Is shutting down government over Planned Parenthood a good idea?

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the rest of staff at Righting on the Wall.
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By Rob Janicki

Let me be clear from the outset that I am pro-life and anti-abortion in almost all instances.  That said, I have a problem with shutting down the federal government over what some conservatives would have us to believe is solely a principled stand against abortion that can be accomplished by challenging the Obama administration to a stare down to see which side blinks first.  I just don't think many conservatives understand the legislative process and how Planned Parenthood is funded at the federal level.

The problem with shutting down government over the prospect of an Obama veto over defunding Planned Parenthood seems to me to be a false flag issue, which Democrats are inviting Republicans to fall victims to.  Let's not forget the fiasco of government shutdown in 2013 by Republicans.  It did not end well then and, in my opinion, will not end well over this issue of defunding Planned Parenthood.

Sure, I would like to see funding for Planned Parenthood abortions abolished.  It's eugenics in action to reduce minority populations in America, most notably black Americans.  The proof of that statement lies in the numbers of aborted fetuses, which annually is about 40% of black babies, the largest minority group to receive abortions.

Here's the problem, as I see it, with defunding Planned Parenthood as the conservative argument  presently stands and that few, if any conservatives are addressing.  There is no specific funding dedicated to Planned Parenthood for abortions, which amount to about 3% of Planned Parenthoods annual expenditures.  It's a violation of federal law to fund abortions.  I realize that funds are fungible and thus can be spent on anything once in the treasury of Planned Parenthood.  

But, here's the deal with federal funding of Planned Parenthood.  It is a budgetary discretionary expenditure made by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as the representative of the president.  The only real way to completely defund Planned Parenthood is to elect a Republican president who can then, by Executive Order, direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to cease allocating any funding to Planned Parenthood or what specific services of Planned Parenthood should be terminated in order to receive any funding going forward.  That's how it works and that's how it should be done, in my opinion.

Much as conservatives might all detest Planned Parenthood, they do provide legitimate health care services to women.  Additionally, Planned Parenthood receives significant revenue from sources other than the federal government that amounts to over 50% of their revenue stream.  76% of Planned Parenthood expenditures are for STI/STD testing and birth control devices and medications.  Denying these services to Planned Parenthood as a provider will only shift these costs to other state and federal agencies.

Planned Parenthood will not disappear if federal funding is withheld in its entirety.  It is simply larger than conservatives are either aware of or will admit to.  I think conservatives need to use some discretion over their call to shut government down over the issue of abortion and Planned Parenthood. I simply do not see how shutting down government in this instance will result in a victory for conservatives.  My purpose in this commentary is to stimulate debate on the topic and not to condemn those with opposing views.