Jeb Bush did the expected-for-a-Republican thing Tuesday morning by calling to defund Planned Parenthood, but he offered a novel reason for it:
I for one don't think Planned Parenthood ought to get a penny, though, and that's the difference. Because they're not actually doing women's health issues. They're involved in something way different than that.
"They're not actually doing women's health issues." So, according to Jeb, more than
4.4 million sexually transmitted infection tests or treatments in 2012, including HIV testing, doesn't count as women's health. Neither do 2.1 million women who received reversible contraception. Nearly half a million Pap tests and more than half a million breast exams. None of this is women's health, says Jeb Bush, noted women's health expert.
"They're involved in something way different than that." What, abortion? Just say it, Jeb. Because three percent of what Planned Parenthood does is related to abortion, nothing they do counts as women's health? Abortion is a women's health issue, mind you, for all sorts of reasons. But even if you don't understand that, it is a legitimately tiny fraction of what Planned Parenthood does, yet Bush wants to sweep away all those STD tests and cancer screenings and pregnancy test and prenatal care as "not actually doing women's health."
Tell that to all the women who rely on Planned Parenthood for their health care, Jeb.