Feb 3, 2012 -- 1:00PM, Merope wrote:

msn and the Associated Press are reporting that Susan G. Komen For the Cure will reverse its decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood.

Earlier this week, the AP reported that Komen cut funding to Planned Parenthood on the grounds that it does not give funds to organizations under investigation for alleged wrongdoing. Planned Parenthood is currently the subject of a Republican-led federal investigation believed to be fueled by anti-abortion advocates.

Komen leaders had denied that the decision was driven by pressure from anti-abortion groups.  However, according to the AP, the original move was made solely to penalize Planned Parenthood.

The AP reported that a source with direct knowledge of decision-making at Komen's headquarters said the grant-making criteria were adopted with the deliberate intention of targeting Planned Parenthood. The criteria's impact on Planned Parenthood and its status as the focus of government investigations were highlighted in a memo distributed to Komen affiliates in December.

According to the source - who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions - a driving force behind the move was Komen's vice president for public policy who ran unsuccessfully for governor of Georgia (last year?) in a campaign that stressed anti-abortion views and frequent denunciations of Planned Parenthoodd.

The cuts provoked a "firestorm" of criticism.  Just huge.

So what do you think? Cuts initially provoked by anti-abortion Komen supporters? Or ... ?

Curious and curiouser---Komen's VP for public policy, especially.....................

We know that Komen's excuse terminating their grants to Planned Parenthood was totally bogus. If their "new policy" about not funding organizations under federal government investigation was true, then why do they fund cancer research at Penn State University with a $7.5 million grant since that university is also under federal investigation? Link 1

It seems more likely that the decision was made by anti-choice and failed 2010 Republicon candidate for Governor of Georgia, Karen Handel who is currently senior vice president of public policy at Komen. She wrote on her gubernatorial campaign site, "First, let me be clear, since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood." Link 2

Apparently Karen Handel has been outed as the agent behind the original decsion.

"Karen Handel was the prime instigator of this effort, and she herself personally came up with investigation criteria," the source, who requested anonymity for professional reasons, told HuffPost. "She said, 'If we just say it's about investigations, we can defund Planned Parenthood and no one can blame us for being political.'

Terribly naive statement.

Feb 7, 2012 -- 1:17AM, rangerken wrote:

Feb 7, 2012 -- 1:09AM, Merope wrote:

Well, Mitt Romney has weighed in, telling conservative radio host Scott Hennen that he doesn't think Komen should continue giving money to Planned Parenthood because it provides abortion services.  Romney says the government should stop giving Planned Parenthood money, too.

Well that is a basic conservative position. A lot of us who are conservatives favor women being able to choose for themselves whether or not to become pregnant, or stay pregnant, but strongly oppose the government using taxpayer money to fund abortions.

So I'm with Romney on this issue.

Ken,

Government funding for Planned Parenthood is not used to fund abortions. In 2008-2009 Planned Parenthood received about $70 million from Title X funding and about $293 million from Medicaid funding. None of this money was used for abortion services which makes up only 8% of Planned Parenthood patient care. Contraception and STD testing and treatment individually make up 35%, cancer screening and prevention makes up 16%, other women's health services make up 10%, and other services make up 1%. Link

When my wife believed she was pregnant we had recently moved to Northern Virginia and had not yet has time to find a family physician. Since we had few options we went to Planned Parenthood who tested her and found she tested positing. They recommended an OB/GYN to care for her during her pregnancy and help welcome our daughter into the world. De-funding Planned Parenthood might satisfy the Religious Reich, but would be disastrous for many women who depend on them for many of their health services.