I only back PP now as they’re the ones with the clinics. Seems like NARAL’s just been a turkey farm (or sheltered workshop) for otherwise-unemployable kids of prominent progs.

also recognize they were outmaneuvered

Wouldn’t such recognition have required evidence of any maneuvering on their part in the first place?

Good point.

Even better to fund your local chapter directly rather than funneling funds through the national organization.

these organizations are perpetually a day late and a dollar short.

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

Thanx for the post, Sister Hamsher, but I’m gunna toss this whole issue back into your lap, dear heart. I have said before that both NARAL and NOW must be blown up and it must be by activist women and it must be done from inside the paying constituencies. Consider what I am advocating as a kind of “political and feminist re-education program” for upper-middle class, white females who have been living with the very real contradictions of their priviledged lives by by writing checks to their sorority sisters so they can go on with their bridge games and charity fundraisers without having to make common cause with the rest of their sisters who are being crushed by the system that pays for their Kem Cards and their nice dresses.

How about you get a couple of your wunderkind, techie Einsteins and build a model mailing list for NARAL and NOW and send a mailing asking for funds to turn NARAL and NOW into real forces for women’s rights and reproductive freedom? I think that the first such mailing would garner hundreds of thousands of dollars AND give you the base to take these damned mony machine organizations down. At this point I will anticipate one of your responses and just acknowlege that I am old, slow, white, male and can’t jump so I can’t do it my own damned self. But Sister Jane, I have two beautiful daughters who are pushin’ themselves hard upon that very heavy glass ceiling. One of these wonderful people had a close encounter with the killing machine that is women’s health delivery and the other teaches and coaches young women of color many of whom she sees lost every day to the two deadly “p”‘s of poverty and pregnancy. And the engine of this wonderful family, Mrs. Norske, survived an encounter with our broken healthcare system and beat (thus far) breast cancer that would NOT have been detected soon enough to save her if the new guidlines for mamograms had been in place when she was diagnosed.

I am an angry, white male who is angry and frustrated because I can’t do anything to beat these fuckin’ Witches of Eastwick who are suckin at the teat of the beast that threatens all the women in my family includin’ my three beautiful grandaughters. Only you women with the megaphones and the chops can take these highclassed callgirls down, Citizen Hamsher, and it is somethin’ you can do…it’s immediate gratification and you end up with a movement.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, WE EITHER WIN THIS ONE OR THERE IS NO FUTURE!!

PP does good work in its clinics.

Politically they are dinosaurs. No vote counting, no effective lobbying. Give to your local clinic. Volunteer to help protect women seeking services.

Give your political money to FDL/Accountability Now PAC where it will be effective.

The national leadership of these organizations is increasingly embarrassing, though local chapters may still be doing good work.

Sadly, when Jane writes her autobiography, Going Rogue is already taken, but maybe Going Shrill is still available. ;)

I’d like to create a charity to fund $1000 grants to any male desiring a vasectomy before ever procreating.

You have a way with words, Norske. Thanks.

apparently not all not-for-profit advocacy groups are asleep at the wheel.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/declassified/archive/2009/11/17/will-gun-measure-threaten-amtrak-terror-attacks.aspx

NRA is actively pushing for guns to be allowed on Amtrak. Why can’t NARAL be more like them? ;-P

In the Denver airport this week, a NOW funds pleader came up to me asking for a donation. She said, ” you two (me + hubby) look like you would support women’s rights.” To which I replied, ” and you don’t look like someone who would work on behalf of an organization that completely rolled over on how many issues? the latest of which is women’s reproductive health? Why no plea from NOW and NARAL over the house vote? When you get me the answers, come back.” It felt good, I caught her out right! And she slunk away.

I second that emotion.

Speaking of rolling over – didn’t both orgs support Shortride Lieberman?

You can write me a check any time you like… I’m not sure why you hate babies, but if I can profit from it then so be it. :)

Otherwise, I’m with NorskeFlamethrower on the character of these organizations at the top levels. It seems to be made up of rich people who have money and free time for fancy fundraising dinners and gatherings, but not a whole lot of interest in the cause itself. They run these groups because Save the Whales and Greenpeace were already taken, not because they have a real interest in real reform.

You can write me a check too…

Maybe I should start a charity for myself: Keep Joe Childless! I can find a whole bunch of people who hate babies, and I promise not to make any as long as they put me through college.

Where is today’s Gloria Steinem?

I called up Planned Parenthood about this very issue after receiving their latest plea for cash. And I spokme to a real live person.

I explained that while i support what PP does on the local level, I was extremely disappointed in the national org. “You are always sending me stuff when it is too late to do anything. How did you miss Stupak, who has been making noise about this since JULY? You guys asked me to thank Joe Lieberman AFTER he helped put Alito and Roberts on the bench. Why are you always dropping the ball? And why should I continue to fund an organization that consistently shows up to the fight after the fight is over?”

The woman, surprisingly, said she agreed with me and that these were excellent questions. More people should call them.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America
434 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10001
212-541-7800
FAX 212-245-1845

Planned Parenthood Federation of America
1110 Vermont Ave. NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
202-973-4800
FAX: 202-296-3242

gee I forgot about that one, and it was HUGE.

Never
Accountable
Regarding
Abortion
Legislation

who in the fuck knew ?

Where are all the women who lifted Gloria and the other feminists up? I think the grass needs a little Miracle Gro

Sounds like they are thinking about their summer vacations next year and want to make sure they have the funding in to pay for them. This is their version of long term planning.

Maybe they could a rube-athon to raise money. Or maybe a yard sale where they could sell off all of their old slogans, broken promises, and assorted other trash.

We have all gotten older. We made the assumption that Roe was settled once and for all. We forgot to tell the young women of today that they would always have to fight for this and now they are completely ignorant about it. They haven’t even lived in a time that Roe didn’t exist and don’t realize the danger.

Actually I believe that (AMTRACK bill) got passed.
Even better news (or at least equally as good news) is this:
A quadriplegic has won the right to a gun in the US, even though he can’t hold one.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/11/12/quadriplegic-wins-the-right-to-a-gun-in-the-us-115875-21815432/

Let freedom ring.

Keenan became president of NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2004.[4] As president, Keenan has advocated for access to abortion, but she has also attempted to change the nature of the debate around reproductive rights issues in the United States. For example, in 2006, she said that while pro-choice and pro-life people don’t agree on abortion “we should be able to agree that we can reduce unintended pregnancies” by (as a NARAL ad stated) “guaranteeing women’s access to birth control, including the ‘morning-after’ pill, making sure our kids receive honest, realistic sex education, and increasing support for family-planning services.” In a speech presented on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Keenan asked supporters to acknowledge “a woman’s right to choose is a morally complex issue, and a lot less black and white than it’s been made out to be.” She discussed the pro-choice position in terms of moral values. She reiterated the position that reducing unintended pregnancy is a “core moral value” in her speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Keenan

As journalist Frederick Clarkson and other critics have pointed out, the Governing Agenda approach to reproductive rights seems to derive from a strategy hatched over a decade ago, to reframe the discourse in a way that would exclude, marginalize, and undercut the position that access to reproductive health care is an essential and inalienable right of all American citizens. A decade later, legal abortion is now unavailable across wide swaths of the continental United States. 87% of US counties lack a single abortion provider according to a study from the Guttmacher Institute.

On March 23, 2009, an odd column popped up in the Orange County [California] Register written by a friend of Howard Ahmansonn – a reclusive millionaire closely tied to Christian Reconstructionism and who was key funder of the effort to pass the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 referendum in California last fall. Steven Greenhut’s OC Register column printed in its entirety a “rant” by Ahmanson explaining why he had decided to register as a Democrat, but that was hardly necessary – the Democratic Party is currently in power, and so it is likely Ahmanson wants to work to transform it from within or, to coin a term, to “theocratize” Democrats.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/politics/141943/how_the_religious_right_is_infiltrating_the_democratic_party/

Keenan:
- As positions on both sides of this debate have hardened the past three decades, they have also grown more distant from the lives of everyday people. The slogans and bumper stickers that paint this issue in black and white no longer touch the profound complexity most people feel on the issue of abortion.
- Being pro-choice is a moral position. It is time for us to re-claim that ground. We can no longer fight this fight without talking about our faith, our values, and our morality. So, I wanted to come here tonight to do something those of us in the pro-choice community rarely have a chance to do anymore: and that is, talk about our values . . . about moral complexity, religious tolerance, and common ground.
- We want Congress to protect Roe as the law of the land.
We will keep fighting until Congress does just that. But we don’t need to shout louder and louder to do it. We don’t need to disrespect those on the other side who feel just as strongly about their positions. We don’t have to resort to name calling.
I’ll be completely honest with you: the American people aren’t the only ones who are tired of the track we’ve locked ourselves into. I am tired of it, too.
http://www.naral.org/assets/files/roe35_texas_speech.pdf

I’m not questioning whether a conservative catholic Democrat can support Roe v. Wade just wondering if having leaders like Keenan, Pelosi, and Reid, all strong of faith looking for “common ground” with murderers and religious terrorists, are our “Best and Brightest.” Asking liberals and progressives to move to the middle (right)…..again. I’m standing at the ocean’s edge seeing the vast expanse of water rising up in front of me not realizing that it’s each wave imperceptibly taking the sand from under my feet that creates the illusion.

Blue Texan’s regularly scheduled post is raring to get some readers: “J Street Slams Palin’s Crazy Comments on Israeli Settlements”

Absolutely. The state chapters do the really noble work of running the clinics — the National is responsible for the veal pen political action.

We’re working on someting, Norske. Hang tight. Not quite what you are suggesting — that kind of direct mail costs millions — but as always, something we hope will be tightly targeted, efficient and potentially successful.

Cross your fingers for us.

Well, the national PP called me Monday night looking for a national donation. I said I just gave to the local chapter, and she said oh, this is national, you may know we have to fight now because of the Stupak Amendment…blah blah blah, which realllyyyy got my Irish up. Yeah, let’s attend to the barn door now that the horse is out! I told her that two words described why I would never give to national PP again – Stupak Amendment. I then proceeded to give her an earful: where the hell was PP national in all this? Stupak was threatening this in July, are you all asleep at the switch? I am disgusted with the lack of attentiveness.- She kept saying she knew, she agreed with me, so I apologized for taking it out on her, but asked if she would please pass on my comments. I am truly disgusted. I’ll never support the national org again, but I feel like I want to help the local because they are the only ones providing services here.

Well this is certainly an eye-opener.

All this time, I just thought it was the glbt groups that were too cozy with bringing in the money and having their cocktail parties, while enjoying their access, and having shockingly little to show for it.

I think the problem in general with many of these groups is that the focus becomes bringing in money. Advocacy for their constituents becomes secondary.

The one changing dynamic is that, with the increasing prominence of netroots activism, the status quo is no longer acceptable. Results matter and if results are not happening we can now shine a light on these organizations and hold them accountable.

“Don’t ask, don’t give” is not just a worthwhile strategy option in forcing the DNC to act on glbt issues, but that strategy should be used similarly with advocacy groups. In other words, demonstrate accomplishments, or do not come asking for another dime until you do.

Out of the ball park! Too right! Time to open up a can of whoopass.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4151

As is the case when I checked in years before NARAL has an overall “one star” rating at charity navigator.

= Poor Fails to meet industry standards and performs well below most charities in its Cause.

Yes. What you say is true. I have done a few programs with younger women. Most seemed to be fearful of being called feminist which to many seems to mean man hater; not stopping to ponder why a man hater would care tiddly about the right to abortion. I think we have a lot of work to do, but how to get through to them? Maybe some of us can contact campus progressives and Dems and encourage them to work at that level. I will think on it.

That was beautiful to read.

NARAL and KGan have lowered the national debate to INCLUDE whackaloon Xtians, grant them a place at the table of debate and lessened the support for choice by drawing a line south of the Mason/Dixon and right of Ghengis Khan.

Simple explanations. Thanks.

We don’t need weak kneed pseudo prog/libs to push us all further and further into the arms of the 23%.

Trying to protect our selves from their whackaloon positions in life by embracing them is just insane.

This isn’t a moral arguement, it shouldn’t BE a moral arguement.

It’s a civil rights issue, it’s a women’s rights issue, it’s a class issue.
The Xtian reactionaries make it about God and Jesus.

The constitution and amendments and the legal system say God is separate from governing, from our laws.

There’s no reason to let a minority frame this about morals. It’s about human rights, that have been legislated.

Nothing LESS than rights issues should be where OUR lines are drawn in the sands of our lives.

Again, a GREAT comment, masterfully crafted.

I remember marching in my first abortion rights protest as a 17 year old freshman. Now 30+ years later, as a middle-aged woman about to pass menopause, I pause and cry and realize we are going to have to fight the same fight all over again thanks to our wonderful Democratic majority. It makes me so sad. Never would I have imagined this betrayal.

I don’t “hate” babies, fella. I simply prefer not to have them with knuckleheads. But if you know that fatherhood is not for you then I absolutely support your plan to ensure that that doesn’t happen. That is, in fact, very responsible of you so coodos.

Absolutely true. They have never been properly organized or administrated. Sadly, as hard as we may all work to keep choice the standard of the land there is no guarantee that it will be available even though it is legal.

I think it’s a good test for parenthood. If $1000 is more important to someone than ever having children, then it’s probably best if that person not have any.

Yeah, it’s pretty much how I’ve felt since Reagan, then FIRST Bush Presidency, and Junior.

All that work we did in the 60′s and 70′s as teens and young adults, all the work that OTHERS then put into it all, young, old, people of color, people of sexual preference choice.

All wasted, torn down, watered down, encroached upon, and laid to waste.

Lesson?

The fighting’s never over, never. Personal, civil rights and decency of being are always under attack.

The fighting’s never over. Grandparents too to the streets for anti war, for civil rights in the 60′s. They knew what us 55+ now are just learning (sweeping generalization, but my point is clear I hope).

The fighting’s never over. Growing older or having success does not exclude participation in the ongoing fight.

On we hope.

Big thanks once again to Mz. Hamsher and the Pups who have such eloquent comments in this thread.

The fighting’s never over.

Interesting commentary- pointing out the necessity of having a measure for outcomes and impact, which apparently has not been SOP.

This is from the President of Charity Navigator.

http://www.kenscommentary.org/2009/10/why-should-donors-care-about-outcomes.html

You’re right. We must fight. We must be there to tell these girls who have no idea what it’s like to not have access if you want it. We must always fight. Thanks for the reminder. Namaste.

Actually, I haven’t “forgotten” to tell the young women – they just don’t believe it. They weren’t around “before” Roe, and they just don’t take the risk seriously.

Thirty years ago I heard Gloria Steinem tell a convention meeting that women are the only group that gets more radical as they get older.
The younger (middle class) women are great examples – through college, they often believe that all the battles are won, that they are on a level playing field. It’s not till they’re in the working world awhile that they begin to see how many fights are still ongoing. The first time they realize a man hired after them is getting paid more; the first time they’re passed over for promotion because the boss “assumed” she wouldn’t want to travel, etc., etc.

Jane, do you know where “Emily’s List” is on this issue?

We’ve gotten e-mails from them recently, and my reaction was to lump them with the ineffective PP & NARAL, but that was emotion talking, not facts.

I’d like to be educated.

Support my plan with money, folks. I’ve got a you-know-what and I know how to use it!

Although, if it isn’t anger at babies, is it anger at women who are too irresponsible to use protection? Does it require a big strong man to make the sacrifice in order to keep women from getting pregnant? I think women can manage to not get pregnant on their own, without needing to pay men to get vasectomies.

Or… no, it couldn’t possibly be anger at men, that you would want to sterilize men before they have any children. There’s no way anyone here could be that…that… no! I refuse to believe it!

Here’s Teddy’s take
EMILY’s List: Playing the Fundraising Violin While Rights Burn

“Don’t ask, don’t give” is not just a worthwhile strategy option in forcing the DNC to act on glbt issues, but that strategy should be used similarly with advocacy groups. In other words, demonstrate accomplishments, or do not come asking for another dime until you do.

I continue to wonder how the DNC is going to rationalize their pleas for donations when, presumably, money just goes out the door to the likes of Bayh, Nelson, Landreau, Lincoln, Mike Ross, Heath Schuler — oh, and Bart Stupak.

Thanks.

Let’s not forget that Naral sold out to the Obama campaign as well. They decided not to back a women who dared to run for the Presidency, but instead endorsed Obama. Exactly what did Mr Obama and his campaign promise Naral for this endorsement ?

I hate (in this instance) being right.

When they started this war, they should have foreseen and planned for just the eventuality of something like the Stupak amendment. But it appears they relied only on hubris and hope in blind luck. Or perhaps they never really cared, as they are so far removed from the real lives of poor and working class Americans that absorbing this kind of defeat is only grist for future campaign contribution flyers, they must think.

Of course, the “they” in my quote is the Democratic leadership. They weren’t outmaneuvered. That would presume they were really trying. They either knew this was coming and did nothing, or they are totally incompetent and should be dumped. This is not a leadership that can be trusted, and that goes for the leadership of NARAL, etc., too.

All I can see is persistent societal marching backwards. Even the “reforms” of Obama’s first year are rear-guard actions, at best.

Once you get used to selling out your soul (the AUMF, the blind eye to torture, the gutting of habeas in the military commissions, the billions (should I say trillions?) given away to the military and the bankers), it just gets easier and easier.

I quit the board of the local PP almost thirty years ago because they pooh-poohed my warning that the anti-forces were organizing and we pro-choice folk needed to be organizing as well.

And here we are.

Sorry, let me amplify my disgust. I am the only psychologist, insofar as I am aware, who has publicly supported abortion rights in the state of Kansas. I am a male. Not one of my female psychologists colleagues in the state of Kansas, again, insofar as I am aware, have publicly supported abortion rights. Not one female clinical social worker as well.

I talked to the head of my local planned parenthood. He tells me they pay 1% of their budget to national as dues. He says they provide a bunch of good stuff, including very up-to-date medical protocols.

He agreed that their lobbying efforts were pathetic. I doubled my donation to local, and will be contributing to a fund that provides loans to women in need of an abortion.

Where’s the money? How is Stupak good for insurance companies?

The way the bill is written, impacting whole plans and not just individuals with federal funding makes me think Stupak is blocking reform on behalf of monied interests. We just haven’t seen the money shot yet.

Doesn’t it seem weird that all of a sudden breast exams are on the block? This simply cannot possibly be a coincidence.

Women’s health = “additional healthcare” (men don’t have breasts and uterii) –> there’s got to be a premium in there somewhere, the government is bailing out everyone. The ins cos are looking for it any way they can get it.

As the first few posters pointed out, the reproductive rights movement is full of women of the portfolio watching class. Why shouldn’t they get paid for all their selfless work?

Norske, I’m not sure if you’ll see this since I’m late to the game but I just wanted to say that your comment is one of the best I’ve ever seen on this subject. Thanks for that. It is inspiring. I’m glad there are people like you out there giving us some advice on how to straighten out some of these compromised grassroots organizations, or create new ones.