The Planned Parenthood Hearings Revealed More About Republicans Than PP

Watching the Planned Parenthood hearings was wince inducing. It was also one of the best ways to see Republicans in their natural habitat of ignorance and petulance. Everything you need to know about Republicans was on display yesterday.

1. Math is hard

Have you seen this chart? Pay special attention to the source listed in the lower right corner. Given Rep. Jason Chaffetz’s (R-UT) questioning anyone would be forgiven for thinking he actually created this chart. He didn’t.

Please notice the numbers. Brainwrap at Daily Kos uses math to create a chart that actually uses, well, math.

Chaffetz wouldn’t pass the SAT.

Needless to say, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards schooled him into embarrassed silence. Via TPM:

Chaffetz, who chairs the committee, at one point showed a slide that had one straight line heading downward and another straight line heading upward.

“You created this slide. I have no idea what it is,” Richards said.

“Well, it is the reduction over the course of years — in pink, that’s the reduction in the breast exams — and the red is the increase in the abortions,” Chaffetz said. “That’s what’s going on in the organization.”

Richards said that she had not seen the slide before and that it “absolutely does not reflect what’s happening at Planned Parenthood.”

“You’re going to deny that —” Chaffetz said.

“I’m going to deny this slide that you just showed me that no one has ever provided us before,” she said. “We’ve provided you all the information about everything — all the services that Planned Parenthood provides. And it doesn’t feel like we’re trying to get to the truth here. You just showed me this.”

“I pulled those numbers directly out of your corporate reports,” Chaffetz said.

“Excuse me,” Richards said. “My lawyers have informed me that the source of this is Americans United for Life which is an anti-abortion group so I would check your source.”

Chaffetz, paused, stuttered a bit and said, “Then we will get to the bottom of the truth of that.”

That had to leave a mark. Notice Chaffetz’s comment, “I pulled those numbers directly out of your corporate reports.” Why no, no he didn’t. The chart was created (the numbers pulled) by Americans United for Life. How embarrassing it must be to cheat off your neighbor’s paper only to find out you cheated off an idiot. Notice, also, when confronted with actual facts his reply was, “Then we will get to the bottom of the truth of that.”

Conclusion: Math is important. Reading and making charts is important. Grade: F

2. Treatment of Women

One of the most frustrating things about this hearing was the number of times Republicans interrupted Cecile Richards. They simply refused to let her answer their questions. Go ahead and try to watch this video. Painful, no? Disrespectful, no? Obviously, allowing Richards to actually answer their questions wasn’t the point. Their treatment of her spoke volumes.

3. Republicans make exceptions to their morality depending on who it is, or… my abortion, welfare, veteran booing, gayness, etc. is justified.

I really thought that Trump’s comment about McCain’s war record would be the final nail in his coffin. Silly me. I had forgotten that the Republican base actually booed a gay soldier during their last primary debate. It’s the same with sexism and racism. Only Republican women and minorities are victims of sexism and racism. Everyone else… nope.

And their family values seems to only apply to others. Hello? Intern sex Newt Gingrich. Diaper wearing, prostitute using David Vitter. Wide stance Larry Craig. And, let’s not forget, Pro-Life Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn who’s wife had two abortions – with his blessings:

“Things were not going well between us and it was a mutual decision,” DesJarlais said of the elective abortion. “I don’t think that it was easy for either one of us. I think it was a very difficult and poor choice and I think that there are probably regrets both ways.”

That’s called “choice for me, but not for thee” and he’s a big pro-choicer when it comes to how a pregnancy impacts his life.

Here is what family values/pro-lifer DesJarlais said to his pregnant mistress: “You told me you’d have an abortion, and now we’re getting too far along without one,” DesJarlais tells the woman at one point in the call while negotiating with her over whether he’ll reveal her identity to his wife. They then discuss whether he will accompany her to a procedure to end the sort of life the congressman now describes as “sacred.”

There’s plenty more hypocrisy from the “family values” crowd. I’ve just scratched the surface, but if you want more, just ask.

4. Lying

Everything listed above (and many examples not listed) has one thing in common: Blatant Lying and stunning hypocrisy. It’s actually quite brazen. And it’s being used to justify legislation. Chaffetz’s chart was one big lie. Refusing to let Cecile Richards answer a question was so their lies wouldn’t be countered or exposed. Their “pro-life/family values” stance only applies to other people’s lives. Their lives are complicated, their abortions are different, etc.

But, right now, the biggest liar on the field is Carly Fiorina. The breadth of her lies is stunning. Not only did she completely fabricate what’s on the Planned Parenthood “sting” videos, she keeps doubling down on the lie:

“Yes,” she said. “And I would challenge Planned Parenthood… They’re trying to distract the American people from the hideous reality that Planned Parenthood is aborting fetuses alive to harvest their brains and other body parts. That is a fact.”

“Planned Parenthood will not and cannot deny this because it is happening. It is happening in this nation,” Fiorina continued. “And taxpayers are paying for it. Planned Parenthood desperately wants everyone to think this isn’t going on. Because when Americans realize it is going on, whether they are pro-life or pro-choice, they are horrified. This goes to the character of our nation and it must be stopped.”

She uses the line “That is a fact” a lot. Does she not know what a fact is? Personally, I think she demonstrates the problem with a “business person” as President. They live in a yes-men bubble. (Note: Watching Congress eat President Donald Trump alive would be entertaining. He’s delusional if he actually believes he’ll accomplish what he says. In fact, I think he’ll become the bi-partisan issue.)

Fiorina is a piece of work. I get that politicians lie, but her lies are eerily specific and easily disproved – and yet she still lies, about a lot.

But I guess these lies say more about the Republican base. The candidates/legislatures couldn’t get away with this stuff if their base cared about facts… or math… or science.