Thousands of women have lost access to vital healthcare since Texas dismantled its Medicaid-funded Women’s Health Program in 2011 because Planned Parenthood acted as a service provider under the program. As a result of these cuts, and the persistent targeting of reproductive health clinics by anti-choice lawmakers, many clinics have been forced to close in recent years, leaving Texas women without low- and no-cost options for reproductive healthcare.
Enter: Ross Perot.
The Perot Foundation of Dallas, which was founded by the billionaire and former presidential candidate, announced this week that it would be donating $1 million to the beleaguered women’s health provider to help serve the women of Texas.
“For nearly 100 years Planned Parenthood has helped to educate men and women regarding family planning and general family health,” said Margot Perot in a written statement. “Our family has supported this nonprofit for many years because we are impressed with the work they do — providing birth control; scientifically based education; breast health exams; and basic, life-saving healthcare for women who cannot afford services otherwise.”
I literally thought that the next time I posted about Ross Perot would be to inform everybody of his passing. I NEVER thought that he would be one of the few reasonable people in Texas when it came to women's reproductive rights.
I can barely think of Perot without remembering Dana Carvey's brilliant impersonation.
Good for the Perot Foundation. Hopefully there are other reasonable organizations that will help to offer cover from the GOP's war on women in Texas and other deeply red states as well.
Good for Perot and I hope others follow his example and stop the GOP's insanity against women's rights. They want government out of everything EXCEPT when it comes to women.
ReplyDeleteGood on the Perot Foundation. It's a sorry state when a private benefactor has to come to the aid of a state the size of Texasss. The donation makes Perry look like the asswipe that he is.
ReplyDeleteA little bitch slap on TX. Good job
ReplyDeleteGood on Perot.
ReplyDeleteI was going to post remark “There are sucking sounds, and then there are giant sucking sounds," but then realized how poorly that sounded.
ReplyDeleteRight or wrong, that little rooster is his own man. This time he’s right and he’s putting money behind it; good for him. I doubt many people will take him on, because he’ll call them unflattering names and never walk it back. Good to see you again, Ross.
ReplyDeleteIt's a generous gesture but it serves the agenda of the RWNJs who maintain that churches and wealthy benefactors should step up and help those in need after they have succeeded in stripping away all remnants of the social safety net presently helping those in need.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. We need acceptable and fair distribution of the people's money for the greater health of its citizens!
DeleteOn behalf of women in Texas, I say THANK YOU to Mr. Perot. While Rick Perry funnels money to his sister, The Perot Foundation stepped up.
ReplyDeleteTexas Mel
The Bush family should step up and do same.
DeleteRoss Perot was kind of crazy, although not by today's republican standards. But he did have a lot of bad things to say about John McCain when McCain dumped his first wife.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! So impressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised and also pleased that Mr. Perot has taken the initiative to help this very worthy cause.
ReplyDeleteBless him!
LOL I remember the old man with the charts! Good to see billionaires putting their money where their mouths are. Thank You, Ross and Margot, helping Planned Parenthood is setting the right example. They're some people's, of both sexes, ONLY access to health care, education, and counseling in life changing family matters. By helping them, we're strengthening society.
ReplyDeleteI, too, send kudos to Ross and Margot Perot for their generous contribution to health of women in Texas. They set a fine example of personal caring and their example should be emulated by other people who can afford to support programs to help women, thus families, in this time of need for so many. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGood for him, he always did value information.
ReplyDeleteThank you Perot family.....there is gold in your backyard. Women of TX are very deserving of good healthcare..........Rick Perry is an idiot. I am so glad that Ross is sharing the wealth with the needy and making a statement that kinda feels like a slap in the face to Perry and state legislature.
ReplyDeleteWar on women in Texas? Really? Just because you can't have an abortion at a drive thru and you might be inconvenienced by the whole responsibility of your actions (having unprotected sex), that's not waging a war on women. Women have a choice...don't have unprotected sex. Don't make bad choices. Don't go out w/ people who have VD. Make a choice long before you have sex and then you won't be faced with killing a fetus at a clinic.
ReplyDeleteGee, how simple you make the female experience sound. Perhaps that's because you are a simple-minded and judgmental jerk. Maybe your perfect mother, wife and daughter never made decisions to have sex with the wrong person but, believe it or, not it is pretty common in this life. And sometimes, believe it or not, even married couples conceive a baby and cannot or will not (their actual right!) keep it. Stuff happens, Mr. Perfect Never-Done Wrong-So Help-Me God. ABORTION IS VERY SAD AND MANY PEOPLE SEE IT ONLY AS A LAST RESORT AND THAT IS THEIR RIGHT UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION!
DeleteWho the hell are YOU to judge?
And BTW, if you want to seem current and relevant "VD" has been replaced with the term "sexually transmitted diseases". Oh, horrors, I am being politically correct. But that's far better than just being ignorant and compassionate.
Stupid me... I meant my last word to be uncampassionate, of course.
DeleteIt shouldn't have had to come to this, but thank Mr and Mrs Perot for your generosity and compassion and putting money where it will be useful.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college, I used Planned Parenthood for checkups; it was the only way I could afford it, otherwise I would have gone without any screenings. It makes me sick what the Republicans have done to this fine organization that helps so many. Thank you, Ross Perot.
And thank you Gryphen, for posting.
It's amazing to me how stories like this don't make it to many mass media sites. So I appreciate you for all that you do.
R in NC