Politics | 01/27/2009 9:50 am

Limbaugh Attacks Pelosi Over Contraceptive Stimulus

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives are hopping mad over economic stimulus money meant to aid state family-planning programs. And it appears they’ve won this battle.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been taking a lot of heat for including money in the $825 billion stimulus bill for state family-planning programs, including Medicaid-funded contraceptives. The bill contains $87 billion in emergency Medicaid funding to help states. It has turned into a lightning rod for some Republicans who say not only does this program not constitute job creation or stimulate the economy, but it is also paramount to abortion.

Limbaugh on Monday essentially said family planning "is abortion all over the world," adding: “When I think of reducing budget deficits, it would never occur to me to think about eliminating people … If she wants fewer births, I have the way to do this, and it won’t require any contraception. You simply put pictures of Nancy Pelosi … put pictures of Pelosi in every cheap motel room in America today, that will keep birth rates down because that picture will keep a lot of things down." We doubt that’s true, but the Democrats do appear to backing down.

Here’s what Pelosi recently told ABC News about why the money was originally included:

Well, the family-planning services reduced costs, it reduced costs. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crisis now, and — and part of it, what we do for children’s health, education and some of those elements that are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those — one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, is — will reduce cost to the state, and to the federal government … We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

Now, that plan may not be "stimulus," per se, but it seems the economy should have little to do with family planning. If you’re not in a position to have a child, then shouldn’t you have access to proper programs? What do you think?

404 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Explain why Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Indiana for not reporting statutory rape, as well as under investigation in several other states as well?

By Robert Thompson on 01/27/2009 11:00 pm

e-mail alert

My guess is that so-called “Right to life” has traded in their terrorist bombing of clinics tactics for the bogus lawsuit angle.

By DeBúrca obj on 01/28/2009 8:30 am

e-mail alert

And yet these numbers are for San Francisco along! House Speaker Nancy Pelosi represents a city that is a major abuser in all these area you listed!

By Lori F. on 01/28/2009 1:51 am

e-mail alert

Last week Rush Limbaugh, who has a bully pulpit so it could be said this comment is treasonous, said that he hopes President Obama fails! So… anything Limbaugh says regarding Obama or anything that is going on in policy… is invalid because we know where he is coming from and what his agenda is.

By DeBúrca obj on 01/28/2009 7:46 am

e-mail alert

You are truly a typical Obama voted! But its so typical with Obama followers that they don’t read crap so they run there mouths based on empty conclusions. Please explain if you can (with proof) how the Republicans policies got us into this depression?

By Lori F. on 01/28/2009 1:38 am

e-mail alert

“Tell me how do contraceptives stimulate the economy??? This bill is packed with anything but items that will increase jobs!” By S.J. Morgan on 01/27/2009 11:09 am Tell me how continuing to give handouts, bailouts and tax breaks to the same people who’ve been getting them for eight years is going to do anything but what it’s done for the last eight years. Unless of course you think we should be creating more jobs in China to more CEOs rich.

By Sherrie Crews on 01/27/2009 10:26 am

e-mail alert

Those tax breaks allowed small business like mine to employee 6 employees who since the Dems took over control of Congress were working tax paying family wage earning productive citizens. Today the are collecting unemployment checks. While the people like Dodd, Frank and the like are drawing a salary (with a raise they took) and guaranteed retirement and health benefits! You prefer to punish all business for the sins a few who were forced to loan money on bad loans and now find themselves insolvent? The Dem way is to throw more money at their pet entitlement programs for the victims! Take it out of thier pockets instead!

By S.J. Morgan on 01/27/2009 11:20 am

e-mail alert

We had full Republican control of all branches of government for 6, plus many years before that GOP control of Congress…. and you are insinuating the tiny majority of Democratic ‘control’ along with a hostile Republican block that used the filibuster more times in two years than ever before in history…. that THEY are to blame for your lack of employees?? It is the GOP that has arranged the largest theft in history of taxpayer money to give to private industry and private military contractors… you are barking up the wrong tree talking about which party throws away money!

By DeBúrca obj on 01/27/2009 11:30 am

e-mail alert

S.J. Morgan Great Post As a business owner myself, I agree fully with what you said.

By Robert Thompson on 01/27/2009 2:32 pm

e-mail alert

.J. Morgan Great Post As a business owner myself, I agree fully with what you said. By Robert Thompson on 01/27/2009 3:32 pm Dumb and Dumber.

By starry Nite on 01/27/2009 11:52 pm

e-mail alert

Dumb and Dumber… but which is which?

By DeBúrca obj on 01/28/2009 11:42 am

e-mail alert

And did you get the $58000 gift to the top 1% of the nation with those tax breaks?

By f p on 01/27/2009 3:39 pm

e-mail alert

Sherrie! You hit a nial ont he head, and brought up into my mind, the conversation I had with a realtor last week, when he told me, if I listed my house, I could only get half of what the city assesses value, fro my property taxes….When he showd me the listings w/i a half mile, I noticed he forgot to include the one across the street, and the one 3 doors down…WHY? they were not in foreclosure, and had a REAL price on them…not 25% of the value. I so much get off track, at times….but here is what I want to share: there are a ton of grants available to people who want to fix up their houses, but cannot afford to do so. The only problem is that if folks try to fill out the form, and forget to cross a t or dot an i—they are sent back to the one applying, for correction. THOSE who have lawyers and attorneys to do their work for them, have professionals who know how to fill out those forms….you all ready for this? In 2003, my Dad saw a property for sale, near the highway, that he thought would be a good place for my brother…so he asked that I call the number and inquire….I didn;t at first, and he asked me a second time! So I called. I spoke to the owner about the property, and he told me that he had gotten a government grant to update and expand the electrical service to the building, a government grant to replace all the windows, a government grant to upgrade the water delivery to the building, and he used the students at the University to do a traffic study for free……Now this man ALSO told me what neighborhood he lived in—-old money—-I was newly returned to Kzoo, so he did not know me, yet spoke freely—after all I was inquiring about a commercial property—and he was turning this place into commercial…. I personally know people who have no resources, who have been turned down for that same money….because they didn;t have the attorneys and accountants to know how to fill out the paperwork. Guess who the REALTOR was that was at my house last week? The VERY GUY that came to my HOUSE! And tried to STEAL t from me! You should have seen his face when I connected the dots! I wish I had a picture. My point is this: More people who do not need help, are the ones that are getting these pork earmarks—not the ones who need it! If more people knew this about ‘the Republican way’…..they would be booted out of office for good! They deny to the poor, and use tax dollars instead of their own money, to get richer!

By Patty E on 01/27/2009 12:05 pm

e-mail alert

Pelosi: Fewer babies = stronger economy Charlie Butts and Jody Brown - OneNewsNow - 1/27/2009 6:00:00 AM Updated 8:45 a.m. Central House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stirred up a hornet’s nest by promoting the idea of spending of millions of dollars on birth control and abortion as part of the economic stimulus package. “Contraception,” argued Pelosi, “will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.” Her comments came on ABC’s This Week when asked by host George Stephanopoulos how expanding “family-planning services” to the tune of millions of dollars will stimulate the economy. OneNewsNow sought reaction from Susan Fani, director of communications for the Catholic League. “It’s quite shocking, actually, that the Speaker of the House — who claims to be Catholic — would go on national television and claim that contraception would reduce the cost to the government,” exclaims Fani. “It’s just beyond words, really.” Story continues below … ———————————————————————————————————————— What’s your reaction to Pelosi’s comments? Vote in our poll ———————————————————————————————————————— Pelosi has five children and six grandchildren. Catholic League president Bill Donohue finds her comments revealing. “We have reached a new low when high-ranking public office holders in the federal government cast children as the enemy,” he offers in a press statement. “But at least it explains their enthusiasm for abortion-on-demand.” Will the spending on “family-planning services” help dig America out of its economic doldrums? “That’s not going to help grow the economy,” Fani responds. “It doesn’t even make sense as a prospect for helping this country through our economic crisis. So it’s wrong on so many different levels, and just shows…a very flawed thought process.” American Life League calls Pelosi’s remarks “a betrayal” of her Catholic faith, and the Christian Defense Coalition says it is “unthinkable” that she would try to stimulate the economy by “seeking to reduce the number of children.” America needs to produce 2.1 children per couple to keep up with births to support the population — and that rate is not being maintained. Economies in Europe have been especially hurt by a drop in birth rates.

By Robert Thompson on 01/27/2009 11:16 am

e-mail alert

Nice cut and paste. I like how you didn’t even bother to get rid of the “vote in our poll” nonsense. In any case, giving access to contraceptives to the poor given the current economy is a reasonable idea. Children are expensive and time consuming. I would rather have a family wait to have children until they get themselves back on their feet than live on the public dole because they keep popping them out.

By R.J.B. Reed on 01/27/2009 11:39 am