The details are all too sketchy – an important enough outrage when talking about elected “representatives” spending public tax dollars – but it appears that Speaker Pelosi is about to give billions of dollars to her pals at Planned Parenthood under the guise of “economic stimulus”.

The first report of this scam came from Rep. John Boehner, who complained last week that Pelosi and President Obama were preparing to spend “millions on contraceptives” as part of their secret stimulus bill, now pending on the House floor. A search of various media on the internet produced little detail about exactly what Pelosi and Company are up to. How much money? How will it get spent? The best information we’ve discovered so far comes from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle (01.26.09.

That paper reports that we are not talking “millions” for Planned Parenthood – or even “hundreds of millions”, but probably billions. The specific provision at question is the one in the “stimulus” bill that would provide $87 billion in new money for the states to spend on Medicaid and expanded “Family Planning Grants”.

This money would be in addition to the roughly $350 million in current Congressional funding for Title X grants – most of which goes to Planned Parenthood.

It is difficult to nail down the specific numbers because Pelosi & Co. will, apparently, provide the $87 billion to the states in the form of a special block grant, with only general direction that it be spent on Medicaid and Family Planning services. Thus, President Obama can escape most of the political fall-out for providing a 200% - 500% windfall to his political allies at Planned Parenthood. The money will filter into Planned Parenthood’s coffers via one un-elected bureaucrat after the other in the various states, leaving Obama free to pursue his personal charm tour.

As bad as all this seems, Speaker Pelosi made matters worse with an interview over the weekend. George Stephanopoulos (of all people) challenged her on the notion that expanded access to contraceptives was somehow related to emergency economic development spending. Her answer reveals the contempt with which she holds human life:

“Well, the family planning services reduce cost …. [O]ne of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception will reduce costs to the states and federal government.”

Not only is there a not-so-subtle infusion of eugenic philosophy in that statement, Pelosi reveals a terrible grasp of economics. It is not stuff or government or raw materials which matter most in building a strong economy: It is people. An economy is built by and for people; we give value to those raw materials through our ingenuity and labor.

Just ask the Japanese, who are begging couples to have enough children to sustain their economy and culture. Things have gotten so precarious that Canon has announced two mandatory short days each week, so employees can go home to be with their families. Company leaders are explicit in their hope that more personal time will lead to bigger and stronger families.