In a week replete with news of presidential candidates entering and leaving the race, a story brewing in Indiana points the way toward greater political cooperation between pro-life and small government activists – cooperation that could be key for politicians working to build broad coalitions.
In late April, the Hoosier state became the first in the nation to prohibit state officials from entering into contracts with or making grants to any entity (including, notably, Planned Parenthood) that performs abortions or that maintains or operates facilities where abortions are performed when Governor Mitch Daniels signed a law that also bans abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy. The effect of the new law is to deny Planned Parenthood about $3 million in public funds unless they decide that providing common preventive care for women (such as prenatal care, pap tests, and screening for sexually-transmitted diseases) is more important than providing abortions.
Hours after the governor signed the bill into law, Planned Parenthood was in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis requesting a restraining order. U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt refused to enter a temporary injunction. A full hearing on Planned Parenthood’s request for a permanent injunction against the law is expected in June.
Despite the judge’s initial ruling, Planned Parenthood of Indiana continues to claim that the bill is unconstitutional.
Media analysts have noted that the law defunding Planned Parenthood could improve Gov. Daniels standing among social conservatives as he considers a run for the presidency in 2012. More

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