Polls: Americans Reject Extremist Demands to ‘Defund’ Planned Parenthood

Texas politicians like U.S. Senator (and Republican presidential candidate) Ted Cruz have been leaders of the effort to — as they call it — “defund” Planned Parenthood because that organization provides abortion care services (although not with federal dollars). In other words, they want to end Medicaid and other government payments for reproductive health care services — like “well-woman” checkups, STD treatments, cancer screenings and birth control — that Planned Parenthood clinics provide to millions of women (and men) across the country.

Sen. Cruz and other religious-righters have even insisted that congressional Republicans should shut down the government rather than allow that health care funding to continue.

But a review of national polling shows they are seriously out of touch with the desires of most Americans on this issue. Most Americans strongly oppose cutting off funding for health care services at Planned Parenthood clinics. An even larger majority opposes shutting down the federal government as a means to that end. Here are some of the poll results:

Suffolk University/USA Today. Sept. 24-28, 2015. N=1,000 likely voters nationwide. Margin of error ± 3.
“Do you think all federal funding for Planned Parenthood should be cut off: yes or no?”
Yes: 29%
No: 65%
Unsure: 6%
Refused to answer: 1%

“Should supporters of de-funding Planned Parenthood be willing to force a government shutdown over the issue, if it comes to that?”
Yes: 19%
No: 73%
Unsure: 8%
Refused to answer: 1%

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Sept. 23-27, 2015. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ± 4.
“Currently, the federal government provides some funding to Planned Parenthood. Do you think Planned Parenthood should or should not receive funding from the federal government?”
Should: 55%
Should not: 36%
Unsure/No answer: 9%

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by Hart Research Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R). Sept. 20-24, 2015. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ± 3.1.
“Would you favor or oppose totally eliminating federal funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventative health services? … And, would you strongly or somewhat favor/oppose this?”
Strongly favor: 22%
Somewhat favor: 13%
Somewhat oppose: 17%
Strongly oppose: 44%
Unsure: 4%

Despite these numbers, religious-right activists and their political friends like Sen. Cruz are still trying to shut down the government and sabotage the economy in order to strip funding from clinics that millions of women depend on for reproductive health care services. Frankly, that kind of agenda is a perfect example of “extremism.”

4 thoughts on “Polls: Americans Reject Extremist Demands to ‘Defund’ Planned Parenthood

  1. Cruz only needs one thing: Recall.

    He has a mental disorder, delusion. He actually believes his own propaganda. He has no idea of what REAL Americans want. If he thinks something then ALL people think the same, how could they not? After all, Cruz thinks that he is a god and gods are never wrong.
    I did not vote for the bastard, I loath both he and his nutso father who both still think that this is a country based on religion, THEIRS.
    According to the Constitution we are a SECULAR NATION. But Cruz says it isn’t and he is GOD.
    I cannot wait for him to come up for reelection, if the people of Texas have any respect for themselves, they will vote him out.
    The ONLY person I want to win is Bernie Sanders. He will stop our move towards fascism that Cruz so dearly wants.

    1. Hi Beverly.

      Shalom.

      Here is my question or questions?

      Does Cruz really believe what he is saying or is he just trying to use shock for entertainment?

      Can Bernie win? I like his honesty.

      If the government shuts down that would be a total disaster because people needing money and such would be cut out from benefits. That could lead to violence as Cruz and others believe “NO LIVES MATTER”.

      We’ve got to get people out to vote.

      1. I think Cruz believes what he says. Sure, he’s delusional, but he was raised in a delusional household. Cruz is nuts and will never be President. I doubt he’ll survive re-election because he’s done NOTHING for Texas as its senator. NOTHING. No appropriation bills, no pork, no nothing. He’s been Ted Cruz all the time, all the time.

        Can Bernie win? Yeah, he could. He’s not the Clinton Machine. He is immune to the NRA and Coal and other interests. He says what he thinks. He’s for social justice and he knows how to work the political system.

        However, Hillary has yet to crank up the machine. She’s in idle at the moment. When she goes full metal jacket political we’re going to see something exciting and Bernie, I’m afraid, is going to get mowed down.

        Hillary will be the next President. She’s smart, has the experience, knows how to network and get things done and she will totally wipe the floor with any candidate in the Clown Car.

        1. I am a bit sceptical. I think Cruz’ general worldview and his public persona are related but I also believe that a lot of the falsehoods he spreads are deliberate lies. He is imo of the school of thought that, for the cause, even massive deviations from the truth are justified. His edition of the Holy Bible obviously omits the ‘thou should not bear false witness’ commandment (and a bit of other stuff too).
          Apart from that he makes every list of ‘most punchable face’ with ease that is not restricted to non-political professions.