Kasich: Don’t shut down government over Planned Parenthood

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) on Saturday said Congress should not shut down the government over the fight to defund Planned Parenthood, CNN reported.

At a campaign stop with college Republicans at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, the White House hopeful fielded a question about the women’s health organization, which has been embroiled in controversy since anti-abortion activists started releasing videos showing officials discussing the group’s fetal tissue donation programs.

{mosads}”Well if you shut down the government, the question is, will you defund [Planned Parenthood]? I think the answer is no,” Kasich responded. 

Most likely, he said, the government would eventually reopen, with Planned Parenthood still receiving federal money.

“The American people will say, ‘What are you doing?’ ” Kasich continued. “The President is not going to sign a bill like that. He’s not going to.”

Several of Kasich’s rivals for the GOP nomination have made defunding Planned Parenthood at all costs a major part of their platform.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) backed a bill to strip the organization of its federal money, and has threatened to hold up numerous funding bills over the issue. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump have also called for a government shutdown over the issue.

Congress is facing a deadline at the end of the month on several government funding measures.

While Kasich emphasized that he doesn’t believe Planned Parenthood should receive federal funding, the Ohio governor said politicians must be realistic.

“ ‘My way or the highway’ doesn’t work in life,” he said.