Komen Foundation Caves to Right Wing Pressure, Defunds Planned Parenthood

Sorry Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, I won't be supporting any future fundraising for your organization. I will be directly supporting PP.

They support a much broader spectrum of services for women...and they will obviously need the support now.

The sane and logical citizens of this country have got to get the Christian fundamentalist zealots back to the margins where they belong. It's no longer about infringing on ones personal beliefs, lives are at stake here. Rather than fighting abortion, why don't they spend their time improving the world that they hope to have these kids born into?

Here's their contact page, please let them know how you feel

http://ww5.komen.org/Contact.aspx

This is horrible! These so-called "pro-lifers" are for the life of a 60-90 day formed fetus but hell bent on taking away early detection and life saving exams for women to save their life (you know, the life of the ones that give birth the these fetuses)!!!!! It's kind of like throwing out the baby with the bath water, so to speak.

I have emailed my letter explaining why I wont support them any more until they reverse this stupid decision.

Well @!$%# them then. Can someone here suggest another worthy breast cancer research organization to reroute my future donations to?

rescue dogs62 - thank you for seeding this. My wife and I both sponsor women in the Komen walk. We will not be sending them any more money until they come to their senses. The Avon walk and PP will be getting that money instead!

FR sent (we are the parents of two rescue dogs).

I will NO LONGER support the Komen fight for the Cure. Thank you Komen for bringing your prejudices to light. Your donation bucket will probably drop because of it. Good luck with your next walk, I will be PICKETING YOU.

PS, sign me TWO TIME CANCER SURVIVOR.

I just did the same with my email. Planned Parenthood does more for women's health than the Komen foundation does anyway.

To think of all the miles I have walked and money I have donnated over the years. Shame on them! And I have testicles rather than ovaries to boot!

redsfan pointed this tidbit out on her seed:

And the fact that Karen Handel, the foundation's senior vice president of public policy, is "staunchly and unequivocally pro-life" is just a coincidence, right?

and as a bra/bro supporter of the Komen foundation, my donations will also dry up, so to speak

I saw this earlier today and was furious also. I promptly went to the Komen site, opened their "contact us" and let them have it. I suggest anyone else who feels the same to do so also.

So separate it into a different org, and keep the rest 97% service flowing.

I emailed them too. And, let them know I will NOT support any non profit that does NOT support Womens Health Issues. No more PINK for me.

Here's a link to an article about the Komen Foundation suing 100's of small charities for using the word "cure". Unbeleivable!

http://360blog.net/news/komen-foundation-suing-small-charities-using-word-cure-their-names

If this is how they spend their funds they have serious problems.

Working throughout my life for major cancer organizations, I am incensed at Komen for doing this. That being said, there are many organizations who can live off the interest of their income, and Komen is one of them, and is one reason why I didn't support them. I worked for American Cancer Society and there is NO WAY they would cave like this. Komen has a lot of corporate partnerships - everything is freakin' pink for them which sickens me. I've always thought they are more interested in appearance than program.

This is what I just sent to Susan Komen:

I am upset to hear that you have caved to the rabid right wing religious agenda and its ultimate goal to overturn Roe v. Wade with your decision to defund Planned Parenthood. Apparently you feel that caving to the extreme right wing congressional representatives will ultimately be a better outcome for you, as I am sure you need their support, on occasion, for legislative matters. Unfortunately, what you have done is kowtow to the loudest voice in the room, not the most sane. The underserved and disenfranchised women that you have abandoned are the true losers in this case. Shame on you, and I am hopeful that your giving will be reduced as a result. Such an act of cowardice should not be rewarded. I'm sure American Cancer Society is in a position to take those donations that would otherwise be sent to you. At least, I sincerely hope so.

I just checked out the link Pat. I worked for National Childhood Cancer Foundation who changed their name to Cure Search (why I'll never know), so they may be in the mix.

Disgraceful. If this is how Komen is going to dominate their competitors....

I was shocked when I read this headline, then saddened. Doesn't the Komen foundation care about women's health? I know that they do--that was a rhetorical question--so how in Go's name could they cave like this?

So separate it into a different org, and keep the rest 97% service flowing.

Great idea! If they're telling the truth about the percenages, there should be no problem.

As for me, I'm sending a donation to the Komen Foundatin tomorrow. Women need to be able to have our basic health care needs met at organizations that DON'T simultaneously support death. Personally, I get my mammograms at the local hospital anyway. (Yes, they even have a program for the uninsured.)

As long as one side uses economic pressure and boycotts, so will the other. Nobody is playing dirty pool here.

Shelby,

Your letter to Komen was perfect, much better that the short message I fired off in a state of rage.

Komen has turned into a corporate monster, crush your competition first and foremost. It's disgusting, charities should be supporting each other. Honestly, I don't know how far Komen can go with trying to own the word "cure" but I hope the small charities involved can form a class action lawsuit and win it.

I've never liked them, they just have dominated other charities and everywhere you go that's all you see - BMW, golf merchandise, candy bars, they even got into the horse food game. I refused to purchase Purina Equine Senior for my horse until the damned pink ribbon came off the bag. I chose another brand.

I have always wondered what their marketing budget has been. It has to be astronomical - these things don't come cheap!

I also just sent them a disgusted email. For shame.

As for me, I'm sending a donation to the Komen Foundatin tomorrow. Women need to be able to have our basic health care needs met at organizations that DON'T simultaneously support death.

They don't support death, they support a woman's right to choose a legal, medical procedure. Pity you cannot tell the difference.

Email sent! I for one am disgusted and sick and tired of womes health issues being marginalized! God forbid a women get a legal procedure done at a medical facilty!!/sarc...seriously I have grown so weary of the evangelical right wing lunatics trying to ruin this country...

I have sent an email in support of their decision. As a husband of a breast cancer survivor, I recognise their work is too important to allow a link with a disreputable organization like PPFA.

Apparently some on this seed feel abortion is more important than saving the lives of women who contract breast cancer.

Apparently some on this seed have no idea how much planned parenthood does for early cancer screening...

littleboyblue.

A constitutionally GUARANTEED RIGHT OF A WOMAN TO GET AN ABORTION is damn important. Just as important as your ability to spew intolerant religiously sourced claptrap that abortion is wrong etc... in here.

You don't seem to realize that abortion is less than 5% of what PP does. The rest of it is that it is a primary health care agency for many hundreds of thousands of women that can't afford to go elsewhere. So based on this decision, the Komen foundation has just decided that the poor women of this country do not deserve to live.

Apparently some on this seed feel abortion is more important than saving the lives of women who contract breast cancer.

Considering that abortion is only 3% of the services that PP provides, your statement is pure emotional irrelevance.

I'm sending an email showing support for their common sense.

As a breast cancer survivor, I'm appalled that the rabid right wing religious fanatics are being allowed to call the shots for many underserved and disenfranchised women who desperately need women's health services provided to generously by PP.

Greenwood, littleboyblue, by endorsing SGK's move you are making it even more difficult for women to get these services because of your own biased, ill informed views of PP.

Too bad. Pandering to the uninformed and those unwilling to accept facts is appalling.

I'm sending an email showing support for their common sense.

Hopefully you will never have to worry about how you will pay for your routine cancer screenings. Unfortunately that is not the case for millions of poor women, working or not.

Your attitude is basically a kick in the teeth to them. Thanks piles.

What many will not acknowledge is that the same cancer related services will be provided by other organizations that have nothing to do with PP.

Several here have claimed that only 3% of PP's funds go to provide abortions, as if that makes it okay. It does not!

Another article in today's news is about a teacher who molests children. If I were to say tha tonly 3% of teachers are child molesters, would you be okay with that?

little

what you don't acknowledge is that many of these facilities are in locations that HAVE NO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OTHER THAN PP in their community. Most of those facilities probably don't even provide abortions in the first place. So removing those funds DOES prevent those screenings.

And abortions are a CONSTITUTIONALLY GUARANTEED medical procedure as per Roe v. Wade. Any consideration of it as an illegal action is offensive (as molesting children is an illegal act).

What many will not acknowledge is that the same cancer related services will be provided by other organizations that have nothing to do with PP.

Name them.

Several here have claimed that only 3% of PP's funds go to provide abortions, as if that makes it okay. It does not!

Abortions are legal, private and personal issues. It doesn't matter one wit if it's "okay" with you or anyone else. Until there is a constitutional amendment that's the way it is.

Another article in today's news is about a teacher who molests children. If I were to say tha tonly 3% of teachers are child molesters, would you be okay with that?

WTF doe that have to do with this article or conversation???

Interesting that there are those that feel entitled to avail themselves of screening services free from any association with abortion, yet they don't feel that others have the right to screening services free from religious proselytizing, with an organization that provides other legal services.

Peace and freedom only for those who agree with you. Very Christian.

Or is it radical Islam? Hard to tell.

James,

since when did you get that impression?

If there were other screening services in those specific areas that were religious based, then would have been just as able to get funds from this same charity, but the problem is that in rural areas, there are often ONLY ONE CHOICE. That isn't a religious restriction, that is just a demand issue. There just wouldn't be enough demand for multiple services.

The reality for PP is that it is VERY OFTEN, the ONLY source for personal women's health care in MANY areas of the country.

Now ideally, the country would get this bull@!$%# with health insurance availability fixed up and the need for PP (and any other similar organization, whether religious in nature or not) would not be needed, and health care, especially preventative health care, which is what this money was for, would become an issue of where it is provided rather than if it is provided.

Any woman that is later diagnosed with cancer when it could have been caught earlier by this program is one woman too many. That has SWEET @!$%# ALL to do with abortion, and has everything to do with zealots trying to control others, which is quite frankly an offence in our society.

Any woman that is later diagnosed with cancer when it could have been caught earlier by this program is one woman too many. That has SWEET @!$%# ALL to do with abortion, and has everything to do with zealots trying to control others, which is quite frankly an offence in our society.

I just had to repeat that, thank you Jonathan-1917156 from all women most women.

Pat,

equality is something I strongly believe in, maybe not equality in result, but in opportunity and the right to make our own opportunities. That is everyone, gender, race, culture, orientation, ALL deserve the same opportunities, and one of the most basic of opportunities that needs to be protected is the opportunity to live a healthy and most importantly dignified life, and ANYTHING that can be done to increase that opportunity is something that we all should fight for, to our last breath.

To those that THINK they see a contradiction in that, I don't consider a fetus to yet be a human life, therefore there is no contradiction.

A little reminder to those who are "all for separating out that 3%..." of PP that provides abortions from the rest of their health care....

Did it ever occur to any of you that controversial 3% was because of health reasons?

My sister-in-law was diagnosed with endometriosis as a teen. In her early 20's- a few months after I started dating my husband she and my brother-in-law were diagnosed as pregnant.

Yes. Diagnosed. Because she was told by every doctor out there that she couldn't get pregnant and while, her medical condition made taking the pill detrimental to her health, with her being barren all- protection-wise, both she and her husband thought that condoms against possible STD's was more than enough....

Surprise, surprise. She got diagnosed.

The doctors flat out told her and my brother-in-law that it was most likely a death sentence at the time but my sister-in-law refused to listen. Because she loved him, because it was a life, because she considered it a miracle, because she had hope.

It wasn't meant to be.

About a month later when she was hospitalized that's when she finally had to make The Decision.

God help me, but I will NEVER forget stepping out of that hospital room to see this veritable stranger standing there with the tears running down his eyes as he told me: " I won't lose her. I can't lose her. Why is she doing this to herself?..."

Maggie stabilized and they released her a couple of days later. Guess who she had to go to in order to get the abortion that saved her life?

You know the worst part that kills me?

Because no one "wants to pay for that horrible thing" and they had to wait even further in order for everyone to pass the hat in order to save up to afford it....

To this day, I have to wonder how much of that "emergency hysterectomy" barely a year later (that was covered by insurance) and her becoming disabled as a result of all of the physical fallout from it was due to all of those weeks of waiting because of some f-ed up idea of "morality..."

3 out of every 100 women.

That is almost 1 out of every 10 women you speak to in a given day.

When did the Hypocratic Oath- the belief in saving lives become just saving the ones you like?

It's health!

It's the 12-year-old rape victim. It's the woman who is about to die. It is the husband standing there in the dark of night sobbing his eyes out to a flipping stranger because he's about to lose the woman he loves...

That's why there will always be a certain percent of abortions and you just can't sweep all of those people and those of us that love them: their family and their friends under a rug or section us all away....

Just reminder...

You're going to have to be patient unlike the liberals and the walker thing. We are waiting for the proper term to be up so we can get rid of Obama.

Oh, look. Greenwood would rather get in another grenade troll towards Obama and liberals instead of discuss the topic at hand.

Consternation. Uproar. Shock. Horror.

ontolodox,

yeah and what, like getting rid of Davis in California was ok but getting rid of walker is not, yeah right. deflection.

(yeah I know, continuing the derail, gives myself a spanking for that lol)>

Yeah right: thanks for your story. It is stories like that need to be told. Keep it up. I wish you and yours the best.

Several here have claimed that only 3% of PP's funds go to provide abortions, as if that makes it okay. It does not!

Another article in today's news is about a teacher who molests children. If I were to say tha tonly 3% of teachers are child molesters, would you be okay with that?

As rescue already said but bears repeating, abortion is a legal, medical procedure and child molestation is not.

What part of that are you not getting...?

silvaria,

Not that it needs to be repeated, but others have also stated that abortion is also a legal constitutionally protected medical procedure. :P

Jonathan

You have stated several times that abortion is constitutionally protected. I'd like to remind you that slavery once enjoyed that protected status too.

Slavery was ended not by the Emancipation Proclamation but by a long bloody war. Slavery was ended because it was fundamentally wrong, just like abortion.

Religious leaders were often at the forefront of the anti-slavery movement, but that did not make it a religious issue any more than religious leaders involved in the anti-abortion movement.

For every heart wrenching story like the one at 1.41, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of human lives snuffed out because willfully ignorant people do not believe a fetus is human.

Finally, the amount of money given to PP by the Koman fund is likely very small considering the size of PP's resources. My guess is that it was a shrewd move by the Koman people because those of us opposed to abortion can give to Koman knowing that their donations will not subsidize the nefarious PPFA

littleboyblue,

So when the constitutional right to abortion is revoked by a constitutional amendment, you can spew out your intolerant crap, but until then it is a CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT, as per Roe v. Wade.

And your guess is quite probably wrong, the backlash from this is going to hurt the organization in much larger ways than you think it will help. None of that money was going to abortions anyways, why why one person within Komen thought it was a good idea to interject their personal ignorant beliefs on another organizations OTHER operations is just plain offensive.

And you are 100% WRONG, slavery was ended by an AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, specifically the 13th amendment. I am constantly amazed, as a non permanent resident person (citizen of Canada, living here on a visa to run my business), at the level of ignorance that many americans seem to have about their own country, especially its institutions like the constitution.

As for abortion in general, abortion was tolerated for millennia by religious leaders, as it was often conducted through teas and other herbal remedies that cause miscarriages. Hell in the past, the church itself would often seek out abortions to 'clean up the messes of the priests'.

As for the radical right, I wish their concern for the living went past the point of being born, because it has been proven time and time again that the religious right really have no concern for life once the baby has been born. Maybe the radical right should focus on that aspect of life.

Fumler,

Really? then the evangelical right should be its biggest backer.

Fumler, grenade trolling all over today..dnftt

I wrote to them, everyone should write to them. It only takes a minuts and has been proven recenly in the news "we the people" can make a difference. Tell them their decision was a bad one!

jonathan

My right to speak as I please is also constitutionally protected as per the First Amendment, so your demand that I shut up is un-American. Perhaps you should close your business --abortion related I'm guessing*--and move back to Canada where you belong. If you are "amazed" by my ignorance, I must say I am offended by your arrogance. That's not what I've come to expect from Canadians. They are much more well-mannered than that.

The Dred Scott case of 1857 established that slaves were "property" not persons, and therefore had no right to life. If you injured someone else's slave, the owner was entitled to compensation, just as he would if you injured his horse.

The thirteenth amendment was one of the re-construction amendments passed after the civil war was fought and won. By the way, many if not most, Canadians were anti-slave and provided safe haven for runaway slaves.

You wrongly state that the religious right have no concern for the life of a baby once it has been born. That simply is not true. Your type trots that idea out in any discussion like this as if there are no faith-based hospitals, schools, universities, food banks , soup kitchens etc. And it is many faiths, not just one. Most in the US are Christian based, but there are Jewish institutions as well, and I suspect representatives of other faiths proportionate to their populations.

* Since you claim to be a business owner and are obviously passionate about protecting/promoting the abortion industry, I can only guess you are part of it.

Nice,

I might just have to give more money so SGK now.

PPH does do some good, I will grant them that. As soon as PPH stops all abortions, I will start supporting them again. Its as simple as that.

Abortion might be legal now, but that does not mean I have to like it. Just like the people who have been fighting to repeal DOMA, there are people who will fight to repeal legal abortion. ( except in the case of rape or Medically needed in the example above)

The decision to not support PPH, has zero to do with the good things they do, and everything to do with Abortion.

littleboyblue:

Did I tell you to shut up? I specifically said you can spew out whatever intolerant ignorant right wing crap that you want, because it is your constitutionally protected right, but it doesn't change the fact that what you are saying is just that, crap.

Jeremy:

So you are fine with women dying a painful death because PPH, with other funds, in other branches (not all PP facilities provide abortions), provides abortions, which are a legal, constitutionally protected procedure.

I seriously hope you never get cancer.

Jeremy:

So you are fine with women dying a painful death because PPH, with other funds, in other branches (not all PP facilities provide abortions), provides abortions, which are a legal, constitutionally protected procedure.

no im not fine with anyone dying a painful death, but PPH is not the only place low income women can go for their check ups.

Just because they do some good things, does not mean we should overlook the bad. ( if you are against abortion ) Its no different than if the KKK was running a soup kitchen for the homeless. Feeding the homeless is a good thing, but they still wouldn't get my money because they are the KKK. PPH does some good things, but they are still not going to get my money, because they perform Abortions.

As long as PPH preforms Abortions, there is a large segment of this country who will not donate to the group. All they have to do is stop preforming abortions. Its not rocket science, its called standing up for your beliefs.

If the KKK set up a soup kitchen, and that money was only going to that soup kitchen which had NO discrimination, I wouldn't have a problem with it. I would have a problem if the KKK was diverting funds for that soup kitchen to their other activities, but that isn't the case here. The Komen money goes to a specific program in a specific region, in facilities that more than likely don't even provide abortions. Now chances are, the KKK isn't going to be setting up a food kitchen, so the question really is moot, but a medical charity that provides, among a large number of services, abortions, also providing women's health care for cancer screenings IS reality.

And as long as the Komen foundation refuses to donate to the PP for the sole reason that one of their other services is abortions, then I won't even consider donating to Komen. If you choose to donate to Komen because they decide to use religious intolerance, and contributing to the further deaths of women in this country, in their choices, that is your perogative.

As I stated elsewhere, a PROUD contributor to Planned Parenthood WITH the abortion box checked off, because quite frankly, it doesn't matter what I think of the abortion, it matters what the woman receiving the abortion thinks about the abortion.

@littleboyblue

Another article in today's news is about a teacher who molests children. If I were to say tha tonly 3% of teachers are child molesters, would you be okay with that?

By the very argument you have presented, you are saying that we need to fire every single teacher.

Or, you are saying, why defind PP when their abortion services only amount to 3%.

Which is it?

Just like the people who have been fighting to repeal DOMA, there are people who will fight to repeal legal abortion.

I don't think you can "repeal" Roe-v-Wade. The supreme court ruled that a legal abortion is covered by the 14th amendment. To get rid of RvW it would require an act of Congress to amend the Constitution.

But no worries for you, the gop at the state level are standing on their heads and spitting wooden nickels in order to make it impossible for low wage earners to get a legal abortion.

Pat,

or another decision or argument that would determine that there was a fundamental change in the assertions in Roe v. Wade which would give reason for the court to revisit the case.

Just reported on Countdown, tonight, that Planned Parenthood has received $650,000 in donations. Komen funded them in the amount of $680,000.

Also, Komen's Connecticut affiliate has broken with the national organization.

Thanks for the update, Shelby. Missed Keith tonight. This is so awesome!

Also found out that a movie is coming out on the subject Feb. 3rd.

Watch the trailers, but take your blood pressure medicine, first.

http://www.nfb.ca/film/pink_ribbons_inc_trailer

jonathan

You said I could "spew my intolerant crap" after Roe v Wade is overturned. The implied message is that I should shut up until then.

I noticed you did not deny my suggestiion that you were in the abortion business, so I guess it is true, proving once and for all that abortion is about money. Whatsa matter, not enough Canadian girls wanting abortions?

littleboyblue,

I am an owner of a small company that manufactures formed metal products thank you very much. Not that it matters. I never even saw your assertion. I am however on the board of a trust that donates a lot of money, and one of those charities that we donate to is PP and we ensure that the box that indicates that the funds CAN be used for abortions.

Even my pro life sister in law agrees with that, because, paraphrasing her words, 'the concept of pro life is something that we really need to examine far deeper than just pro choice or anti abortion, but most importantly in the idea that we need to prevent pregnancies in the first place. Preventing an abortion does us no good if even one unwanted child is born into this world, and until we address this issue, banning abortions is just going to move the practice in the back alleyways and a return to a time where women are dying because of it.

Oh, and I don't live in Canada, so I have no idea what Canadian girls are or are not doing at the moment.

I don't understand why littleboyblue refers to the issue as "abortion business?" I've never know it was a business. Please explain.

Or....not. It's such right wing tripe.

Shelby

It is a business because people get paid for doing abortions. What is so hard to understand? Abortionists make money--a lot of money--when they ply their nefarious trade.

really littleboy? You think Dr's that provide abortions are living large because of it? Just how much is it that you think they make? I am also unaware of that being the sole purpose of any medical practice.

Hey, littlboyblue,

What many will not acknowledge is that the same cancer related services will be provided by other organizations that have nothing to do with PP.

Several here have claimed that only 3% of PP's funds go to provide abortions, as if that makes it okay. It does not!

Read 1.41.... (Again!) Because, it's not the "odd story" dude, it's the norm!

You just don't know it because you've been kept in the dark. Because most women who have been there don't want to talk about those moments any more than they like to go up to strangers on the streets and give graphic descriptions of the time they were raped....

So, guess what? Your little "morality" goes both ways: Your claim is that it's okay to have just let my sister-in-law die in some back alley somewhere just to justify your perception of the world- WELL IT'S NOT!!!

Contrary to your belief structure- most women only have abortions because they have no other option!

This is not some "fun little treat" we go out to get just so we can go out and live-it-up!

What in the hell do you think that women are like?!!!!!

Seriously, your statements suggest a pretty twisted idea of the world.

Another article in today's news is about a teacher who molests children. If I were to say tha tonly 3% of teachers are child molesters, would you be okay with that?

Again, I ask: What in the heck made you think most women are all child-molesting serial killers just because they want to live?!!!!

By your logic- then, all women- everywhere should just "self-deport to heaven" right here, and right now in the most brutal and bloody manner possible.

I wonder, would self-mutilation be enough for you? Or would you prefer a nice and public flogging or stoning?

For every heart wrenching story like the one at 1.41, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of human lives snuffed out because willfully ignorant people do not believe a fetus is human.

So, let's go ahead and either kill off those millions or hundreds of thousands just to get at those few!!!

Again, I ask you: What in the hell do you think that women are like?!!!!!

I mean, do you honestly think that a woman gets up in the morning and thinks to herself: "Hey! I think I'm going to get up this morning, grab a latte, get a perm and then have someone kill the life inside of me just for kicks!"

Do you really think that most women think like that?

Because, that's precisely what you are talking like.

You honestly think that women have no value on anything, don't you? Go on and admit it littlboyblue. You really do think that no woman actually cares about the decisions that she is forced to make throughout her lifetime: do I love him? Can I trust him? What if something goes wrong? What if the doctors tell me the worst?...

Oh no. According to you: most woman never think such "human" thoughts like that so- just go ahead and let 'em all die!

Oh no, littleboy (such an appropriate name) Jonathan and all of the others are right: STFU, take your hatred somewhere that is else, and go find a knothole you can love for the rest of your life.....

Because, you are right, you may be constitutionally protected to say what you want, when you want- and that is your right as a Citizen of these United States..

BUT

WE are NOT ONLY ALSO constitutionally protected in our smacking you and your hateful incoherent venom the freaking heck down whenever we encounter it- IT IS OUR PATRIOTIC DUTY AS AMERICANS!!!!!

It's what our country was FOUNDED on after all (go and read up on the free-market of ideas).....

Just from reading this one thread alone, I suspect they are going to feel a pretty major backlash from this. While a number of people may not like abortion, I'll wager that most understand that in this lousy economy, women need affordable health care more than ever.