House GOP Knows What's Worse Than Deformed Zika Virus Babies, And It Is Planned Parenthood

Not that big a deal apparently.

In case you were wondering whether sometime over the past few weeks, Republicans in the House Of Representatives had grown the hell up and decided to govern like mature adults, HAHA, no, they did not. We told you in May that House Republicans had been dragging their feets and taking their sweet time doing something to address the growing Zika virus crisis. Oh, they passed a funding bill, but it was a day late and many dollars short of what President Obama had asked for.

But look, last week, the House approved the conference report on that funding bill, and it's ... still a piece of shit:  

The rapidly spreading Zika virus — which can be transmitted sexually and by mosquitos — is most dangerous for pregnant women. But Republicans in Congress on Thursday released a funding proposal limiting the distribution of contraceptives and preventing family planning organizations like Planned Parenthood from participating in the effort to help women in Zika-affected areas delay pregnancy.

The House passed a proposal that allocates $1.1 billion to fight the Zika virus — just over half the amount the Obama administration requested four months ago to stop the epidemic.

Democrats are furious that Republicans short-changed the president’s funding request. They are particularly upset that the bill excludes $50 million in requested funds for maternal and child health and blocks supplemental funds from going to Planned Parenthood for birth control services. The bill mandates that the Zika funds be prioritized for mosquito control programs, vaccines and diagnostics, leaving no resources for contraceptives or condoms.

Ah yes! We're dealing with a virus that is insanely dangerous for pregnant mothers and their growing fetuses, so let's cut funding that would actually directly help in those areas, because some of those dollars could be used for abortion, or even worse, demonic slut pills that might prevent ladies from getting pregnant and having babies full of birth defects in the first place! Won't somebody think of the unborn babies with all the birth defects? No, for real, could Republicans actually try to look like they care about this?

Planned Parenthood is pissed:

Planned Parenthood said the GOP policy “mocks the seriousness of this looming public health crisis,” which has already afflicted thousands of babies across South and Latin America — and one so far in the continental United States.

“In the face of threats to the public, elected officials have a responsibility to rise above politics and take meaningful action,” said Dana Singiser, a Planned Parenthood executive. “Instead, Republicans have once again reverted back to the same agenda we have seen time and time again of attacking women’s health care. It is just common sense that women need more access to basic family planning at home and abroad in the face of Zika, not less.”

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest added that “It is clear that once again, Republicans have put political games ahead of the health and safety of the American people, particularly pregnant women and their babies."

[wonkbar]<a href="https: //wonkette.substack.com/p/ted-cruz-wishes-child-sex-slaves-would-think-of-the-unborn-babies"></a>[/wonkbar]But isn't that the point, Josh Earnest? For God's sake, Ted Cruz has spent the better part of 2016 over in the Senate blocking a bill to fight child sex trafficking (!!!) because he's scared a few of the dollars might be used to buy an abortion somewhere. (They won't, and even a few of Cruz's own GOP colleagues think he's smoking the reefer on that one.)

[wonkbar]<a href="https: //wonkette.substack.com/p/everyone-loves-planned-parenthood-so-republicans-are-trying-to-kill-it"></a>[/wonkbar]And we know that, for the majority of the GOP, defunding Planned Parenthood is WAY more important than funding for other issues like climate change (which is obviously fake anyway) or HIV testing, or, now, the Zika virus. And they'll stomp on whomever gets in their way, whether it's poor people who need basic healthcare services, or lady veterans who WANT TO HAVE BABIES or, in this case, babies born with undeveloped brains, tiny heads, and a million other problems.

So, we guess it just sucks to be you, ladies and babies with the Zika virus. The GOP is too busy hating Planned Parenthood to give a fuck.

[ Huffington Post ]