AMA's Endorsement Sparks Internal Uprising

[gski]

AMA's Endorsement of House Health Care Bill Sparks Internal Uprising

Some AMA members are outraged that the group's trustees made the endorsement without the formal approval of the organization's House of Delegates.

The American Medical Association's much-touted endorsement of the House health care reform bill has triggered a revolt among some members who want the endorsement withdrawn.

Some members are outraged that the group's trustees made the endorsement without the formal approval of the organization's House of Delegates.

On Monday, delegates will vote on a resolution offered by some members that, if approved, will withdraw the AMA’s endorsement of the bill.

President Obama cited the endorsement of the influential AMA, along with AARP's, in a surprise appearance Thursday in the White House briefing room as he attempted to beat back criticism that the bill would gut Medicare.

"They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it," he told reporters. "They know it will protect the benefits our seniors receive, not cut them."

"So I want everyone to remember that the next time you hear the same tired arguments to the contrary from insurance companies and their lobbyists and remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television," he added.

Hmmm...didn't we see/hear this the last time? AARP is was said endorsed the last health care bill and then they came out and said they didn't endorse it? Oh yeah, that's right, AARP members were flooding their call centers, canceling their membership.

Now we add the AMA? Their members saying the same thing? Btw, the AMA represents approx 29% of the licenses Dr's in the US. Hmmm...I thought it was nearly 70% of the Dr's who opposed government run health care?

[dgriffin]

And my AARP membership remains canceled. I have found if I insist on the AARP discount at hotels anyway, they back off and give it to me. The AARP is no longer a seniors organization as much as it is an insurance company. It's almost as if Blue Cross Insurance decided to call itself The Union Of Medical Patients while continuing to sell insurance and offer a cheap "membership card."

Bigness is the problem here, methinks. When an organization grows large enough to pay a huge staff in Washington (or wherever) big salaries with handsome perquisites, their interest in member welfare takes a back seat to self interest. Better to make deals with the enemy to preserve their careers than serve the members. After all, who exactly do you "do" lunch with?

The national amateur radio organization I (reluctantly) belong to had the same problem. Recognizing the mean age of members was dramatically escalating, the management sought out younger conscripts. That would be OK, except the younger crowd was more interested in computer oriented radio, while us older guys mostly enjoyed our radio sans microchips. So the ridiculous result for a while was that the radio society's management flooded its monthly magazine with articles and activities that didn't appeal to members, but could have appealed to prospective members. It was like your favorite hiking magazine abruptly devoted half its issues to knitting in hopes they could broaden their audience.

The disconnect between the AMA's members and their paid staff is exactly like that existing between us citizens and our elected officials. In an earlier era, whether right or wrong, the amount of negativity among Americans on current health proposals would have killed the legislative effort. The fact is our politicians don't really care what we think. And that's more scary than any individual issue.

Besides, this is just one more sideshow. Have you noticed how America trudges along from one sky-is-falling event to the next?

[gski]

Dave, there's only one problem I'm seeing with the sky is falling portion. America is continuing to scream. Unfortunately, it's falling on deaf ears.

I seem to remember reading and hearing multiple times that the president was elected with a mandate. 53 or 52%, was the number if I recall. So if 56% of the people are saying they don't want the health care plan, isn't that a mandate? That would mean that congress should be saying no, not yes.

Interesting....I guess we're supposed to just shut up, be quiet and keep paying more taxes as good surfs and underlings.

[gski]

btw... I sent my email into Arcuri saying I don't want him to vote for health care. I reminded him of how close his last race was. It'll be interesting to see what his response is. I'll post it when I finally get it.

[clarencebunsen]

I think your answer is here
www.uticaod.com/breaking/x1972895244/Arcuri-near-key-decision-on-health-care-reform

U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, announced his support for the health care reform bill Saturday afternoon as the House prepares to vote on the measure tonight.

[snickers]

Nov 7, 2009 20:57:19 GMT -5 clarencebunsen said:

I think your answer is here
www.uticaod.com/breaking/x1972895244/Arcuri-near-key-decision-on-health-care-reform

U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, announced his support for the health care reform bill Saturday afternoon as the House prepares to vote on the measure tonight.

Ah. He must have gotten his marching orders from Nanny P. We've known all along that "Pretty Boy" is nothing more than a spineless lap dog. I surely hope he has alternate plans for making a living, because if the voters around here are worth their word, he'll need to be dusting off his resume.

[dgriffin]

What DID he do before assuming the elective throne? The normal lawyering thing?

[gski]

Arcuri go in because of his family name. That's all. Yes he's a spineless lap dog. I for one told him in my email to him that if he voted for it he won't get my vote, nor my families, nor theirs, etc. Not that I voted for him before.

He thinks that Nancy will protect him. Well it's going to be very interesting to hear what BS he thinks up for his next campaign. It'll most likely be, "look at all of my accomplishments....
"blank space says it all. A spineless Nancy lap dog!

Should we start the anti-Arcuri campaign now?