-By Warner Todd Huston
In a section innocuously titled “School-Based Health Clinics,” the House bill, H.R. 3200, seems to set up Democrats to invite groups like Planned Parenthood into our schools to serve as a school “health clinic.” (‘Sec. 399Z-1. School-Based Health Clinics.)
And even more insidiously the bill provides for these “clinics” to be initiated immediately — effective date to be July 1, 2010 — whereas much of the rest of H.R. 3200 does not take effect until 2013. Why the rush? If one were cynical, one might think that the fast tracking of these “clinics” was meant to catch critics off guard. After all, if these “clinics” are slipped into our schools before anyone is aware of them, it will be harder to get them out or to protest the whole deal beforehand.
Here is how Sec. 399Z-1 begins:
‘(a) Program- The Secretary shall establish a school-based health clinic program consisting of awarding grants to eligible entities to support the operation of school-based health clinics (referred to in this section as ‘SBHCs’).
And what sort of group is “eligible” to serve as an in-school clinic? Why any group that the Secretary of Health and Human Services decides will qualify, of course. All they have to do is “submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.”
Even more eyebrow raising is the fact that this bill requires these clinics to “establish a network” to offer services after school is closed, too.
‘(iii) the SBHC will provide on-site access during the academic day when school is in session and has an established network of support and access to services with backup health providers when the school or SBHC is closed;
Apparently these clinics will assume there are no parents or families responsible for kid’s healthcare services. Who needs parents? We have Obamacare and his in-school clinics to take care of kids in AND out of schools.
And, as is the case throughout this bill, all determinations as to what should or must be done is left to “the Secretary” meaning that all determinations rest as a matter of law with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and, therefore, the White House. No local involvement, no teachers, school boards or parents need bother trying to affect these requirements and arrangements.
A naked power grab is the end result.
Now, remembering that the White House and its administration is the ruling authority, in this political climate we must realize that groups like Planned Parenthood will certainly be considered a qualifying agency worthy of being placed in our schools.
Does anyone doubt that Kathleen Sebelius and President Obama could be expected to be favored with a contract for being an in-school healthcare service? Certainly they would.
Once again we see a very controversial proposal slipped into this bill in hopes that the massive size of this thing will be so overwhelming that people simply cannot possibly catch every one of them.
We also see a big payback to Obama supporters that would otherwise not have enough legitimacy to gain access to our children otherwise.
But let’s take another step back here. I am against abortion and despise Planned Parenthood. But say you are a lefty and love both. Then imagine that a solidly anti-abortion president takes office and his Secretary decides to de-certify your beloved baby killing agencies and they put in abstinence only or religiously based “clinics.” Would you be happy about it? Of course you wouldn’t.
The only real solution is not to have government mandating these sorts of things in the first place, right, center, or left!
(Cross posted at HealthcareHorseRace.com.)
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as NewsBusters.org, RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.
He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
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