Friday, February 3, 2012
Abortion Komen Foundation reverses decision to cut Planned Parenthood funding
Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 10:25 AM
- Wikipedia
- NANCY BRINKER: Apologizes for decision.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure is said to have reversed its decision to stop providing grants for breast examinations to Planned Parenthood. NY Times coverage here.
The statement isn't quite that direct and leaves some wiggle room, seems to me. The days ahead will tell, but Komen is clearly trying to put out the fire. A statement from Nancy Brinker, the founder and board chair said, in part:
We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives.The events of this week have been deeply unsettling for our supporters, partners and friends and all of us at Susan G. Komen. We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not.
The fallout has been enormous for Komen. The anti-choice political movement was clearly wrapped up in the decision, despite Brinker's protests, particularly as news came of impact that movement on other Komen foundation spending, such as a halt to support of stem cell research. Board member John Raffaelli, a Washington lobbyist and Texarkana native, had told the press flatly that the end of Planned Parenthood money was tied to anti-choice sentiment and feared impact on Komen from anti-choice motivated investigations in Congress against Planned Parenthood.
A number of affiliates, including the one in Arkansas, had distanced themselves from the decision and top officials had resigned.
The cat, however, is out of the bag, regardless of the reversal. There now will be fresh and deserved examination of political factors in all spending decisions by Komen; of corporate influence and marketing; of the percent of money raised that actually goes to breast cancer examinations, treatment and cures.
The anti-choice contingent in the U.S. is strong and organized. But it lives in a soundproof room. It hears only itself. The takeover of Komen by anti-choice adherents and their action here demonstrated how they underestimate the degree to which American women favor ready access to birth control, comprehensive health care and family planning and even — though under a variety of circumstances and often with restrictive regulations — abortion rights.
You might like to peruse the national Komen Foundation's federal tax return for 2010 for the Dallas headquarters organization, which shows about $74 million spent in grants and assistance to programs and organizations carrying out the mission — or roughly 41 percent of the year's $177 million in expenses, including $18 million in salaries, $18 million in marketing expenses, $11 million in office expenses, $8 million in technology expenses, $2 million travel expenses, $2 million for conferences, $18 million for consulting expenses, $2 million on race production and $7 million in "other" expenses. (Better Business Bureau says a charity should spend about 65 percent or more of its income on services.) UPDATE: However, a separate foundation that reports the fund-raising of local affiliates, which produce significant sums from the Race for the Cure with lower overhead, affects the overall performance of the organization in a favorable way and puts total effort beyond BBB suggested guidelines.)
Comments follow from the Arkansas affiliate of Komen and from Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, which serves Arkansas:
ARKANSAS KOMEN AFFILIATE
The Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure made a statement on Wednesday of this week asking our National organization to reverse its decision to stop grant funding for any organization that is under governmental investigation, including Planned Parenthood. At that time, we said, and we maintain today, decisions of this nature should be made only after the investigation is complete.
Our National organization agreed with us and stated that in a release this morning, "We will amend the criteria (for grants funded by the organization) to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political." We are feeling a sense of relief that this controversy may finally be concluding and the Arkansas affiliate can again turn our attention to our most important mission - providing breast health to the women of our state.
In our statement we asked that both sides of this issue look at our body of good works. Komen is a bipartisan organization and wishes to remain so. We do not support any particular organization. We have many partners in this quest for a cure and to save lives through education, research, screening, and treatment.
During this week, the Arkansas affiliate has heard and has listened to your comments about this issue. We will continue to listen to our community of volunteers, donors and supporters regarding any issues. However, while we have these discussions, we will make certain to put the breast health of the women of Arkansas first.
We thank you for your support and we ask that you continue to help us fight for a cure for this dreaded disease. We value you and we thank you for entrusting us to use the resources you give us to provide breast care for people of Arkansas and to help fund research, which will someday contribute to finding a cure.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF THE HEARTLAND
The outpouring of support for Planned Parenthood from our friends, donors, supporters and patients in the last few days has been astonishing. Millions of men and women across the country have joined a national conversation about the importance of lifesaving breast care for all. The compassion and support we have witnessed both locally and nationally is a testament to the important services provided by Planned Parenthood in our communities.The unified outcry in support of those most in need rose above political, ideological and cultural divides, and will be recognized as a defining moment during a contentious political time. Planned Parenthood thanks every person who contributed to elevating the importance of breast cancer screenings for all women.
Our partnership with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has been challenged, but we are overjoyed that we can now continue our work together to help the women who rely on us for lifesaving cancer prevention care. We share the same commitment to providing breast health for the most underserved women. We are enormously grateful that the Komen Foundation has clarified its grant-making criteria and we can continue our partnerships with our local leaders, supporters, volunteers, advocates and friends.
The past few days have demonstrated the steadfast determination we all share in the fight against cancer. Over the past year, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland provided more than 23,000 breast exams to women in need. With a restored partnership with the Komen Foundation and the outpouring of support of the past week, we will be able to support more women in need, providing more lifesaving breast health services to the women in our community.
Speaking of Susan G. Komen Foundation For The Cure, Planned Parenthood
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Open the line
April 30, 2012Sorry about the late open line. After a deadly dull day, things started happening, the phone started ringing and, well, here I am still: Final notes: * JUSTICE IN TEXAS: A federal judge appointed by George W. Bush says Texas can't cut Planned Parenthood out of a health care program for needy women. /more/
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Rapert bill similar to Virginia's on invasive ultrasound
March 11, 2012 -
Poor women's health becomes pawn for Texas politics
March 8, 2012I read about this over the weekend in the Austin newspaper and couldn't believe it. /more/
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Women's rights to The Pill — a 55-year-fight
March 2, 2012A poignant op-ed in the New York Times today by a woman who was one of the pioneering plaintiffs 55 years ago — FIFTY-FIVE — whose lawsuits gave rise to the ruling that states could not make it illegal to obtain contraception. /more/
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UPDATE: Joint Budget bickers over budget bills
February 27, 2012I'll try to provide a fuller wrapup here eventually, but the long slog through special interest items continues at Joint Budget: * SEX ON THE BRAIN: Sen. Jason Rapert has made his predicted effort to block a pass-through federal grant to Planned Parenthood that's used to educate about sexually transmitted disease and distribute condoms to stop both disease and pregnancies that sometime lead to abortion. /more/
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Here comes Rapert: Defending sexually transmitted disease
February 27, 2012If Sen. Jason Rapert doesn't take the lead on this, I'll be very surprised. It's yet another foray by wingnut, religionist Republicans — to triply repeat myself — to get their hands into the pants of Arkansas women, this time to prevent them from avoiding sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy. /more/
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Comments (30)
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Yes, it is too late. I've made an initial donation to Planned Parenthood and have set up an automatic monthy donation to replace the money I would have given to Komen. Also, I have ordered a new license plate to raplace my pink ribbon plate. Based on everything that has come out about Komen over the past few days and the posture initially assumed by the Komen leadership, I have no regrets.
Too late. I've already made my contribution directly to PP. Not another dime for SBK, nor one second of my volunteer time. Mean spirited bitches and assholes should never be rewarded for being what they are.
What a way to further your cause, make a decision that makes you look like an ass and then make it a foregone conclusion by reversing that decision. Looks as if these folks don't use reason and logic in their decision making process.
Oh hear us roar!
Dang it feels good to know that the religious anti-woman zealots don't control everything. Given the 'real' lack of choice in many parts of the country and the current Republican railing against radical things like birth control, I was beginning to lose faith in this country's ability to protect women from its Taliban. I honestly never thought we would be discussing something as basic as birth control in 2012.
Guess all those warnings about Freedom and vigilance should be dusted off and reintroduced to all our equality fights...at least on my part. I do tend to get complacent...
Clearly the right wingers got greedy given their recent successes in taking down Acorn and neutering NPR.
$74 million out of $177 million..is that efficient or inefficient for a group such as this?
Certainly seems the latter.
The folks at SGK are just trying to save their asses. I suspect that a massive overhaul of their board of directors PLUS conspicuous support of conception planning will now be on the agenda if they want to possibly save the brand. THey are so vulnerable right now. I give odds of 60:40 on SGK being gone within 4 years if some other charity picks up the slack and promotes themselves smartly.
Sorry SGK, too late. We've seen under your mask and found a Roman Catholic dogma dominated entity that places Dark Ages religious ideas ahead of women's health. Pulling the mask back down over your face doesn't fool us into thinking you're something you're not. It's something we can't unlearn. You were revealing many unattractive qualities about yourself lately. Some head scratching corporate alliances and the seeming fund raising for fund raising sake mentality of recent years. You've become WAY too top heavy. An unacceptable level of overhead costs have blunted your image. Thanks for raising awareness, but now I'll send my donations to organizations more focused on cures, not a political viewpoint.
Komen CEO Nancy Brinker has given boatloads of cash to the republicans. The Handel hire last year was yet another red flag that politics would be a key element in Komen decision making. It will be interesting to see how Komen now responds to the right wingers who were in full celebration of the initial decision to defund PP.
They haven't conceded at all.
http://www.americablog.com/2012/02/komen-c…
I love it when a plan comes together!
Shines a light on spending at SBK; how much goes to admin. and other non-cure/HC; the political influence and hiring practices at SBK, the true value of PP and the real number and services provided.
Bravo to this outstanding push to make it right or at least what PP had before.
Corporate Komen's credibility has dissolved. Its initial excuse was a bogus congressional "investigation" (witchhunt). If the "being investigated" criteria were true, why are millions still being sent to Penn State, which is being legitimately investigated?
Claiming not to be political, are we to believe that is it merely coincidental that Komen funding for stem cell research (another right-wing target) was also eliminated?
The political stances Komen's decision makers publicly espouse aren't a factor?
The organization has smeared the legacy of Susan Komen. Shame.
So do they or do they not still have a policy to not grant money to organizations under investigation?
If the policy is the same, then are they granting a one time exception and if so under what basis?
If the policy is changed, then OK. It was still a stupid policy. Now, they will have to live with the fallout of their bad decision as do all businesses. Something about free markets.
Nope double speak, notice they actually said the same thing that Brinker said yesterday, they would continue three grants that they were committed to "and would allow Planned Parenthood to apply for grants" They didn't not in fact commit to funding...It should be noted that that they gave $5 million dollars to Penn State which is being criminally investigated they have not revoked that money (they are changing their policy to those being criminally investigated but nothing on Penn State)..They have also stopped funding to John Hopkins, Yale and others for stem cell research for a cure (didn't change that) but they want you to slow down and calm down....yet, they didn't Handel so she is still there to decide on grants
Boycott still on
OCCUPY! Look what can be done if enough small persons throw a shit fit! We have power we don't know about. We could change our government, change our country and change the world if we'd just band together delivering one message at a time until all the messes are cleaned up.
WE THE PEOPLE have the power to change things, but it will never happen if we just sit around on our hands expecting someone else to make the effort. We've let our kids die in foreign wars for oil without end...we've let our kids get tear gassed, beaten with batons, and shot with rubber bullets on the Occupy lines while we sit at home grumbling.
And remember.....most people aren't paying any attention, at least members of this blog know what's going on even if we don't lift more than our blogging fingers to help. The American Spring is right around the corner and as many of us who can must join the young people in the streets. We CAN clean out Washington, DC & Wall Street. We CAN make this a better country with our words & our actions, emphasis on the word actions!
We CAN whip a Komen on all 6 of our worthless representatives to Congress...that would be a hell of a start! We've existed in a bad place for the last 20 years and we've offered up many hopes to the powers that be in hopes they'd make changes.....and NOTHING has happened except more misery and fear. Those in power see no reason to change things...in fact, those in power want more than anything else to keep the status quo because it's been very very good for them.
Get your Occupy on and in less than a year the power of the people can get our government & financial system heading in the right direction. We have the power, we just didn't know how to use it until NOW. Occupy!
I hope we have finally come out of our defensive crouch and will continue to fight the xtian taliban. Knickers are in a twist all over xtendom over this and President Obama's speech at the prayer breakfast. Too bad some president doesn't stand up and refuse to participate in this "The Family" sponsored travesty. Our Senator Pryor the Lesser is a co-sponsor this year. I don't expect President Obama to be able to do it, but now that the pink curtain has been lifted at SKG maybe the MSM besides Rachel could talk to Jeff Sharlet about his research. What the The Family has done in Africa alone is enough to demonstrate the rot at their core, and there is much more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family:_T…
I was trying to find Bryan Fischer crying crocodile tears over the non-reversal reversal and found this instead. We should all become chiropractors and clean up on the money we could make straightening out the contortions they put themselves in to "interpret" the will of God to suit their political ideology. Mr. Fischer, I believe we the people are the government and we can choose how we help the poor and do it both through government and our individual efforts. It's called democracy. Idiot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01NyBTu-rTQ…
Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition sniffed that for the president to tie his tax policy to Jesus’s(sic) teachings “is theologically threadbare and straining credulity. I felt like it was over the line and not the best use of the forum,” Reed said. “It showed insufficient level of respect for what the office of the president has historically brought to that moment." Reed thinks it's okay to swindle Native American tribes as he did in cahoots with Abramoff. That Grifter Reed would lecture anyone on theology strains my credulity. Reed has shown an insufficient level of respect for Native Americans.
Senator Hatch of Utah was pissy about President Obama's speech on the Senate floor:
" "Someone needs to remind the president that there was only one person who walked on water and he did not occupy the Oval Office."
Someone needs to remind Hatch that the only fathead in Washington who thinks he can walk on water is Newt Gingrich---from his side of the aisle.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/hous…
I just love that our president plays all their little games better than they do---including the Christian game.
I agree- it is too late. My support for Race for the Cure has ended. I will send my money to Planned Parenthood.
Maybe it's time to start asking the sponsors of the Race for the Cure to withdraw their support. Do they really want to underwrite an organization with such an obvious political agenda?
None of this is surprising from SGK, the charity that spends donated money to sue small charities out of THEIR donated money for using the trademark "for the Cure". As a good friend of mine said - "What kind of charity sues other charities??? That's money donated to help people, not sue people!" (even if it's just legal fees, which are steep unless you're a multimillion dollar foundation).
I guess when you make so much money selling hope, you have to protect your brand because you have no physical product or service with which to differentiate yourself from competitors (but such better margins!). Sounds a lot like any other big business!
Anyway, we're done with SGK and will start donating to the ACS instead, since all cancers are the problem. PP, too, since adequate health care for women is also a problem, not just cancer.
BTW - As a grandson of a breast cancer survivor who later died of cancer anyway, I've always felt put off that men aren't allowed in the "Race for the Cure"(tm) UNLESS they have had breast cancer, ignoring its effects on surviving family members, whether male or female. What, my support doesn't count 'cause I'm a guy and male breast cancer is rare? You'd think the more support the better, but I guess it doesn't matter now...
.
The nation has TURNED A CORNER!
NANCY BRINKER, a former Bush fund raiser, cannot call "patriotism" to hide behind and Theocrats in Congress "investigating" PP will be watched closely.
Just image how this would have played out during the Bush years.
Maybe a stake can be driven through the heart of Herr Rove and his 1000 Year Reich.
I still think the Senate needs to investigate whether SGK should have their charity designation lifted for their political positions as well as the small percentage they actually spend on their so-called "cause". With all that corporate money backing them, they should be directing at least 80% to preventaive services, research and development under a separate Medical Board from their governing Board.
Sherrie McBryde of the Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure issues her statement, published here, and we feel all better.
Until we actually, you know, read and think about it in light of, you know, facts.
Take a look.
Ms. McBryde effuses that, “We are feeling a sense of relief that this controversy may finally be concluding and the Arkansas affiliate can again turn our attention to our most important mission - providing breast health to the women of our state.”
Since I’m not Andrea Mitchell, nor salaried by MSNBC to feign neutrality no matter what, and since I’m gifted with a face BEYOND needing saving, let’s get down, Sherrie.
A sense of relief that this controversy may finally be concluding? Honey, are you nuts?
In what gated community do you dwell where you get that sense? Either you’re doing your job (idiotically, but still) by releasing cotton-candy PR spin, or, um, lying.
NOBODY in your position feels remotely “relieved” over all this, given the national and local realities and circumstances. Their jobs and yours are on the line because the survival of SGK is on the line.
(It’s always possible you may have ingested a little something for the stress, hon. If you’re on meds, apologies. But we assume our officials operate under, and fulfill their professional obligations in, a state of full mental / physical health and competence. You know. The Mind / Body thing. Live in the Now. Deal. Or take a health-related leave of absence and hire an interim ED till you’re back on your feet.)
Your “most important mission is providing breast health to the women of our state.” Really?
Forgive us for judging by actions rather than cheap talk, but how is that true, Sherrie?
So much of your and national’s time and energies are spent fighting to LIMIT breast health and women’s health care in general, by paying lobbyists to prevent stem-cell research and defund THE women’s health org – Planned Parenthood -- that provides UNBIASED information about the whole package: family planning, mammograms, pap smears, reproductive health, contraception and abortion.
Your side’s lied to women that abortions cause breast cancer. Your side battles AGAINST full disclosure to women about medical science and all of women's reproductive and health options – INCLUDING breast care.
Instead of helping fund ALL research toward your stated mission, the TRUTH is you and SGK only fund programs agreeing with your right-wing religious biases, not medical science.
First step toward getting better, Sherrie? Acknowledge you have a problem. Guess you still haven’t bottomed out.
“In our statement we asked that both sides of this issue look at our body of good works.” Both sides, Sherrie? Aren’t there three? Not equally valid?
You can support 1) ALL women’s health care programs connected with breast cancer, 2) NONE of them, or 3) SOME (if they fit your and your lobbyists’ “faith”-based dogma). Those positions aren’t equally positive. Not even close.
SGK lies when saying it’s “for” women’s health care. It’s only "for" certain narrowly restricted paths and demonizes all the others – including actual medical science and research – based again on concealed religious dogma.
You can tell, sugar, by who loudly applauded SGK's first choice and who decries its "revision" 48 hours after exposure. First SGK pissed off the majority who prefer a secular approach to health care. Then they pissed off the minority who want to enforce a religious one.
Text me once you figure out what we're supposed to respect in all this.
Excuse me a moment, Sherrie. I’ve got to start a tab here to keep up.
Let’s see: two paragraphs into your statement, four lies and one self-serving fib (the inference that the national SGK org “listened” to you when deciding to reverse its decision. They didn’t listen to you before, Sherrie, and didn’t listen to you now. We in Tinseltown totally understand the hinterland’s yearning to be somebody, be important, get some press. Brad Pitt’s an Okie. Judge Mary Ann Gunn’s a . . . well, back on point.)
LOVES your trotting out the old “good works” misdirection. Still, it’s better than prevaricating or blabbering boilerplate. Even the Mafia does more across-the-board good works for its women than this.
“Komen is a bipartisan organization and wishes to remain so.”
Oh, yeah? My GOD, Sherrie, do you ever STOP? Actions, hon. Not words.
NOTHING about SGK founder Nancy Brinker or VP Karen Handel is bipartisan.
Any idiot looks at ongoing efforts over years and sees exactly the goal they thought they’d achieved three days ago: demonizing and defunding Planned Parenthood with their pandering to anti-science “faith” dogma.
Five lies, one grandiose fib.
“However, while we have these discussions, we will make certain to put the breast health of the women of Arkansas first.”
No, Sherrie, actually you WON’T do that. You’ll put it somewhere on the list to keep the money rolling in, but not first.
You won’t fund medical research into breast cancer or women’s overall health or family planning information that (again idiotically), you “believe” contradicts your and SGK's theocratic mission.
Six lies now and one pretentious little white one. (No offense, disadvantaged minorities.)
“We value you and we thank you for entrusting us to use the resources you give us to provide breast care for people of Arkansas and to help fund research, which will someday contribute to finding a cure.”
Except stem-cell research.
Not that you or Nancy Brinker or Karen Handel knows or could truthfully tell anybody the first thing medical or scientific about stem-cell research.
The research SGK funds has to confirm SGK’s prejudices. All you have (idiotically AGAIN) is “faith” that stem-cell research somehow violates your anti-abortion anti-choice anti-women theocracy.
Presumably, Puddin’, should stem-cell research someday lead to cures for breast cancer, you and SGK for the Cure will REJECT them for the women you purport to serve.
That’s seven lies and a puffy fib. Time to tab out.
Except for mentioning Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s statement: “We are enormously grateful that the Komen Foundation has clarified its grant-making criteria and we can continue our partnerships.”
As Outlier cites, from so many others citing the same thing, SGK hasn’t “clarified” anything. It said today exactly what Nancy Brinker said last night. Nothing has changed – just a pinch of make-nice face-saving verbiage.
One understands PP of the H wanting to take the High Road on women’s health issues.
Beats lying.
Or maybe you could get a gig with Planned Parenthood, bless your heart.
Never mind the politics or the abortion issue. It's time we start educating people, not sucking them into some marketing scheme.
I'm all for people donating money and time for this cause, but not in some God forsaken "team spirit" competition that encourages consumption of goods in a particular color. We have Razorback football for that.
As one of my friends said, "Where is the Race for the 'state?". What color would be appropriate to wear for Prostate cancer awareness?
SGK is now SGKPLC . . . Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Pro-Life Cure . . .
. . . And SGKPLC offers pink handgun to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month
http://www.wisconsingazette.com/breaking-n…
Whether it's true or just a joke of the LGBT WisconsinGazette it does illustrate a lot of the comments above. One of the Bush 'Thousand Points of Lights' just blinked, rather severely.
P.S. Yeah, you go, dbi! Even if I can't support President Obama after the lies and NDAA.
Sister-in-law sent these links:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-k…
http://jezebel.com/5881642/meet-the-komen-…
When did Nancy Brinker and Karen Handel resign? Did I miss it? They and others are the problem. Who is on the Komen Board and signed off on this loony tunes new policy?
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