"Conservative Catholic Grandmother"™ Pelosi Backs Down: Contraception Removed from "Stimulus Package"

(Hat tip: American Papist)

Ed Morrissey reports:

Democrats thought they could sneak subsidies for Planned Parenthood into the stimulus package, and why not? After all, in a bill that will cost $825 billion, who’d notice? Unfortunately for Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, George Stephanopolous did. After failing to explain how hundreds of millions of dollars in new contraception funding would stimulate anything except libidos and Democrats, Pelosi will reluctantly remove the provisions from the stimulus bill this morning ...

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In this case, Reid and Pelosi wanted to toss hundreds of millions of dollars to Planned Parenthood, an important contributor to Democratic candidates and the party. It has nothing to do with economic stimulus; it has everything to do with political stimulus.

Barack Obama hinted strongly yesterday that he didn’t need this distraction when trying to sell this humungous pork bill on Capitol Hill. He’s right. Perhaps at the same time, Congress can start removing anything else not related to immediate economic stimulation and start exercizing a little fiscal discipline.

[More]

My Comments:
Thomas Peters at American Papist is reporting that Speaker Pelosi's decision to "reluctantly" remove the provisions from the bill came after a "personal appeal" from President Obama. Kudos to the President for that.

And despite her reluctant decision to do the right thing and remove contraception funding from the "stimulus" bill, Speaker Pelosi still has that troubling Malthusian justification she offered to George Stephanopolous hanging out there. Either she should repudiate that statement, or her Bishop should do it for her.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
"Conservative Catholic Grandmother"™ Pelosi Says Birth Control a Boon for the Economy [UPDATED]