Sunday, August 01, 2010

Rumors Swirl About Upcoming Focus on the Family Layoffs

In what should be welcome news to LGBT Americans and anyone who opposes an Uber-Christian theocracy, it appears that Daddy Dobson's malignant organization, Focus on the Family is continuing to have financial difficulties - could it be people are beginning to realize they're being scammed? - and may need to layoff more employees. I feel sorry for anyone losing their job in this current economy, but maybe working for a hate disseminating con artist group wasn't a good career choice to start with. I hope similar false Christian organizations find themselves feeling similar financial distress. Here are highlights from the Colorado Springs Gazette, FOTF's hometown paper:
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I’ve gotten a few calls from people saying Focus on the Family is planning to announce layoffs, more than 100, on Friday. I called Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger on Monday. He did not confirm or deny the rumors. Later he sent me a statement, which you can read below.
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“We are still working out the details of fitting our FY ‘11 budget to the figure our board of directors established,” Schneeberger wrote. “As soon as those decisions are final — we’re aiming for next week — we’ll share them with our ministry family first and then with our constituents and friends in the media.”
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Focus has laid off hundreds of employees since 2002, when its workforce was about 1,400. Currently Focus has 860 employees. It’s latest round of layoffs was in September 2009, when 75 employees were let go.
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In recent years, Focus has struggled to meet its budget. Even though the organization cut its budget from $160 million in fiscal 2008 to $138 million in fiscal 2009, it still suffered a $6 million shortfall. Schneeberger said last September that the deficit was largely due to the loss of donations from small- to medium-sized businesses. Donations from families has remained steady, he said
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I cannot help but wonder whether the drop in business donation comes from a possible realization that having one's business tied to FOTF might not be the best advertising move. With FOTF disseminating anti-gay, anti-immigrant and theocratic swill, the FOTF name could be a poisonous element to many. Of course, another reason for the drop might be the FOTF supported GOP's constant obstructionism on legislation that might benefit small businesses.

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