Poll: By 2-1, funding for Planned Parenthood supported
WASHINGTON — Some congressional Republicans remain determined to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood, but a nationwide USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll finds Americans back government support for the group by more than 2-1.
Two-thirds of those surveyed, 65%, say funding should continue for the group, which provides contraception, cancer screening and other health services to women; 29% say it should be cut off.
"Basically, we're defunding women's health care," protests Erika Raney, 32, a business consultant from Los Angeles who was among those surveyed. "It furthers the issue that women still don't have equal rights in the U.S."
Passions run high on both sides of the issue. Ronald Joseph, 78, a retiree from Elmira, N.Y., objects to the abortion services Planned Parenthood provides, although the $500 million it receives in federal funding isn't used for that purpose. "They're butchers," he said in a follow-up interview. "They might as well put sawdust on the floor."
The survey found a sharp partisan divide: 91% of Democrats support federal funding for Planned Parenthood; 59% of Republicans say those funds should be shut off.
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The poll of 1,000 likely voters, taken by phone Thursday through Monday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
An even bigger majority opposes shutting down the government as a tactic to deny funds for the group. Before a Wednesday midnight deadline, congressional Republicans are now expected to pass a short-term budget bill that would fund Planned Parenthood and the rest of the government for a few months. But it's possible that showdown has only been delayed until the next fiscal deadline in December.
Republicans try new way to defund Planned Parenthood, avoiding shutdown
By 73% to 19%, those surveyed say opponents shouldn't force a shutdown over the issue. If they do, the GOP would bear the brunt of the blame: 43% say they would hold congressional Republicans responsible. Just 11% would blame President Obama and 10% congressional Democrats.
"I would probably start with Ted Cruz," says William Sather, 41, the technical director for a production company in St. Paul, Minn. Cruz, the Texas senator now running for the Republican presidential nomination, has vowed to delay a vote on the budget bill this week. He ignited a two-week government shutdown in 2013 over funding for the Affordable Care Act.
Not surprisingly, an overwhelming 72% of Democrats would blame the congressional GOP. Republicans are more likely to spread the blame around. One-third volunteer that all of those involved would share responsibility.
Tyler Sutherland, 24, a U.S. Army officer based in Manhattan, Kan., says he would blame "everyone in Congress" and calls the political system the problem. "Anytime we shut down the government for a disagreement, there's something hugely inefficient in our ability to govern," he says.
But Nina Neece, 56, of Turlock, Calif., places responsibility on supporters of Planned Parenthood. "Do you blame the people for trying to do the right thing or do you blame the people that are doing wrong?" she asks. Besides, she says of the government, "If it shuts down, it shuts down. The world's not going to come to an end."
