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Yosemite morning

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Breast Cancer Foundation bows to political pressure.

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, which promotes breast cancer awareness, has pulled the plug on Planned Parenthood. They had been major donors at Planned Parenthood, funding preventive screenings and education programs aimed at low-income and uninsured women. They contend that they are no longer allowed to fund any groups under investigation. Read this interesting article at the Daily Kos that shows the flip side of the issue, the many top donors to Komen that are themselves under investigation. Even more stealthily, Komen for the Cure has also quietly stopped funding embryonic stem cell research centers.

Planned Parenthood is of course under the gunsights of pro life republicans and are being investigated by house Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida in what many consider a political witch hunt. Experts estimate that one in six women of childbearing age get their health care from Planned Parenthood and that poor and minority women will be most hurt by this decision.

Komen's founder was President George W. Bush's Ambassador to Hungary. Karen Handel manages the group's public policy arm and ran for governor of Georgia as a Republican in 2010. She had pledged to take away Planned Parenthood's state funding if elected. Handel had the backing of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin but lost the election. Handel joined Komen in 2011 as senior vice president of public policy.

John D. Raffaelli, a Komen board member and Washington lobbyist said that he feared a congressional investigation would hurt Komen with donors. “People don’t understand that a Congressional investigation doesn’t necessarily mean a problem of substance,” Mr. Raffaelli said. “When people read about it in places like Texarkana, Tex., where I’m from, it sounds really bad.” “You should as a general rule always pick vendors and grantees that will broaden your base of support and not narrow it,” Mr. Raffaelli said.

I would suggest that people start funding Planned Parenthood directly. I plan on making a donation tomorrow. Shame on Susan G. Komen!

2 comments:

WWMB said...

So, a foundation that raises money shouldn't be able to choose what other organizations it funds?

You may give your money to whomever you choose. Don't cry about where foundations send their charitable donations.

As for all the people who are dependent upon charity to pay for their health care, birth control, etc., I believe in the old saying: Beggars can't be choosers!

Blue Heron said...

They have every right to fund who they choose to fund as do I. I made my donation. It is sad that to me that they have allowed themselves to be politicized and chosen sides in the contentious abortion issue. Poor women, 20 percent of whom use Planned Parenthood for their health screenings, get caught in the crosshairs.