Texas chooses life over money

Earlier this year, Texas stripped Planned Barrenhood of all state grants, many of which were largely funded by the federal government.  Obama threatened to pull the federal money the state received.  Texas’ answer to that threat?  Fine.

If there was any hope that the state was seeking a compromise with the federal government over Texas’ Women’s Health Program, it’s fading fast.

At the direction of lawmakers and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, the Texas Health and Human Services commissioner signed a rule on Thursday that formally bans Planned Parenthood clinics and other “affiliates of abortion providers” from participating in the program – something the Obama administration has said is a deal-breaker for the nearly $40 million-per-year state-federal Medicaid program.

The rule, signed by Commissioner Tom Suehs on Thursday, takes effect March 14.

“Under federal law, states administer Medicaid and have the right to set the criteria for providers in the program. That is what Texas is doing,” said Stephanie Goodman, a spokeswoman for the agency. “We have a state law that our Attorney General says is constitutional, and it clearly bans abortion providers from taking part in the Women’s Health Program. We can’t violate a perfectly valid state law just to appease Washington. We hope CMS will reverse its position and allow the program to continue.”

…….The stalemate appears unbreakable – Republican lawmakers have made clear they’d rather forgo the program and the federal money than allow Planned Parenthood to participate………

Well, they still have plenty of time to cave make a deal.   Planned Parenthood and it’s allies, of course, scream that trillions of women will be denied life-sustaining contraception, food, and oxygen if the funding is cut.  The state and pro-life groups maintain that there are numerous organizations not tainted with Planned Barrenhood’s bloody hands that can provide the same services, and that women won’t left without their “health.”  It’s amazing to continue to watch Planned Barrenhood and others equate contraception, sterlization, and abortion with women’s health, but they don’t mention the heart attacks caused by contraception, the potential cancer links, the cervical cancer caused by promiscuous sex, or the wanton destruction of human life (mothers and their unborn children) that is abortion.  Thus, “health,” at least to the pro-abort crowd.