As it has multiple times on the campaign trail, Donald Trump’s explanation of his stance on Planned Parenthood during Thursday’s GOP debate suggested he doesn’t understand how its federal funding works, and specifically the role of the Hyde Amendment.
“As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, I’m pro-life. I’m totally against abortion having to do with Planned Parenthood,” Trump said, before praising the health care organization for the services it offers women.
“So you can say whatever you want, but they have millions of women going through Planned Parenthood, that are helped greatly. And I wouldn’t fund it. I would defund it because of the abortion factor,” Trump continued.
That’s a confusing and somewhat contradictory way of putting it: Planned Parenthood is great, except for the abortion stuff they do, which I won’t fund.
But here’s the key thing Trump misses: The federal Hyde Amendment blocks Planned Parenthood — or any one other entity — from using taxpayer money for abortions, with the exception of rape, incest and life of the mother. It is named for the late Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL).
Trump failed to acknowledge that under the Hyde Amendment almost none of those Planned Parenthood abortions are funded by the federal government. (It’s worth noting that Trump has said he supports rape, incest and life of the mother exceptions when it comes to abortion in general).
Trump has missed this point in the past when he has talked about Planned Parenthood.
“Planned Parenthood does a really good job at a lot of different areas. But not on abortion,” Trump said this week on Meet The Press, for instance. “So I’m not going to fund it if it’s doing the abortion. I am not going to fund it.”
Trump’s answers and emphatically-stated memes are confusing – but so is nearly everything the others say as well. Planned Parenthood–like any other healthcare provider–gets paid for services provided to Medicaid recipients and anyone with a government-funded healthcare plan, such as Medicare or a government employee’s healthcare plan (such as Blue Cross, for example). Since the federal government does not pay for abortions (except in some cases of rape, incest or the mother’s health), no federal monies are paid to PP for abortions.
Well, thanks for pointing that out. This has been the case for decades. I do appreciate at least one reporter getting this right.
its weird how this part has to be mentioned again and again and again and again and again
I just have to love the fact that this amendment was sponsored by Henry Hyde “The Salami”, a man who had his own share of sexual escapades while in office.
Trump’s statement is indicative of his shallow approach to everything he does. He hasn’t got the 1st clue how government works at all, not just the Hyde Amendment. He can rouse the rubes but they don’t require any actual thought to rouse. Trump is veneer in business too. He lends his name to a hotel. He doesn’t “own” it but he gets paid very well for lending his name…
Trump would approach all of governing like we see in this comment and fail miserably and we would pay the price.