Planned Parenthood Pushes Back: ‘Majority of Voters Chose Hillary Clinton’

The president and CEO of Planned Parenthood says in a pledge she asks her supporters to sign that “the majority of voters chose Hillary Clinton” as the nation’s next president.

Cecile Richards writes in an email to Planned Parenthood advocates:

As a candidate, Donald Trump laid out a dangerous and divisive agenda that could hurt tens of millions of Americans. Congressional leadership seems poised to give Donald Trump a blank check. Together, they could send our country back decades, undoing so much of the progress we’ve made.

Their wish list is long, and every item on it is devastating: Repealing the Affordable Care Act, filling Supreme Court seats with justices who’ve vowed to overturn Roe v. Wade, taking rights and protections away from women, LGBTQ folks, people of faith, and people of color.

Trump and the next Congress need to know — right now — just how strong our movement is. They need to be reminded that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, that a majority of voters chose her progressive, inclusive vision for America — not theirs. They need to see that we will never back down when it comes to people’s health and rights. That we will fight with everything we have.

Richards asks supporters to sign the following pledge, which echoes Democratic leaders’ reliance on rallying diversity groups into a national coalition.

To lawmakers and others who think they have a “mandate” to push policies that punish and attack women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, people of faith, people with disabilities, and others and strip away their rights, hear this:

We are bigger and stronger and more powerful and more committed than you know. We won’t shrink or hide away. We’re standing strong — ready to fight. For our lives. For our health. For our rights.

The majority of voters chose Hillary Clinton and her vision for an inclusive, progressive, respectful America. Most Americans support access to reproductive health care, including abortion; universal health care; and marriage equality and LGBTQ rights. We will not stand for attacks and discrimination based on color of skin or religion. Americans also understand that immigration is good for our country and want immigrants treated with dignity and respect.

In short, you may occupy powerful positions now. And you may try to take away health care from millions of Americans, outlaw abortion, strip away people’s civil rights, and deport millions of immigrants, breaking apart families.

But we represent the true strength and power and future of this country. And we have no intention of letting you abuse your power to take us back.

We are the majority, and we will show up and shut down any attempts to take away our rights, harm us and our loved ones, and jeopardize our future.

In an interview Wednesday, Richards admitted the Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe v. Wade “was on the ballot in this election” on Tuesday.

Richards, who actively campaigned for Hillary Clinton – the first candidate Planned Parenthood ever endorsed in a primary election – told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that she “absolutely” thinks the overturn of Roe v. Wade is possible in a Donald Trump administration.

“I mean, I think that Roe vs. Wade was on the ballot in this election,” she continued, according to CNSNews.com. “I know that Mr. Trump has said that in his acceptance speech that he was going to govern for all Americans – not just ones that voted for him – and I hope that includes women.”

Richards, however, has testified before Congress that “abortion is health care,” an idea that is denounced by many of the very pro-life Americans who voted for Trump.

While on the campaign trail, Trump promised to repeal and replace Obamacare and to appoint pro-life Supreme Court justices. The president-elect has also said Planned Parenthood should be defunded.

Planned Parenthood has been attempting to justify its abortion business and taxpayer funding, especially over the past year since the release of videos that allege the group has illegally sold the body parts of babies it aborts in its clinics for a profit.

Abortion proponents have experienced melt-downs following Trump’s stunning victory, even to the extent of urging women to have IUDs implanted prior to the president-elect’s inauguration in order to obtain them for “free,” or, on the taxpayer’s dime.

Richards also noted during the interview that supporters “have been dropping off baked goods” at Planned Parenthood clinics following the Nov. 8 elections.