Had Planned Parenthood executives read Homer, they might have avoided the sirens' song which has corrupted them. They may never have accepted the 'golden handcuffs' associated with taxpayer funding. Every new administration can declare services illegal only because taxpayer funds pay the piper and politicians call the tune.
Most charities, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Family Services, and others vie for taxpayer funds and find they, too, must play the government's tune regardless of their stated missions.
When my daughters were young, I wrote checks to Planned Parenthood because I believed strongly in birth control and I advised teenage girls about free or very reasonable services at Planned Parenthood. It was win-win.. no one was forced to pay for Planned Parenthood services (thru taxes) and those who didn't agree with those services were not forced to use them. No one was coerced and all transactions were voluntary--close to a libertarian's Utopia.
But then the government wheedled their way into the process by making 'gifts' using taxpayer dollars (the only resources available to government.) Eventually Planned Parenthood hired lobbyists instead of those effective fundraisers who once tapped into the social conscience of women and like minded men (the Buffetts of the world/and Nebraska Furniture Mart's Mrs. B.) 'Society' lost an independent source for women's health and informed choices to government control for a handful of golden coin.
Society is not government and government is not society. No law can be written, regardless of ideology, that is caring or thoughtful and without unintended results, some catastrophic for our society.
Following WWII, 75% of black children were born into 2 parent families, and most of the rest lived in extended families and caring communities. Then our federal government created AFDC, only for women with children instead of a millenniums-tested family dole. Young dads found their meager paycheck competing with a check from Uncle Sam and public housing for their families. Young women 'in trouble' were whisked off to high rises or projects to raise their children in a female dominated environment. If an unemployed dad attempted to stay with their families and be a father to their children, they were driven out as 'cheaters' and their family might be tossed into the street. After many generations of this kind of nonsense, the 'sperm donor' was born.
Margaret Mead stated, and I paraphrase, that women's role in parenting is largely biological while men's role is largely social. And if we deny men that social role, we will play hell bringing the dads back. Senator Patrick Moynihan [D,NY] understood and worked on Welfare reform with President Clinton trying to reverse social decay.
Some see me as uncaring because I don't support taxpayer funded programs over private charity but why is hard to understand that our social planners good intentions created scores of millions of fatherless children who have suffered the consequences. Moms are like the Lioness. We protect our kids from what we perceive as danger or extreme excitement. Dads roughhouse (studies now showing the importance to children's development,) or start pillow fights at bedtime and then say 'Okay, time to settle down' or 'You are not going out dressed like that. Go change.' Dads parent differently. Is it better parenting or worse to toss a child in the air when you greet them? How many moms do that versus dads?
I will be scorned by many on both sides for my views. I will be scorned by many for thinking, had Planned Parenthood not played footsie with the government in the first place, they could still be providing the services Sanger hoped they would. But I feel compelled to speak.