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1. CHOP’s Gender and Sexuality Clinic remains locked in secrecy

By Beth Ann Rosica
 

Despite receiving state tax dollars for services related to gender transition and sex reassignment, Children’s Hospital Of Pennsylvania (CHOP) refuses to share annual reports or answer questions while at the same time, tax dollars spent at this clinic and others in the state have rocketed upwards by an astonishing 8000 percent in just nine years.

The practice of providing gender transition services to children has erupted into a national controversy over the past few years, resulting in one of the most polarizing political issues. While many other countries have stopped the use of medical interventions for children with gender dysphoria, the state and federal governments specifically continue to support and encourage the treatments.

Since 2015, Pennsylvania has spent over $23 million of taxpayers dollars on sex reassignment and transition-related services and drugs for minors, according to a response to a Right to Know request filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by Broad + Liberty.

Why It Matters.  CHOP’s unwillingness to discuss the number of patients it serves and the types of treatment they receive raises questions and ethical issues. The Gender and Sexuality Clinic allegedly produces an annual report but they refused to share it when requested. 

CHOP’s clinic clearly has support from the governor’s office and the U.S. Department of Health. They appear to be working together to ensure gender transition and sex reassignment services are readily available for children and may be paid for, at least in part, with taxpayer dollars. 

The clinic’s founders are uninterested in discussing science or even providing a rational explanation as to why they have not re-evaluated their practices. By continuing to ignore questions, their actions give reason for pause. As a leading provider of pediatric services, CHOP has an ethical responsibility to be transparent about its treatment methodologies, and they must be willing to defend them.

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2. Fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel in the year since October 7

By Jeff Bartos
 

As we celebrate the Jewish New Year, commence the ten days of Teshuvah between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and commemorate the first anniversary of October 7th, our family is reflecting on a year of action, advocacy, philanthropy, and resolute devotion to the relationship between the United States and our indispensable ally, Israel.

Early on the morning of October 7, 2023, my wife Sheryl and I woke to the terrible news in Israel and could not even begin to comprehend what was happening. After scouring American and Israeli news outlets, I spoke with our daughters and tried, unsuccessfully, to alleviate their anxiety and sorrow as they tried to make sense of the incomprehensible videos and news from Israel. Thereafter followed a series of calls with family and friends in the United States and WhatsApp messages with friends in Israel as we watched, in horror, as the scope of the atrocities came into focus.

Why It Matters.  This summer, I traveled to Israel to hug friends, support local businesses, and bear witness. On June 24th, I visited the Gaza envelope, including the Nova Festival Victims Memorial, the burnt car wall, Kibbutz Alumim, and Netivot. I drove Route 232 and the intersections that were the site of many critical battles on October 7th, and I also drove the farm roads near the border that became infamous from the videos that the terrorists posted that day. 

While visiting the sites was indeed solemn and chilling, I found my meetings with Israelis who had already moved back to the Gaza envelope to be unexpectedly inspiring. In particular, their courage, their resolve and their dedication to Zionism was deeply moving. 

Everywhere I went, and every meal I shared with friends, included something extraordinary. At some point in every visit or meal, an Israeli friend (or two) would quiet the group and share their immense gratitude to me and my fellow Americans for visiting Israel at this time. Our Israeli friends often discussed how they felt abandoned by much of the world and expressed gratitude for our support and friendship. 

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3. Lightning Round

• Munroe apparently incurred criminal charges in Virginia Beach

• Becky Corbin: Pennsylvania’s untenable health care status quo

• New poll shows that Pennsylvania is still a toss up

• Kyle Sammin: The next Black Sox scandal is coming

• Thom Nickels: UFOs — fact or fiction?

• Pa. poll touts popularity of Dem House agenda, but doesn’t bother asking about Republicans

4. What we're reading

Kamala Harris picked Tim Walz as her running mate to increase her support among rural voters. It isn’t working. That’s the take from David Siders at POLITICO as he takes a swing through rural Minnesota to talk to voters who cast their ballots for Walz in the past, but won’t be doing it again.

“I call it the Democrat ‘smash and grab’ in the Capitol,” said Karla Salier, who was in the bleachers to watch her son, Jack, ride a horse in a Sunset Saddle Club event at the county fairgrounds. “They went for everything they could get to make us a sanctuary for transgenders and illegals. They just went nuts.”
When her husband, Bill, called Walz a “phony,” she said, “A flannel shirt doesn’t mean you blend in in the country.”