Head of Family Planning is anti-birth control.....Democrats can't stop appointment.

[madfloridian]

The Ledger recently had a very blunt editorial about what George W. Bush has just done to the women of this country. And all this agenda would have been known if we had paid attention to the platform of the Texas Republican Party starting several years ago. It was all there in living color.

The whole damn thing started in Texas...TX Gop platform lays it all out.

This is an appointed position, our Democrats can do absolutely nothing about it.

Who runs Family Planning?

Who better to run the government's family planning programs than somebody who thinks women should reject birth control? The obvious answer: just about anybody.

Not so in the current administration in Washington. Almost as soon as the mid-term election votes were counted and all sides (not including Donald Rumsfeld) were saying nice things about working together nicely, word leaked out that the Bush administration had appointed a new chief of family planning programs whose place of employment until just recently says distributing contraceptives is "demeaning to women."

Democrats can protest all they like, but they can't do anything to stop the appointment of Dr. Eric Keroack as deputy assistant secretary for population affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services. Unlike many other high-level government posts, this one isn't subject to Senate confirmation. Keroack, an obstetrician-gynecologist, will oversee $283 million in annual family planning grants, according to the Washington Post, that HHS says are "designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons." Contrast that with a nonprofit group based in Massachusetts called A Woman's Concern, which Keroack has been serving as medical director. According to the organization's Web site, "A Woman's Concern is persuaded that the crass commercialization and distribution of birth control is demeaning to women, degrading of human sexuality and adverse to human health and happiness."

So, somebody who apparently is opposed to birth control is going to be running the government's contraception programs. Does that give anybody pause about the kind of reception that women who avail themselves of such services can expect?

I can only imagine what is coming.

[wakeme2008]

1. While the Dems can not stop the appointment,,,

He can be put under oath and questioned about following the law...

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Yes, we must have MEN to tell us what a 'Woman's Concern' about birth control is all about.

[mondo joe]

7. Would you prefer if it were an anti-choice woman?

The problem isn't the gender of any person in question - the problem is their policy.

[madfloridian]

3. A web search on "A Woman's Concern"...it has anti-abortion clinics

which in many cases get aid from United Way.

There are many alarming edtorials and articles on this. It is like people can not really believe Bush would do this.

[tnlefty]

4. Didn't you intend, TX Republic Party, in the 2nd sentence?

W is for women my ass! Isn't this the second major affront of his by appointing creeps into positions overseeing offices that directly relate to policy(ies) affecting women. Wasn't one of his choices a veterinarian?

This angers me so much that I can't think straight at the moment!

[madfloridian]

5. Yep, thanks for catching that. Edited it.

There are so many angry editorials on this.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. Yes. He was going to appoint a veterinarian to the post of acting

director of the Office of Women's Health of the Food and Drug Administration. He really shows a lot of respect for women with these appointments.

[kestrel91316]

8. Family planning = "You better PLAN on having a mess of kids!"

[madfloridian]

9. Now this is upsetting, Title X will be controlled by him.

http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?ID=10031

HHS Defends Keroack Appointment Despite Opposition
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is defending the appointment of Eric Keroack to the post of Deputy Assistant Secretary even though 21 members of Congress and many women’s rights groups have written to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt opposing the decision. Last week, President Bush announced that Dr. Keroack, who was the medical director for a group of anti-choice, anti-contraceptive "crisis pregnancy centers,” will advise Secretary Leavitt on issues such as reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy and will administer Title X funds, which are intended for contraceptive supplies and information, particularly for low-income people.

On Monday, seven House Democrats, including Representatives Louise Slaughter (NY), who is expected to chair the House Rules Committee, and Henry Waxman (CA), who is expected to chair the House Government Reform Committee, wrote a letter to Secretary Leavitt opposing Bush’s decision. The next day, 14 Democratic Senators signed a similar letter. In addition, Secretary Leavitt has been receiving email messages from members of several women’s organizations, including the Feminist Majority Foundation, the National Organization for Women, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Planned Parenthood.

HHS spokesperson Christina Pearson defended the appointment yesterday, claiming that Keroack is not opposed to birth control, despite his affiliation with an anti-contraceptive organization, the Washington Post reports. According to Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, Pearson added that Keroack "did family planning with patients at their request as part of his private physician role." Jackie Payne, director of government relations for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said of HHS’ defense, "The fact that he’s the medical director of an organization that takes position is, at best, hypocritical if he’s doing something different in private practice... That’s not the kind of advocate for birth control that we need. We need someone to head up the family-planning program who is wholeheartedly for family planning," the Washington Post reports.

Dr. Eric Keroack started in his new role last week."

Bush once said how much easier it would be if he were a dictator. Now it appears he is one or something like it. He doesn't care what people think at all.

[bleedingheart]

10. proof the Bush is an arrogant prick

he appoints the bastard and knows the guy is a jerk to women...just cuz he can...

[madfloridian]

11. It is meant as a slap in the face to all of us.

It is total arrogance.

[madfloridian]

12. How does one "inadvertently" miss the deadline for recertification?

Before I retired, we teachers in Florida had to recertify every 5 years. We had to take classes, we had to fill papers out, there was no forgetting or missiing deadlines.

It just sounds odd.

"Pearson also acknowledged yesterday that Keroack is not currently certified as an obstetrician-gynecologist. That is not a requirement for the job, but HHS officials had cited Keroack's expertise in defending his selection.

Keroack was certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1995, but that credential expired after 10 years.

"He inadvertently missed the recertification deadline and for 2006 is listed as board-eligible, meaning he is eligible to take the recertification exam," Pearson said. "He plans to seek recertification in the future."

http://libertystreetusa.blogspot.com/2006/11/double-life-of-dr-eric-keroack.html

There is just so much wrong with this picture.