GOP Legislator: God is Punishing the Disabled

Virginia state delegate Bob Marshall's recent comments that handicapped children were God's punishment for abortion will only make it harder for the GOP to make inroads with the disability community.

Thanks to Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall, the Republican Party again looks pretty out of touch.  Marshall turned a perfectly legitimate opportunity to oppose state funding for Planned Parenthood into an excuse for the disability community to vote for anyone but Republicans.

Marshall made a mockery of special needs families, religion and the GOP at a press conference on February 18^th with his statement that:

The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children…

In an apology that seems to have come from a completely different person, Marshall stated:

I have devoted a generation of work to defending disabled and unwanted children, and have always maintained that they are special blessings to their parents. Nevertheless, I regret any misimpression my poorly chosen words may have created as to my deep commitment to fighting for these vulnerable children and their families.

Too late.  Republicans look like they are completely out of touch and have no sincere interest in supporting special needs families.  And they have probably lost an important debate.

There are plenty of reasons to stop funding Planned Parenthood without making deeply offensive, no-basis arguments designed to scare people.  For starters, in 2008 Planned Parenthood the largest recipient of Title X funds, reported that it receives 34% of its revenue through government grants and contracts. While it is true that Title X funds cannot be used to directly fund abortions, taxpayer dollars are being used to cover allowed expenses such as overhead and operational costs.  This frees up other funds to promote and provide abortions.

Also controversial is the 5:1 ratio of abortions performed on black to white women. It has been said that abortion has killed more black Americans than crime or AIDS. In fact, Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was a well-known supporter of eugenics.

In 2008, Planned Parenthood of California overcharged the government over 5.2 million dollars.  Recently in Alabama, a Planned Parenthood clinic was put under probation when an employee was caught advising an underage abortion-seeking teen how to evade the parental notification law.  There are more of these unethical practices being researched all over the country.

Hopefully Marshall’s debating skills are not typical within the GOP.  Republicans in the disability community won’t stand for this type of ignorance.  Don’t let them down.  Primary this guy in 2010.