It is one thing for an ordinary citizen to lobby for the healthcare legislation and quite another for them to do it on behalf of ACS CAN and in conjunction with an ACS staff partner. The American Cancer Society, the “largest non-governmental cancer research agency,” is in bed with big government. Under the non-profit guise, ACS pays no taxes while lobbying to take away personal choice and personal responsibility and replace it with government control.
Why should non-profits have any bearing on taxation or law writing?
In this country, we regularly demonize private companies and corporations because they have a stake in the outcome of any political reform. We are giving a pass to non-profits, which pay no taxes, for the sake of good-will and charity. In this case, ACS is blatantly lobbying for government take over of our healthcare system - one-sixth of our Gross Domestic Product. We allow a non-tax-paying entity to manipulate the law while taking government grants.
The American Cancer Society exists as a supplement to standard insurance or lack thereof; they exist as a non-governmental research body. By promoting a government-run healthcare program, ACS is literally replacing its charitable contributions with funding by the government. No longer will Americans give to medical-related charities; instead, "donations" for the general welfare of all will be forcefully extracted from law-abiding citizens through taxation.
In addition, other countries that have implemented a socialized healthcare system like the one being proposed in America, have lower cancer survival rates. Not only are the vast majority of healthcare innovations developed in the United States because of our free-market system, nowhere in the world is a cancer prognosis so hopeful as it is in the United States.
- Breast cancer mortality is 88% higher in the UK than in the USA
- Prostate cancer mortality is 604% higher in the UK than in the USA
- Colorectal cancer mortality is 40% higher in the UK for both men & woman than in the USA
The American Cancer Society should continue its education campaign for early screening and cancer causes. They should not, however, have anything to do with changing laws that affect private, tax-paying citizens and businesses in the United States.
I thank the American Cancer Society for opening my eyes to the corrupt political system that rewards "non-profits" through regulation and government hand-outs. From today on, I will research companies before donating my time and money. I vow to uncover the rest of our nation's non-profit organizations playing progressive under the veil of charity.
I urge you to look deeper into your charitable giving. Please, keep giving, but be sure to find the association that best represents your philanthropic side AND your American side.
March 16, 2010
Robert Watts
American Cancer Society
1620 South Clyde Morris Blvd
Daytona Beach, FL 32119
To Mr. Watts:
About 10 years ago, right out of college, I found myself in Tallahassee fighting on the side of small business owners, the Florida Restaurant Association (FRA) and the Florida Hotel & Motel Association (FHMA) against the statewide smoking ban in Florida. On the other side of the argument was the American Cancer Society, a large non-profit association, lobbying to control private business’s right to allow, or not allow, smoking in their establishments.
The FRA and the FHMA argued that private businesses should be able to allow smoking in their establishment if they so chose; patrons vote with their dollars and can choose not to spend money in a smoking establishment. The American Cancer Society (ACS) felt that it was in the best interest of the public to make public smoking illegal. The proposal was solely enacted to control the behavior of Americans. The statewide smoking ban became law in 2003 with complicated food vs. alcohol guidelines for smoking establishments.
In 2008, ACS backed and lobbied for a $1.00 increase in the cigarette/tobacco tax in Florida. This direct tax on tobacco smokers was originally intended for a fund to help with lung cancer, emphysema and COPD. Instead, our Florida legislature redirected the funds to balance the Florida budget. A non-profit company once-again lobbies for power over the private sector in order to control behavior. The bill passed in April 2009.
On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, I attended my first ACS Board Meeting to present an update on the Holly Hill Relay for Life. In the beginning, the Advocacy Chairs explained how the healthcare bill was gaining some Republican support, which was good, but what was even better is that Congress was going to push through the Legislation using Reconciliation. The Advocacy Chairs had just been to Tallahassee lobbying for the current healthcare legislation with fellow volunteers and a staff member. Upon their return, they had learned they were 1,500 petitions short and had a FedEx package of ACS CAN (Cancer Action Network) petitions for healthcare legislation. They urged us all to sign the forms, not only with our names, but with the names of our children and grandchildren – because, after all, we didn’t actually have to “sign” or include our social security number. We just needed to get more names on the petitions.
I sat through the remaining one and half hours of the meeting wondering if the American Cancer Society was really pushing for socialized medicine. When the meeting adjourned, one of the Advocacy Chairs asked for my form. When I told her I didn’t support the current healthcare legislation, she continued guilt me into signing the form by parroting Obama talking-points (thousands die every day with no healthcare; her 32 year old granddaughter can’t afford it – should she go without?; women with cesarean sections are denied healthcare, etc). I again declined adding my name to the petition – or my husband’s name, son’s name or grandmother’s name for that matter. I explained that we see the current healthcare legislation from different points of view and suggested that we discuss it further in a different setting.
When I got home, I did a quick search to find out if ACS was truly advocating the healthcare legislation or if the Advocacy Chairs had just taken it on as a pet project. I went to www.Cancer.org, clicked “Advocate for Change,” clicked “American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network” and it directed me straight to an online petition for the healthcare reform. www.ACSCAN.org has a petition pop-up before directing users to the main website.
Why should a non-profit have the ability to lobby changes in the law in order to manipulate behavior?
It is one thing for an ordinary citizen to lobby for the healthcare legislation and quite another for them to do it on behalf of ACS CAN and in conjunction with an ACS staff partner. The American Cancer Society, the “largest non-governmental cancer research agency,” is in bed with big government. Under the non-profit guise, ACS is lobbying to take away personal choice and personal responsibility and replace it with government control.
Again, why should non-profits have any bearing on taxation or law writing?
And in this country, we regularly demonize private companies and corporations because they have a stake in the outcome of the healthcare reform. We are giving a pass to non-profits, which pay no taxes, but blatantly lobby for government to take over one-sixth of our economy. We allow a non-tax-paying entity to manipulate the law while taking government grants.
The American Cancer Society exists as a supplement to standard insurance or lack thereof. By promoting a government-run healthcare program, ACS is literally replacing its charitable contributions with funding by the government. No longer will Americans give to medical-related charities; instead, money will be forcefully extracted from law-abiding citizens through taxation.
In addition, other countries that have implemented a socialized healthcare system like the one being proposed in America have lower cancer survival rates. Not only are the vast majority of healthcare innovations developed in the United States because of our free-market system, nowhere in the world is a cancer prognosis so hopeful as it is in the United States.
- Breast cancer mortality is 88% higher in the UK than in the USA
- Prostate cancer mortality is 604% higher in the UK than in the USA
- Colorectal cancer mortality is 40% higher in the UK for both men & woman than in the USA
If anything, the American Cancer Society should continue its education campaign for early screening and cancer causes. They should not, however, have anything to do with changing laws that affect private, tax-paying people and businesses in the United States.
Please take this letter as my resignation from all volunteer responsibilities with the American Cancer Society. Because I believe that healthcare is the responsibility of every American, not a right, I must part ways with ACS. I feel that lobbying for the current healthcare legislation is a direct misuse of non-profit status and abuse of a charitable organization with such influence as the American Cancer Society.
I hereby donate my $100 registration fee to any team requiring assistance in 2010.
While so many of American Cancer Society’s programs are worthwhile and beneficial to our community, the act of promoting the current healthcare legislation has broken the line between charity and government.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the controversial support of non-profits in our political system.
Sincerely,
Kristina Bouterse
Owner, Wing Zone
www.KristinasConscience.blogspot.com
Girl, I am so proud of you for all that you are doing. I'm behind you 100%. And thank you for letting me know (saw your post on FB) that I only need to fill out question #1 on the Census form. I typically skip any race questions on any form/application I fill out b/c, in my opinion, race should be irrelevant. I was going to fill it out on the Census form though b/c I don't want them to come knocking at my door but now I think I'll just take my chances and leave everything else blank. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Misti! Spread the word!!
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe the last thing the ACI is interested in is eliminating cancer in a effective method. Yes they are into complex expensive treatment to not really cure but treat and maintain the treatment and checkups. It is a industry with goals and simple things like treating vitamin D deficiency could very cheaply eliminate maybe over half of many cancers. Way to cheaply and with too many other health benefits from infections and virus. Just not the way to do business so the ACI will do full page ads to terrify people to avoid the sun instead. Over 800 recent studies show low vitamin D is a huge risk for cancers. Has your doctor mentioned that lately? Has the ACI mentioned it at all except to say stay out of the sun. When you aim at the wrong target you always fail. They do raise lots of money. Prevention is so much more cost effective then expensive treatments. Jim Schultz 235 5069
ReplyDelete