This shameful corporate welfare should stop.