One of the most pernicious lies regurgitated by abortion advocates and the Left, in general, is that people in the pro-life movement will spend large sums of money and donate untold amounts of sweat equity to keep women from having abortions. But those same people, according to progressives, have not a dime or a moment to spare when it comes to supporting new mothers and their babies.
I should know. I used to spout that line when I was a lefty and that dates back to at least 44 years ago, so it's been around for a while.
It is also patently untrue. There are a multitude of organizations out there that help new moms with money, formula, clothes, cribs, diapers, and even jobs. But if the Left admitted that, one of its greatest hits would go up in flames like the Hindenburg. And the narrative, like the agenda, must be preserved at all costs.
Of course, merely claiming that pro-lifers do nothing to help mothers and their children is not enough. The abortion clinics must remain open, and the offending pro-life groups that have the unmitigated gall to put their money and time where their mouths are must be dealt with. Merely denying their existence will not get the job done. They must also be defunded. This is why the Biden Administration has proposed Rule 88 FR 67697.
The Daily Signal notes that the rule will prohibit pregnancy centers and groups that offer alternatives to abortion from receiving millions of dollars in TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Family) funds. The money would instead be allocated to Planned Parenthood and other abortion centers. The rule's name is “Strengthening [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)] as a Safety Net and Work Program.” This is another popular left-wing dodge, giving something an impressive name to re-brand it.
So to recap, the Left repeats the lie that pro-lifers do nothing for newborns and their mothers and then proceeds to create a rule that makes that very thing even more difficult. One cannot even say that the administration has hit rock bottom. It keeps finding new strata every day.
The administration's opposition to pregnancy centers and similar organizations is because they do not advocate for abortion. Excuse me, family planning. The Signal reports that Republicans opposed the bill and asked Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to withdraw it with good reason:
HHS had singled out pregnancy resource centers and stated that those programs “likely do not meet the reasonable person standard because the connection to preventing and reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies is tenuous or nonexistent,” the lawmakers explained.
They expressed concerns that this was merely another attempt by Biden’s administration to “funnel taxpayer dollars to the abortion industry,” adding: “Chillingly, HHS suggests TANF support for pregnancy centers should be steered toward family planning programs more typical of the business models of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry instead. Specifically, HHS states TANF funds should be directed to ‘comprehensive sex education, family planning services, pregnancy prevention programs, and community mobilization services for at-risk youth that increase access to pregnancy prevention programs for teens.’”
I know that many of our readers don't hold the name Mike Pence in high esteem, but let us give credit where credit is due. Pence's group, Advancing American Freedom, is leading the charge to convince congressional Republicans to defund the rule. The group has drafted a letter that has been co-signed by 32 organizations, including Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Students for Life America, Project 21 Black Leadership Project, Catholic Vote, and the American Chinese Fellowship of Houston.
The letter states in part, "Depriving pregnancy resource centers of funds is just another example of the Biden Administration’s war on life. The needless targeting of pro-life centers will only hurt women and children when they are at their most vulnerable."
This is an accurate assessment. The current crop of Republicans on Capitol Hill has been disappointing, to put it mildly. Perhaps this letter may be what it takes to stir them from the swamp and accomplish something of value before they become the minority again. And if that doesn't work, there are always their constituents who, to quote a certain president, "have a pen and a phone."
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