pro-lifers go after Planned Parenthood funding...finally!

From Robert Novak at Townhall.com...

National anti-abortion leaders Wednesday put finishing touches on a letter to be sent to all members of Congress urging suspension of more than $300 million in federal funding of Planned Parenthood until a massive criminal case brought in Kansas against the abortion rights organization is settled. That launches an attack against the nation's largest purveyor of "reproductive health care" -- including abortions.

For the details of the "Kansas strategy", go to Novak's article...

This opens a new front in the endless abortion wars. No change in the status quo had seemed possible for the pro-lifers. The 5 to 4 Supreme Court advantage for abortion is frozen, and a Democratic-controlled Congress will not pass new anti-abortion legislation, much less a constitutional amendment. The offensive against abortion now takes dead aim at Planned Parenthood and attempts to expand a Kansas criminal prosecution into a nationwide assault.

Whether or not enough prosecutors can be found to seek Kline-type indictments around the country, anti-abortion strategists are aiming at Planned Parenthood and its 860 facilities nationwide. Concerned Women for America and other pro-life organizations signed this week's letter to members of Congress asking for suspension of federal funding that amounts to about one-third of the organization's budget: "We urge you to act to ensure that our tax dollars are not subsidizing abortion clinics that perform possibly illegal abortions."

While the Democratic-controlled Congress surely will not defund Planned Parenthood, it will be pressed to fulfill its oversight mission with congressional hearings. The socially conservative Family Research Council Wednesday called for a Justice Department investigation. And Republican presidential candidates -- who proceed gingerly on abortion -- will be called to combat in this war.

This is a welcome move-- but it is 12 years later than it should have been. Republicans should have sacked taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood when they took over the Congress in 1995-96.

I'm not sure why this funding has continued to stay on the books.

The cynic in me says that all of this is just one more political tool and an opportunity for pro-life groups to do fund-raising.

The political philosopher in me notes that even Republicans don't mind spending taxpayer monies for all sorts of things. So their ability to stand principally against govt spending is greatly reduced. And we've seen other conversions of a similar sort-- for example, in President Bush and the Republicans in Congress finding quite a few more fiscally conservative bones in their body.

In any case, here it is. In many ways, the Republicans seem to behave more effectively as the Minority Party. Maybe they should stay that way for awhile?