Komen lobbyist Karen Handel resigns

And the ENTIRE board should be right after Fleischer. Then, maybe, I'll think about donating to them again. I'm not real fond of being LIED to by "charities."

Isn't Ari and the whole Bush debacle, guilty of aborting over 4,500 American young people's lives in that EasterEgg (WMD) hunt. Seems they just like to destroy stuff...

Ari is the one who when GWB asked him to go to Iraq for a first hand view, suddenly had more important things to do. A coward of the first water.

Agreed. I suspect the halls still have regressive vermin in them.

Someone had to hire her

Handel's policies were well known - she is an anti abortion, right wing activist.

Therefore, Handel was hired by SGK in tacit agreement with her public profile, and agreement with her anti woman policies.

SGK made a public declaration when they hired Handel that they agreed with her public policy position.

I, and millions of other women will not support SGK again.

I can't see myself supporting SGK again any time soon. I will, however, continue to actively support the fight against cancer, be it breast cancer or any other form, and for the right of all women to maintain full rights and control of their own bodies. To support the poor and provide free health services to them wherever possible.

My support is not tied to money, but, to the good that it an pay for to the benefit of others. I am not a rich person, I'm retired and on a fixed income, so I try to make every dollar I give count in some constructive way to help others. Not to pay huge sums to people who use their own personal religious and political beliefs dictate where my money is spent or on whom.

First, to be clear, it is not their money...it is money donated to the organization for a specific purpose. I don't donate money to make the executive staff obscenely rich which penny pinching what they give to the charities or causes I donated to. It is not their money, they are supposed to only act as agents to deliver the money I donate to the organization that I donated the money for, not one of their own personal choice. I never give money without making sure I designate what it is to be used for. I have found out over the years that if you don't specify or specially designate who the donation is to go to, they can use the money any way they like, even to paying themselves outrageous salaries, pensions and severance packages, while the charity the money was intended for gets pennies.

So, make sure that you always designate what the donation is for, because, by law, if you specify what your donation is to be spent for, they have to spend the money on that specific charity. The Red Cross was my learning point on this, when in San Diego a few years back there were huge brushfires in the Alpine Mountain area, with extensive loss of property and human lives, the Red Cross was calling for donations to help the victims of Alpine victims. But, the Red Cross was doling out mere pennies and even refusing to pay some victims, while holding the money back for use for "Administrative costs", like the $400,000.00+ salary of the head of the local branch and her opulent lifestyle, the regal offices and over the top pay for the rest of the admin staff. The donors and victims raised hell at how the money was being used and in the end the Red Cross head was fired, a full investigation was made, and the people for whom the money had been donated for were eventually given the full amount of what they were rightfully entitled to receive.

Indeed, it is hard to keep track of how and where organizations spend your money, but, they are required to keep records of specific named donations and monies paid out must account for that specific donation amount to the specified charity or organization. The IRS requires that all charity organizations must specify what they spend for operating expense.

If you want a keen insight as to how our donations are spent, look for those charities that are listed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Charities that are accredited by the Better Business Bureau must meet the 20 standards for Charity Accountability and these include how donations are distributed. At least 65% of the Charity’s total expenses must be spent on program activities and no more than 35% on fund raising. Here is an Index of the charity organizations in the BBB: http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/

Another good check list: http://www.charitynavigator.org/

It is one thing for the victims in need help getting the short end of the deal, but, don't be a victim of the charity yourself. Make sure that you donate to a reputable organization.

However, in the case of SGK, until Handel was hired and spread her own hate and bias into the organization, there was no reason to suspect SGK or not doing the right thing. But, as of now, I do not trust them, and certainly would not donate one penny to them. My money will go to PP and be specified for the specific service of my choice, such as 'For Breast Cancer Screening in the Memo area of my check, or if credit card donation, you an specify what it is for. They must show that that donation was spent for that specific service and nothing else. If there is no specification made as to where the money is to be spent, then they can use it for whatever service they choose.

She was hired in April 2011

An in less than a year she torpedoed her own ship.... what wounderful Public Policy. Can only hope that the letter was demanded and not just allowed. That would help take a couple of years off the recovery process.

Brinker and any board member who supported the PP decision should have to go also.

Good point. SGK administrative costs are 23.7% while PP's administrative costs are around 17%. The top tier at SGK have voted themselves both extremely high salaries and golden parachute clauses for when they leave SGK.

We are with you Nick. No money for SGK until I am satisfied the vermin are no longer in charge. A complete cleaning of their house.

i am under mild attack on the other seed for wondering whether Nancy Brinker has profitted from her sister's death. Hey, that's the sort of question that gets asked once your motives are viewed with suspicion.

There are myriad alternative agencies that subsidize breast exams for women without health insurance including Catholic Charities.

So, it is not cool to give money to an organization that provides women their constitutionally guaranteed right to safe and legal abortion, but contributing money to an organization that has facilitated and covered up the largest and most widespread case of child sexual assault in modern history is fine?

Don't you just love the moral high ground?

The real irony is that if a Catholic Priest were to have gotten a young woman pregnant, he probably would have had her taken to Planned Parenthood to cover it up. The he would likely have gotten a promotion and a transfer to another parish.

Neither is it well publicized that Planned Parenthood earmarks these funds from Komen for breast exams. Is this a fact or a spin?

PP gives vouchers for women to have mammograms any donation given to PP for only breast exams has to be used for exams, their books are open so that people and organizations can give to Planned Parenthood without worry about where their donations are going.

Planned Parenthood is identified with abortion which our family does not support .

They don't have one.

If you think that PP is only doing abortions then you really don't know any thing about Planned Parenthood.

They don't have one.

Oops!

Should read Then not They, must get more coffee, me bad.

Planned Parenthood offers consultations to women.... they work to explain options available to them, and strongly suggest that abortion is the last, the very last option that should be taken...

Thank God for Planned Parenthood and what they offer... and as a former Catholic I am in total support of Planned Parenthood. Catholic Doctrine is archaic and tied to fear!

The best way to work toward eliminating abortions is to support Planned Parenthood.

No, most catholics ALSO know that PP promotes the use of contraceptives, which the heirarchy considers to be as great a mortal sin as abortion, and a GREATER evil than the death penalty, war and pedophilia practiced by priests.

Let me go further in explaining the outrage. Say you give a $100 check to Komen to fight breast cancer. You can rest assured that 23 dollars of that $100 will go directly to pay for Brinker, her staff, and severances. That's 23 dollars of yours that will not go for research or treatment. Any charity that actually acts as a charity will have that overhead figure somewhere under 10%, preferably around 5%. No one expects someone to work full-time for a charity and not be compensated to some extent, but 23% really equates Komen to any run-of-the-mill televangelist.

Better to research the charities, and pick one that is more driven to give your dollars directly to where they will do what you expect them to do.

I agree that the skimming off the top and large salaries for SGK leave less for actual support of breast cancer.

This does not mean that SGK has not brought an awareness of breast cancer to the mainstream. They have done this to a wonderful degree.

However now that the organization has embraced a right wing anti women ideology, they do not deserve continued support.

Too many local health charities I can give to- and keep a closer eye on.

I love local charities I give to one called "Ahead with Horses" they provide and care for horses which are used for children with emotional problems and kids with disabilities to teach the kids how to ride horses and how to care for the horses.

They help the kids get in touch with their feelings I know it sounds silly but they do amazing work with the kids through the horses.

They have a large overhead and almost all of their donated money is used for their cause and very little is used for advertising or salaries.

There are lots of charities that do better work then SGK which seems to be in it only for the money and not the cause.

Sounds like a good charity. Interaction with animals, non verbal communication and receiving attention are great learning skills or growth enablers.

Not to get off the main topic too far but the benefits of equine therapy for developmentally delayed children and adults is well documented.

People who ordinarily shun physical and emotional closeness with other people can often accept it from a horse. The bond between a developmentally delayed person and a horse helps develop mutual trust, respect, affection, empathy, unconditional acceptance, confidence, responsibility, assertiveness, communication skills and self-control. Effective communication with a horse involves patience, understanding, attention, forgiveness and consistency - abilities that any person will find useful throughout their life.

During interactions with a therapy horse there is lowering of blood pressure and heart rate, increased beta-endorphin levels, decreased stress levels, reduced feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, improved social functioning, and increased feelings of empowerment, trust, patience and self-esteem.

Riding the horse for the phycially disabled stimulates the trunk and legs of the person much like walking does. Riding improves over all balance and blood flow to the legs.

Donations to your local equine therapy program is a great way to spend your donation money.

castor fail. The donors, the little gals and guys, were the driving force here. You really think this was some form of conspiracy? Come up with a better diversion, one not so 'jeez'y.

Castor:

Even if what you say is true (and I doubt it), then I say good for thems with the money. Its about time rational thought had some serious financial backing in this country. So far, I see quite a bit of money going to groups that want to take us back to the stone age.

Actually it looks like the "gold" is in non-profit charities like Komen. Assuming you have the stomach to use peoples donations to pay for your high salaries.

This was meant to be a lesson to anyone who threatens their sources of funding.

Nonsense, this was a public uprising.

Karen H. has brought attention to the fact that PP actually handles breast exams/referrals for mammograms for poor women, and that they are an alternate charity for people who want to contribute for such services. She did them a favor.

The abortion industry is proof of the golden rule: "those who have the gold, make the rules." This was meant to be a lesson to anyone who threatens their sources of funding.

Horsesh*t.

What, is the Catholic Church some little Mom & Pop?

I've heard comments similar to Castor's before and they're total bunk. As VerbalBarb points out, this was the people voicing outrage about Komen's decision. Not corporations, not lobbyists, not a political party.

People.

Soph Cool:-)

Is this how you see me, or do you need a sweater????? :-)

Not no more, from a( preveus) seed of yours, I'm now going slick and shinny :-)

Sadly she hasn't noticed (Mc Sniff) and I JUST COOK BACON, with to high a flame

PP needs to have a breast cancer screening fund-raising campaign around this time every year - don't let anyone forget that this is a service they supply to women who couldn't get checked otherwise.

Sure you're right. It's the Republicans version of jobs creation. As long as the poor and needy don't get a dime, all is well with the right wing. LoL...

Interesting.