Most Utahns have an unfavorable opinion of Planned Parenthood, and most don’t want fetal tissue used in medical research, a new UtahPolicy poll shows.
As you may know, following secretly-recorded videos of some Planned Parenthood officials speaking bluntly about aborted fetal tissue being sold for legal medical research, some Republicans in Congress are trying to defund PP programs.
And GOP Utah Gov. Gary Herbert two weeks ago issued an executive order stopping federal money flowing through the Utah Health Department’s budget to Utah Planned Parenthood, even though Utah PP does not perform abortions nor sell fetal tissue.
Still, the new Dan Jones & Associates poll finds Herbert, and Utah GOP legislators have nothing to fear from their party constituents concerning taking money away from Utah Planned Parenthood.
Jones finds that among Utah Republicans, 79 percent have an unfavorable opinion of PP, only 16 percent have a favorable opinion.
And among Utah Republicans, 73 percent don’t want fetal tissue used in medical research, while 20 percent support it.
Jones polled Aug. 7-14, after the national uproar over Planned Parenthood broke, but before Herbert issued his “no funds” order, which came the night of Aug. 14.
So UtahPolicy was not able to ask Utahns what they thought of Herbert’s order.
But it would be safe to say that Republicans would like it and Democrats dislike it.
Jones finds that Utah Democrats have a favorable opinion of Planned Parenthood, 79-9 percent.
Utah political independents are split over the group, 50 percent unfavorable, 43 percent favorable.
Planned Parenthood nationally and in Utah stresses women not getting pregnant until they want to become so – providing counseling and contraceptives — and reproductive health for women.
You can read about their programs on their local website here.
Considering Utah Republicans dislike of Utah PP, one may wonder how GOP governors or lawmakers didn’t defund the group sooner.
No state funds go to PP; rather the organization used to get around $150,000 a year in federal pass-through monies for women’s health issues.
The group has around an $8 million budget statewide, and PP executives say the $150,000 loss via federal pass-through monies will not significantly harm their medical programs in Utah.
An interesting number in Jones poll:
— Among those ages 18-24, who may use Planned Parenthood services more than older Utahns who have their own health care coverage, most like it.
— In that age group, 72 percent have a favorable opinion of Planned Parenthood, 21 percent an unfavorable opinion.
Among older Utahns, most have an unfavorable opinion of PP, with those 65 years an old disliking the organization most, 65-24 percent.
As might be expected, the “very active” LDS don’t like Planned Parenthood, 73-19 percent, and oppose using fetal tissue for medical research, 69-25 percent.
Catholic Utahns favor using fetal tissue for medical research, 59-41 percent, even though the Catholic Church oppose abortion, as does the LDS Church.
Jones polled 500 adults; the survey has a margin of error plus or minus 4.99 percent.
