Another important example is the financial problems of the Flint-based Planned Parenthood of East Central Michigan.  In fact, the problems are so bad that long-time CEO James S. Richardson has indefinitely put on hold his plans to retire "until we return to a stable financial condition."  

In a letter to supporters, CEO Richardson blames the MDCH's new funding formula for his affiliate's financial mess:

"[A] major change evolved in Michigan with the funding streams for family planning. The state implemented what state officials believed to be a way to substantially increase access to family planning for women and families with marginal incomes. The state received a `waiver' from the Federal Medicaid program that increased the family maximum eligibility threshold income from 150% to 185% of the poverty rate. Titled `PlanFirst!', the program targets women and families who are at high risk of unintended pregnancy. . . These changes in the funding created considerable financial instability."

And Richardson specifically points out that, while his organization has been detrimentally affected by the funding change, this is not the case with the Detroit-area Planned Parenthood affiliate, which stands to benefit at the expense of Planned Parenthood of East Central Michigan:

"In addition, state and federal officials decided to focus the major portion of state and federal funds on the Detroit area where there is the greatest number of unintended pregnancies in the state.

"All of these policy shifts resulted in less state grant funds for our Planned Parenthood."

To read Richardson's full letter, please see: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/east-central-michigan/Local-News-and-Events.htm

So the good news is that two of the four regional Planned Parenthood affiliates currently operating within Michigan are in tough financial shape as a result of the MDCH's new funding formula, which inherently creates inner tension within Planned Parenthood's Michigan Empire.

But the bad news is that at least one of the other two regional Planned Parenthood affiliates may have struck gold as a result of the new MDCH policy.  

In order to take better advantage of the new MDCH funding formula, the Ann Arbor-based Planned Parenthood Mid-Michigan Alliance and its sister organization, Planned Parenthood of Southeast Michigan, officially merged to form the single "largest family planning agency in the state."  The combined (truly satanic) entity is now known as Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan.

Since the "funds are [now] distributed according to the percentage of recipients below the poverty line rather than quality of care or the number served," the clinics operated by Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan that are in poverty-stricken urban areas, such Detroit, receive much more funding than they used to under the old formula.  

So with a larger flow of taxpayer funding for its centers located in poor urban areas, Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan is free to use other funds to expand its business, and it has boldly declared that it will do just that.

In fact, at the same time this past October, 2007, that officials from Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan were complaining in press releases and in mainstream media articles that they were being forced to close five of their clinics, Lori Lamerand, the new president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan announced expansion plans for her affiliate:

"We have set ambitious goals for ourselves - we plan to relocate two health centers and add a new health center in the Metro Detroit area within one year." We also plan to increase the number of patients we serve in Metro Detroit by 10,000 in the next year and increase the number of people we reach with comprehensive sexuality education programs."

See:  http://www.plannedparenthood.org/midsouthmi/11673.htm and for background on the imbecile that is Lori Lamerand, who had previously served as the CEO of the old Planned Parenthood Mid-Michigan Alliance, see: http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/9/6/03126/13330

In fact, Lamerand seems to be so sure that Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan will benefit from the new MDCH funding scheme that she is "encouraging all supporters to track [the affiliate's] progress and hold them to their 12-month goals."  

Wow.  The picture that Lamerand paints for her Planned Parenthood affiliate over the course of the next year cannot be any more different than the one Richardson does for his affiliate, Planned Parenthood of East Central Michigan.  

In addition, Michigan's fourth regional Planned Parenthood affiliate, Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan, is also doing financially well and expanding its services, but its financial stability has probably more to do with the success of its recent multi-million dollar capital campaign than with the new MDCH funding formula.  See:  http://www.ppscm.org/cc_fini_PR.pdf

In sum, the bottom line is that Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan and Planned Parenthood of East Central Michigan are in a lot of financial trouble, while Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan and Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan are apparently expanding and are seemingly better off financially.

Although both federal and Michigan law prohibit taxpayer financing of Planned Parenthood's murder of unborn children via abortion, as one can see the level of taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood's other "family planning services" has a major impact on the overall financial health of a Michigan Planned Parenthood affiliate and its ability to expand and preach its Gospel of Death.  

It is my hope that MDCH's unwitting cultivation of inner strife within Planned Parenthood's Michigan Empire serves to further diminish the impact and influence of Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan and Planned Parenthood of East Central Michigan.

At least, this way, Michigan pro-lifers can better concentrate on defeating the two remaining viable Planned Parenthood regional affiliates within the state.  

About the author: Andrew Shirvell, Esq., is a pro-life citizen activist who writes a weekly column that is published every Thursday for RightMichigan.com in which he focuses upon Michigan pro-life issues. Shirvell attended Ave Maria School of Law - Ann Arbor, where he served as president of the school's Bioethics Society, from 2004-2005.  He also served as president of Students for Life at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, from 2000-2002.