Monday, December 17, 2007

Planned Parenthood of Western Washington Answers Our Questions, Explains Thriving Abortion Business

[Ed. Note: This interview and story provided by Jonathan B.]

No-one does more to reduce the need for abortions than Planned Parenthood.

Or at least that's what Planned Parenthood of Western Washington (PPWW) spokesman Brian Cutler told Abortion In Washington when asked about the 11% jump in the number of abortions performed by the organization for the second year straight.

Indeed, that view is shared by many PPWW supporters in the region, from Christine Gregoire to Bill Gates.

But PPWW's latest annual report, for 2006, seems to suggest the opposite.

The fact is, as AIW readers know, times have rarely been better for PPWW. Whether it’s money in the bank ($36 million), annual revenues ($32 million), number of clinics (~23), or executive salaries ($250,000/year), PPWW has been living large since George W. Bush took office in 2000.

And yet PPWW's annual report shows that they did 7,780 abortions in 2006, compared with 7,023 in 2005, and 6,291 in 2004, an amazing 11% growth each year. This despite reaching near record numbers of clients with their "prevention" and "education" programs.

I asked Mr. Cutler if these were 'good times' for PPWW financially.

He said no. The 'money in the bank' isn't just cash they can use on any project they want, he added. Some of it is “endowments”, the rest requires an order from the board to be released. He said they can't just draw on that money for regular expenses, but rather, “it can only be used for things like building a new building.”

I asked why PPWW claimed earlier this year – to public officials no less – that it had shuttered its Longview clinic because it “couldn't afford to keep it open” if the $36 million in the bank can be used for building new buildings? "I'm not sure why that is", Mr. Cutler said. (In fact, the Cowlitz County board announced a plan to use taxpayers’ money to keep the clinic open, based on PPWW’s public representation of its finances.)

In addition to “having to” close the Longview clinic, along with the Port Orchard clinic, he said this last year had actually been tough because the number of patients seen has gone down since last year, and Medicaid reimbursements were down from 2005 also (because of some restrictions from Congress disallowing Medicaid for illegal aliens). They even had to lay off 29 full time employees.

Notwithstanding a slight dip in revenues from 2005-2006, PPWW has grown rapidly over the last 8 years, doubling revenues, assets, clinics, clients served, etc. So I asked why the number of abortions has gone up even though they now have so much more money, have so many clinic locations, and are seeing so many more clients than 5-7 years ago with their “prevention” programs and contraception sales.

For example, in 2004, PPWW reach 30,799 individuals with their sexuality education. That jumped an extraordinary 50% by 2006, to 45,230. Surely the more well funded PPWW is, the more people they reach, the fewer abortions there will be. Isn’t that the PPWW promise?

Mr. Cutler explained the apparently devastating correlation by claiming that their abortion business was booming not because of their programs and influence, but because they were offering easier access to medical abortions (RU-486) and abortions in general. [Ed. note: these are being provided by Advanced Registered Nurse Practicioners (ARNP), not licenced physicians.] You see, PPWW has been adding abortion services to many of their existing health centers. Surrounded by countless photos of seemingly giddy men and women, the 2006 annual report includes a section called “Increased Abortion Access”, which reads:

We continue to expand access by having medication abortions at 16 sites. Aspiration abortions are now offered in 8 health centers. In 2006, the Olympia Clinic became our seventh site to offer this service. In 2007, the Madison Clinic will become our eighth site offering aspiration abortions and will provide Saturday appointments as well.
I continued to push the issue: if PP's goal and plan is to reduce the need for abortions, yet with all this money and reach and clients the number of abortions is going up, doesn't this show that the programs and approach are failing and need to be immediately reevaluated?

He said no, and repeated that the number of abortions is up because of “increased access”.

He went through the standard PP spiel that “no-one does more to reduce the need for abortion than PP”, “PP is not pro-abortion”, and argued that if PP was pro-abortion they wouldn't provide birth control. He claimed they only make 5% of their revenue from abortion, and pointed out that the statewide abortion rate has been going steadily down, and attributed this to “better contraception & education”. [Ed. Note: Due to unbundling of services, 5% is a gross under calculation.]

"Our education and prevention programs are working." He said the rate of women with unplanned pregnancies who choose abortion has remained steady at 50%.

I responded with the obvious question: if you know that increasing access by opening more abortion clinics is going to increase the number of abortions, then isn't it effectively pro-abortion to be opening up as many abortion clinics as possible?

Rather than answer this directly, Mr. Cutler responded by pointing to a WHO study which claimed that the number of women who get abortions is independent of its (official) availability.

“So you’re saying that the number of abortions you’re doing has gone up because of increased access, but you’re also citing a study which says that access doesn’t change the abortion rate,” I pointed out. "Can you help me square that circle," I asked. He didn't have an answer.

Then I moved on to Emergency Contraception (EC). PP led the charge to get EC legalized and approved by the FDA, based on the promise that the drug would drastically reduce the need for abortion. [Ed. Note: PPWW was also an investor in the original company that developed the only EC drug currently on the market -- Plan B. See our articles and links to PPWW's involvement in pushing this drug throughout the state and efforts to deny pharmacists their First Amendment rights.] The 2006 annual report even claims: “Unrestricted access to EC is preventing many hundreds of unintended pregnancies and abortions every month.” Yet PPWW is now selling 122,427 EC packs a year compared to zero just three years earlier, and yet the number of abortions is up 11% each year from 2004. "I’m not really sure [why that is]", said Mr. Cutler. I then asked: "Wasn't EC supposed to reduce the number of abortions?"

"That's the hope... One would expect that.... but does that really matter?"

I then asked how much money they are making off EC sales, since they have a deal, according to records from California court proceedings, where they get them for $5 a pack, and then turn around and sell them for about $25 each to low-income clients. Mr. Cutler said PP has always needed to make some money off the sales of birth control to keep the doors open. I pointed out that they are reporting $9 million in profit of EC a year, from $0 profit four years ago, yet they managed to keep the doors open back then.

"I don't know," was his response. He also admitted that he didn't know how much they sold EC for or how much money they're making from it.

Interestingly, he also claimed that PPWW was not taking any money from the federal or state government for abortions. I told him that according to documents received from the DSHS, PPWW receives about $1.5 million a year from Olympia in Medicaid reimbursements for abortion. He said they were not. I told him I was quite sure of this and he would want to go back and check. "Well, that's as far as I know," he finished.

Finally, I pointed out that their number of abortions even as a percentage of pregnancy-related visits had been increasing over the last two years from 18% in 2004 to 25% in 2006. I asked if he knew why that might be.

"I don't know", he replied. He surmised that perhaps "if a woman already knew she wanted to put her baby up for adoption, she probably wouldn't come to Planned Parenthood." He added, "if a woman knew she wanted to carry her baby to term, she probably wouldn't come to Planned Parenthood."

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Another Shoe Drops

After the 2006 election debacle, where the Washington State GOP handed the legislature over to the Democrats, I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And the shoes they have been a dropping. Here they are as outlined by David Postman of the Seattle Times:

Former Rep. Richard Curtis quit suddenly after a sex scandal. Rep. Jim Dunn was reprimanded and kicked off all his committees after making an inappropriate sexual remark to a female staffer. Rep. Shirley Hankins agreed to pay a record settlement with the Legislative Ethics Board for violations related to her work promoting her daughter's business. And Rising star Rep. Chris Strow quit last week for a new job with the Puget Sound Regional Council.
News now is that the pro-abortion Fred Jarrett (R) has switched sides and become a Democrat. Not surprising really, or as one blogger put it -- "It's kind of like Richard Simmons coming out."

The really surprising thing was that apparently the "tipping point" was a comment from a Republican senator that if Jarrett was endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice Washington "it'd be a problem in the caucus."

If this story is true, is it because there was a fear that a NARAL endorsement would pull the mask off the GOP and finally reveal their abortion industry sympathies, or was it because it really would be a problem as the remaining GOP legislators try to regroup and pull themselves out of the grip of the Mainstreamers? Rob McKenna received a mixed-choice endorsement from NARAL and Dan Satterberg received a 100% rating from NARAL. I can't imagine they were told that kind of support from the abortion lobby would be a problem.

The GOP here has never been pro-life. The platform may have kissed-up to pro-lifers in the party and provided cover to pro-choice politicians who wanted the pro-life votes but the GOP simply put doesn't know what to do with the abortion issue. They flounder in the status quo, crying over the lost glory years of Dan Evans, talking of pragmatism while totally blind to the fact that the situation on the ground has changed.

The sweetest words however, came from Alex Hayes, Executive Director of the Washington Mainstream Republicans, who said Jarrett's party-switch will be felt hard there.
He's a friend. Of all the House Republicans, he's my closest friend and he was the only guy we had who was my ally to think big things about advancing the cause of moderate Republicanism. It's really personal. It's sad for me.
Finally Alex has uttered something we can all agree upon -- the definition of a "moderate Republicanism" is Fred Jarrett.

If the GOP wants to be the pro-choice party and they think that's how they'll win then they need to be the pro-choice party. Start taking the money and endorsements from NARAL and Planned Parenthood. Promise them the moon.

I never understood how being in favor of pulling the arms and legs off of tiny children was "moderate" but you'll have to ask Alex.

Washington State Association of Abortion Providers is Reactivated

According to the Abortion Access Project (AAP) the Washington State Association of Abortion Providers (WSAAP) is once again active in Washington state.

Founded by the Feminist Women's Health Center in 1987, the WSAAP has been dormant for over a decade. The renewed group of about 40 plus clinicians and advocates met in April of 2007 and featured special guest Dr. Sarah Prager, assistant professor of the OB/GYN at the University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center and recent Family Planning Fellow at UCSF. She was on hand to discuss her new position as the Ryan Residency training program director as well as offer a literature review on the use of misoprostol.

The lack of abortionists is hitting the state hard. The recent arrest, and revoked licenses of several abortionists and closure of clinics has the abortion industry worried.

Chemical abortion (misoprostol) is therefore being pushed and non-physician abortionists are being trained. They call it improving access. We call it bad for women's health.

Friday, December 14, 2007

$50 Abortions Coming to Washington?

This article on the Reagan Wing alerted me to what socialized medicine means for the abortion industry. In Massachusetts in means $50 abortions. Is there any doubt that this wouldn't be the case here in our own state?

Socialized Medicine would be a great boon to Planned Parentood and the rest of the institutionalized abortion apparatus. As the cost of an abortion has remained steady over 35 years and the numbers of clinics have decreased the abortion industry faces a financial crisis. With socialized medicine these problems would be solved and Planned Parenthood would become as fixed a part of our governement and society as the Post Office.

Mark Crutcher has an excellent anaysis of the situation the abortion industry faces and why socialized medicine is the cure for what that ailes them.

As he says,

They [abortion industry] are relying on socialized medicine to solve their current financial problems by converting every $350 private-pay abortion into a $3000 government-pay abortion. The icing on the cake is that, since the customers will be offered these abortions for “free,” the abortion rate is guaranteed to skyrocket.

Even if they don't get it at the national level, the pressure is on at the state level to pass some form of socalized medicine. Here in Washington they've taken a piecemeal approach with a plea for "children's health" insurance coming as the first piece. Of course, "children" includes pregnant teenagers.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Moms and Babies Need Your Help this Christmas

[Please consider the following plea I received today in my in-box. These CPCs receive no help from the state as the bureaucrats, experts, and politicians have decided abortion is the best solution to an unexpected pregnancy. Please help if you can.]

Hi friends,
I'm passing along a request from someone I know who runs a pregnancy aid center in Marysville. Her name is Toyka Williams and she is the director of the pregnancy aid center, Embracing Life in Marysville WA.

The address of the center is 1523 10th St. Suite B in Marysville and their phone number is 360-659-3540. Their hours are Monday 9 am to 4:30,Tuesday 9 am to 2:30 and Thursday 9 am to 2:30. She is in desperate need of donations of diapers, they are completely out except for new born and size 1, but all sizes over 1 they are out of. They are also in need of clothes for boys 6 to 9 months and girls 3 and up.

Please pass this onto anybody that lives in or near Marysville that would want to help. I'm sure that cash donations would be greatly appreciated as well. If anybody has an in with somebody at St. Mary's in Marysville (or anylocal Marysville churches) maybe you could forward this e-mail to them to see if they could put it in their bulletin. What a nice opportunityfor people in Marysville to help out their local pregnancy center this Christmas season.

I'm also aware that Pregnancy Aid in Everett (425-252-6444) is in great need of volunteers so if you know of anyone who is looking for an opportunity to volunteer a few hours a month please give Nadine a call at Pregnancy Aid in Everett. Their hours are T, W, and Th. 9:30 to1:30.) Both centers are doing wonderful work helping moms and their babies, please keep them in your prayers.

Thanks and God bless!!
Erin

Hope for State Abstinence Education

This news article from the Columbian highlights some of the great work being done by the Aware (abstinence education) peer mentors. I hope they give the stupid Planned Parenthood Teen Councils a run for their money. You can read how several SWAT (Southwest Washington's Advising Teens) team members were interviewed concerning the impact the program is having at their schools. Hooray for these young people are trying to help other kids in the face of ridicule and scorn from the sex establishment.

The Columbian reports --
The pregnancy rate among Clark County teens ages 15 to 17 was 21 per 1,000 in 2005, the year of the most recent survey. Clark County's teen pregnancy rate was lower than the statewide rate of 27 per 1,000. And, the pregnancy rate among Clark County's teens in 2005 represents a decline. The rate was 32 per 1,000 teens in 2000.

Or course that is bad news for Planned Parenthood's bottom line and why they have foisted their sexed up version of comprehensive sex education on our state schools. We'll watch the numbers given above and see what happens as Planned Parenthood and the OSPI roll out their curriculum in the coming year.

For more information on abstinence groups visit:
www.awareprogram.net or www.greattowait.com

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Washington Abortionist Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Porn

This is so sad I hate to even blog about it.

Former Olympia abortionist pleads guilty in child pornography case.

In the plea agreement Kabacy admitted that he possessed more than 8,000 digital still images and additional video footage, which court documents say were stored on a laptop computer and 36 compact discs. "Defendant further admits that some of said images depicted sadomasochistic conduct, including bondage or bestiality involving minors. "Defendant further admits that some of said images depicted pre- pubescent minors and/or minors under the age of 12 years," according to court papers.

Christina at RealChoice has details on the full scope of this abortionist's crimes, including the deaths of two women.

Those poor children abused at the hands of some pervert. Why was there no one to protect them? Why did no one step in to stop the abuse and the theft of their innocence? It just makes me sick to my stomach.

Abortionists caught up in pornography, bestiality, pedophilia, and God knows what else seems par for the course with this group. When people get caught up in the abortion industry trouble is not far behind. It is a satanic industry of nudity, chaos and violence. Instead of Ted Bundy with a law degree, we have Ted Bundy with a medical license.

This 68 year old former Planned Parenthood abortionist moved to Lacey, Washington from Oregon and began practicing his grizzly trade at Sound Choice Health Center in Olympia about 10 years ago.

Question -- why did he leave Oregon for Washington? Oregon is pretty far out but I wonder if he felt Washington's laws were much more tolerant of people like him. Also, why didn't he get a job with Planned Parenthood when he moved up here? Did they know about his secret life and see an accident waiting to happen?

In line with Planned Parenthood's recent woes over their protection of pedophiles and perverts, see their latest holiday card at RealChoice.