Planned Parenthood fires Wen

I just learned that the @PPFA Board ended my employment at a secret meeting. We were engaged in good faith negotiations about my departure based on philosophical differences over the direction and future of Planned Parenthood. My statement to come shortly.

— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) July 16, 2019

Planned Parenthood (PP) recently fired its president, Dr. Leana Wen, who is an emergency physician. My thoughts:

1. It seems to me the basic reason PP fired Wen is because Wen wasn't progressive enough for PP. Despite the fact that Wen is already quite progressive. For example, Wen already strongly pushes abortion, but apparently she doesn't do so aggressively enough for PP. In fact, I don't see how Wen could have been progressive enough for PP short of conceding scientific impossibilities like men having babies. (Which, of course, would have risked discrediting her as a physician!)
2. I suspect one reason (among many others) PP has become so radically progressive is because PP wishes to appeal to the entire LGBTQ community. On the face of it, that might not sound like a problem, because feminists and LGBTQs often side with one another (as well as with racial/ethnic minorities).

   However, many if not most Americans probably don't realize that there's been a long-standing on-again, off-again internecine feud within the LGBTQ community. Primarily between homosexuals (gays, lesbians) and transgendered individuals. At the risk of oversimplification: homosexuals tend to regard biological nature as fixed, while transgendered people tend to regard biological nature as fluid. That's a fundamental difference, and both can't be correct at the same time, hence the internecine warfare.

   Prof. James Anderson recently wrote a post that cashes out the philosophical issues and implications far better than I ever could.

   At any rate, it seems to me the transgender movement in PP (alongside other radicals) has caused the rest of PP to become ultra progressive. It's similar to how radical Democrats like AOC have taken control of the direction their own party is headed. The tail is wagging the dog.

   As a result, Wen is ousted because she's not totally and completely on board with the radical agenda of PP.

3. Further, in case it wasn't already painfully obvious, this shows that PP cares more about promoting progressive values than they care about promoting women's health. PP claims they care most about women, that abortion only makes up a tiny fraction of their services, that they really exist to help struggling women, and so on. However, the truth is PP cares about pushing their progressive agenda, whether or not it affects women.
4. Finally, I think Wen is a more dangerous Democrat than someone like AOC. That's partly because Wen knows how to appeal to the Democratic base as well as to moderates. Wen is progressive, but she doesn't come across as radical. To be frank, Wen could have put on a sensible face to the public, but behind the scenes worked toward her progressive agenda. And none (or few) would have been the wiser.

   (Similar things could be said about Andrew Yang, but at this point it looks like he has no chance of getting nominated.)

   By contrast, AOC telegraphs her punches from a mile away. Or to change the metaphor, AOC broadcasts her intentions like a blazing inferno so that it's visible to any and all in all directions. A blind person couldn't miss what AOC is up to.

   Thankfully for Republicans, conservatives, and even moderates, the Democrats seem to be going with the bulls in a China shop like AOC rather than deadlier serpents.