Tag Archives: government funding

Planned Parenthood: Loaded And Growing

Catherine StrawnJune 23, 2008 //

Planned Parenthood had an annual revenue of more than $1 billion last year (note that this is revenue, not profit), raised various ways, including through payments by more affluent patients (PP charges on a sliding scale), private insurance, sales of candles, jewelry, and condoms, and federal funding. The organization is expanding, and moving into more upscale suburban areas, rather than staying in low-income areas. Last year, Planned Parenthood received more than $335 million from the government, but the money is spent on family planning and reproductive care for low-income women, not abortions. Conservative activists and politicians such as Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana believe the non-profit can do without the tax dollars since it’s so good at raising money on its own. Thoughts? [WSJ and WSJ.com] Keep reading »

Breaking News: Abstinence-Ed Doesn’t Work!

Amelia McDonell-ParryDecember 5, 2007 //

There’s a news story to support the headline above nearly everyday, but the latest has the most expansive evidence that abstinence-only education does not affect sexual behavior in teenagers. The non-partisan group National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy conducted the study and concluded:

“At present there does not exist any strong evidence that any abstinence program delays the initiation of sex, hastens the return to abstinence or reduces the number of sexual partners among teenagers.”

Currently there’s a bill before Congress that would put $141 million into abstinence-only education funding. Um, yeah. In a few weeks, we’ll be debating the issue of whether, despite the evidence, abstinence education is still the way to go when it comes to teaching minors about sex. Um, we know where we stand if you couldn’t read between the lines, but we’re eager to hear from our experts and from you Frisky girls as well. [MSNBC] Keep reading »