An essay by Jennifer Baumgardner in The Nation describes the challenges facing Planned Parenthood. Here is a short excerpt:
… And yet, there is a gap between Planned Parenthood’s reach and its grip: its ability to make politicians bend to its will or even inspire the communities it serves. This was obvious when Senator John Kerry recently announced that he believes that both sides–prolife and prochoice–obfuscate and exaggerate for political gain. It is obvious when state legislators all over the map work openly with prolife groups, defying the opinions of medical experts (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists doesn’t support any of the myriad restrictions on abortion). And it is obvious in South Dakota. The state has two Planned Parenthood clinics–but they have to fly their doctors (and, until recently, their nurses) in from Minneapolis, nearly 200 miles away, because the local community doesn’t necessarily embrace the organization. In February South Dakota’s legislature passed a law banning all abortions unless the life of the pregnant woman is in danger. There is no health exception and no exception for pregnancy due to rape or incest. On March 6 Governor Mike Rounds signed the ban, sparking a campaign to overturn it with an initiative on the ballot this November, as well as a flurry of fundraising, organizing and e-mails from groups like the ACLU, NARAL Pro-Choice America and, of course, Planned Parenthood. …
