Physicians on Obamacare; Doctors Rally in Washington

I just returned from a Southern Crescent Tea Party meeting in Peachtree City (Georgia for my non-local readers ;-). What a great bunch of caring, educated, intelligent, strong, patriotic people were gathered in that room! The speaker tonight was a local pediatrician, Dr. John Potts.

I've been wanting to corner another doctor to ask what they're thinking about Obama's plans for health care! My doctor is 100% against it, turns out Dr. Potts isn't a believer either.

My biggest unanswered question had to do with the American Medical Association's endorsement of Obamacare. I was surprised that doctors would back a plan that seemingly will take away not only their revenue, but their ability to do what they think is best for their patients.

Dr. Potts estimated that maybe 5% of doctors were members. He isn't. He had a few guesses as to why the group was supporting the Obama / Pelosi / Reid plan, but nothing definitive. A few others joined in the discussion. The suggested reasons from Dr. Potts and others ranged from liberalism at the top to the political nature of the group.

Dr. Pott's feelings were that the vast majority of doctors were NOT supporting the president's outlined plan. He gave some great suggestions that he felt would work to reform healthcare, which I'll share later in a later blog. If you're paying attention to the issue, you're probably familiar with most, if not all, anyway!

I had intended to write about the Tea Party group tonight, not health care. However, when I sat down at the computer and checked my email prior to starting, I had an email from Georgia Urology (Atlanta) sharing that they had joined the efforts of docs4patientcare and were heading to Washington DC. In their own words:

"Doctors at Georgia Urology united with colleagues at Docs4 Patient Care and traveled to Washington D.C. today to let their voices be heard on the Healthcare Reform debate. The group is committed to preserving the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship, preserving the quality of patient care and supporting affordable access for all while protecting patients’ freedom of choice"

Coincidence or by divine design, I had to go check them out. Then, of course, I had to share with you guys.

Here's a video from their site:



I urge you to go check them out (http://www.docs4patientcare.org/) and, if you're a physician, join. I noticed an email update sign up, too.

Being the ever-curious person I am, I then went on a search to find out just how relevant the AMA was to doctors. I wanted to know what percentage of doctors were members and why in the world they'd sign on to the Obama / Pelosi health care killer. Here are some articles I found that I thought were worth sharing:

Here's a quote from Answers.com's article on the AMA (very interesting reading):
By 2000, the AMA claimed only about 30 percent of American doctors as members. The organization had struggled with dwindling membership for decades, and the trend did not seem as if it would reverse easily. (the article doesn't say what current membership is or the percentage, nor does it say they were able to reverse the trend).

How Relevant is the American Medical Association?

Like most doctors yesterday, I was in the busy seeing a full schedule of patients when President Obama addressed members of the American Medical Association at their annual meeting in Chicago. The speech was billed as a crucial confrontation over health reform, and anticipation had been building for quite some time. So I was too busy to learn anything about his remarks and the response until I got home. Then again, I’m not a member of the AMA. I never have been. Neither are very many of my physician friends and colleagues. In fact, the odds are that your doctor isn’t a member of the AMA... click to read more

More on the Washington Rally (how many of you even heard the doctors were doing this???): http://www.takebackmedicine.com/doctorsrally

Here's a link to the Association of American Physicians: http://www.aapsonline.org/

In this article the author claims the AMA represents 1/4 of all doctors:

Doctors Boo Obama in Chicago
Chicago
You would have thought it was Wrigley Field not the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
When President Obama told gathered physicians at the American Medical Association's annual meeting in his home town this month, "I'm not advocating caps on malpractice awards which I believe can be unfair to people who've been wrongfully harmed," he was booed like Chicago Cub Milton Bradey. "Yank him," was probably next.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Doctors-Boo-Obama-in-Chica-by-Martha-Rosenberg-090630-240.html

Here's an NPR article (they give the AMA 30%):

What Happened To The AMA's Clout?
The American Medical Association likes to call itself the voice of medicine. But lately it seems to be getting laryngitis.
Long one of the lobbying titans in the halls of Congress, the AMA is now just another voice in the cacophony of medical interest groups. And while it's still the largest physician group, the AMA represents an increasingly smaller percentage of the nation's practicing physicians — about one-third, by most counts.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105393162&ft=1&f=3

Enough for the night? I think so! I'm tired and have much to do before my head hits the pillow. I still don't know why the group would endorse Obama's plans, especially given their past history. Sumpin' is goin' on... I've heard anecdotally that they're losing members because of their stance on this issue. Don't know that to be true, but I know I'd be dropping MY membership!

I would like to thank Dr. Potts for standing up and being heard, not just by those in the meeting tonight (well over 60 people!), but he also penned a letter which will be on the Fayette Front Page and a few other places shortly.

I am encouraged when I see and hear all those who are working to turn our country away from the path Obama and many of our politicians are trying to push it along. Keep up the good -- no, the great work.

One word for Atlanta Tea Party: Wow!

One word to describe it in the title, but a lot more in this short post! I'm one tired puppy right now but I had to share as I guzzle my morning caffeine. We had a blast yesterday at the Atlanta Tea Party. I didn't get home until close to midnight, then I had to watch the midnight Hannity repeat to see what I'd missed! Yawn and double yawn

Our small group of three left Fayette County for the Capitol yesterday around 4 p.m. When we arrived the place was already jamming up with fellow tea party-ers.

On our trip downtown and our walk from the Five Points Marta station to the Capitol we ran into a lot of people who, as a testament to the lack of interest by the mainstream media, didn't have a clue what was going on across the nation.

We understand there were over 800 Tax Day Tea Parties across United States. Here in Peachtree City, GA a small one was organized for noon that attracted between 400 to 500 people. Not bad for a tiny county during a work day when most commute outside the county! Ann Eldredge put together a slide show of the event on the front page of http://www.fayettefrontpage.com/ if you'd like to see it.

In Atlanta as the crowds increased the energy level increased. So many great signs, so many great people! It was a well-behaved crowd.

Speaker after speaker rose to share their thoughts. We were directly in front of the podium, right behind the press stand. Unfortunately, a television screen set rather low cut off some of our view of the stage. By the time Sean Hannity arrived we'd moved down enough so that we were almost directly behind him (he faced away from the crowd for his show so we'd all be in the background). If I'd been just a bit taller you might have been able to make me out in the crowd... ah well, no crowd fame for our group.

I won't bore you with all the details. It's one of those "had to be there" type events. Next best is the visual of television. Way down the totem pole of communication is a blog written by a very sleepy gal with a hoarse throat from yelling and chanting. There was a lot of spontaneous eruptions of 'USA, USA', 'fairtax' and other words and phrases.

The mainstream media did a great job of making our local Tea Party appear minuscule yesterday. When we were sitting in crowds two blocks deep, packed like sardines with people still streaming off Marta, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported there were around a thousand people at the event. We had just heard it announced that we had over 10,000 in the area. Quite a discrepancy, hmmm... On the way home I flipped on the news to see what was being reported. I perked up when the announcer said "tens of thousands" but then she ruined it by saying "across the country". Ha. That kind of reporting is what's killing mainstream media.

According to most reports we came close to hitting somewhere between 15 - 20 thousand last night. Normal, everyday, average Americans showed up at the events. Sure there were a few fringe elements. I watched and noted that some of the media zoomed in on the 2 or 3 "kooks" in the crowd. I was told by friends who called that the msm was focusing on interviewing that element in many cases. I'm as fed up with the msm as I am the tax and spend government.

Ah well, I can't fix much of anything alone. But with all the groups forming across the country, with all those who are frustrated and fed up across the country, we might have an impact. The excitement and crowd last night energized me and gave me hope.

I hope the enthusiasm and momentum from last night continues. I expect it will.

I hope that those who didn't find a tea party yesterday will get involved and help the movement spread to the front steps of the White House. I think that's going to happen, too.

Great Thoughts on Tea Parties

I hope just about everyone receiving this has gone or will go to a Tea Party this week. (Some tea parties were held on Saturday, including very successful ones in Studio City, CA and Pittsburgh, PA)

The big issue, of course, is this: Will the Tea Parties be just a "one-and-done" event, or will they become the beginning of a mass movement that eventually will sweep people like Obama and Reid out of office? On TeamSarah.org, which I hope you'll join if you haven't already, Puma4Palin wrote an excellent blog piece on what the Tea Parties can mean. We need to use them as opportunities to meet like-minded people and to organize for future victories. Let's make sure the Tea Parties are a beginning -- and not an end.

http://www.teamsarah.org/profiles/blogs/tea-parties-a-fad-thats-a?xgs=1

Over at Fox News they’re running a blog by a guy named John Tantillo who says he is a marketing expert and the founder and president of Marketing Department of America. Hey, the guy is very good at marketing his business because he got my attention with his disparaging article about the upcoming tea parties.

According to Tantillo, the April 15 Tea Parties are nothing more than a fad and, not just any kind of fad, but a fad that flops. Actually, the more I think about it, how can a fad flop? Fads come and go, but if something gets enough attention to be called a fad, then normally that’s called a success. Right?

He offers several criticisms of the parties, but what is striking to me is that he is labeling it “Republican” and “Conservative.” Personally, I think this is a tactic that the left is using to attempt to belittle the tea parties as “just a bunch of Republican losers” and to portray the Republicans as angry outsiders. The truth of the matter is that I know many people supporting the tea parties who are Democrats and Independents and who consider themselves moderates.

Further, if it’s just a bunch of Republicans why is the Huffington Post asking for citizen reporters to go to the tea parties and, well, do what? Write a slanted article? Disrupt? Bring a pro-Obama sign? I mean, why would the left care if it was just a “fad” and a Republican one at that? (Although anything that is not pro-Obama appears to be a threat to the insecure obats).

Actually, the other point Tantillo makes that has me laughing is that his take on the reports that tea party merchandise is flying off the shelves is bad news and a sure sign that this is all fad.

For example, he takes this quote from Jason King, VP of marketing for Zazzle, an online retailer selling tea party items: “This is probably one of the bigger things –- not counting the election– that we’ve seen since the Client 9 sex scandal broke in 2008.” And interprets it thus: “Hey, if a marketer’s comparing your “serious” political movement with “Client 9 sex scandal” sales you know you’re in trouble…”

Well, excuse me, but if the election was a big merchandising success, doesn’t that make it a fad, too? And didn’t the Client 9 sex scandal end a governor’s career? Pretty powerful fad!

I do think there are legitimate concerns about what next? Just getting together in a local park with a permit is not really going to accomplish anything. Most media will not cover it. And the location of the tea party in my town is low visibility; there is no drive-by traffic so no one will even notice it is happening unless they make a point to stop by.

Frankly, I think the tea party organizers should take some tips from Moveon.org. When they held their anti-war rallies here they lined a very busy street in front of our Congressman’s local office with not just signs, but drums, and they did it during rush hour. They also took a petition into the Congressman’s office where it was officially received.

It remains to be seen if the tea parties bring about change, but in the meantime it is encouraging to see average Americans getting heated up enough about something to make a sign and stand on a street corner. Maybe this is just practice but I don’t think I would classify it as a fad. In fact, I think that’s a challenge and I’m always up for one of those.

Steve Maloney
Ambridge, PA
DraftPalin2012
SteveMaloneyGOP

Note: Steve Maloney has become a good friend of mine through the Read My Lipstick Network, Team Sarah, and other conservative cross-over efforts. He is a great guy and a dynamic thinker and doer. I hope you'll read his blogs and maybe if you're lucky you'll get to know him as a friend. - Janet

Obama told us what he was going to do

Since January 20th we've been bombarded with change. It seems that Obama is determined to toss everything we as Americans have believed in and practiced into the air. He's swatting some away into the nether regions, some he's letting splat onto the ground, ruined, and the rest he's catching, turning up-side-down, shredding, changing or handing over to the world for their playing pleasure.

I don't see how anyone who voted for him can complain. He told us all exactly what he intended to do when he ran for office. Unfortunately, most who voted for him either didn't pay attention, taking style over substance, or they didn't think he'd be able to do what he said. After all, most politicians don't do a fraction of what they promise.

This time it's different. He has a Democratic Congress that is giving him exactly what he wants, if not more.

[I started to write "the latest issue" but realized by the time I finished typing there would probably be another one or ten or fifty issues coming at us... So...] Yesterday we got word that our military was going to be even further undermined than suggested during Obama's first few months in office. Our government, who 'loves our military', is going to decimate their ability to fight.

Obama and his policies are weakening us in the eyes of the world and more importantly, in the eyes of terrorists. What is it with Democrats and military budgets? Every time we get a Dem in office they slash military spending. Then something comes up that stretches the military to the nth degree, a Republican comes in, shores up their resources... and the cycle continues.

In these days, as terrorists work across the world to kill and maim, it's ridiculous to undermine our capacity to respond quickly and appropriately.

Obama's statements in Europe suggesting and stating in various ways that we are weak certainly doesn't make me feel warm and secure.

It is so frustrating to sit here in my office reading and hearing the constant barrage of change that is ultimately going to destroy our culture. I plan to join the Tea Party, which may help me feel like I'm doing something. If we elect a sufficient number of Republicans in the 2010 elections that may help curb some of the changes, and even give us the means to reverse some of the changes Obama is enacting.

I have concerns about the honesty of future elections given other changes being made in D.C., but I'll save that for another rant.

Morning Bell: Ensuring America’s Decline
Posted April 7th, 2009 at 7.49am in Ongoing Priorities, Protect America.
Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates gave one of the most radical speeches of the Post-Cold War era on American national security. Building off themes established in the 2008 National Defense Strategy written under President Bush, Secretary Gates presented what he described as “a budget crafted to reshape the priorities of America’s defense establishment. … a holistic assessment of capabilities, requirements, risks, and needs for the purpose of shifting this department in a different strategic direction.” Continue reading…

Nuclear-Free Hopes vs. Reality
Posted April 7th, 2009 at 8.44am in American Leadership, Protect America.
We weren’t the only ones that found President Barack Obama’s “nuclear free” Prague speech a bit too heavy on hope and a little light on reality. The Washington Post’s Anne Applebaum writes today:
Clearly, the “no nukes” policy is one close to the president’s heart. The Prague speech even carried echoes of that most famous of all Obama speeches, the one he made after losing the New Hampshire primary. “There are those who hear talk of a world without nuclear weapons and doubt whether it is worth setting a goal that seems impossible,” Continue reading…

Gates Seeks Sharp Turn In Spending: Defense Budget Focuses On Lower-Tech Weapons (By Greg Jaffe and Shailagh Murray)

Gates Proposal Reveals His Alienation From Procurement System (By R. Jeffrey Smith)

Sketch: Pentagon Chief Calls for Cuts; Congress Opens Fire (By Dana Milbank)

The Nuclear Illusionist
Obama's 'moral authority' won't deter Tehran or Pyongyang

Stephens: Obama's Unreality Tour
Barack Obama vowed to turn to the U.N. Security Council for strong action following North Korea's weekend missile launch. He would have done better by turning to Dr. Phil.

Lieberman-Obama honeymoon stops at missile defense - By Alexander Bolton
Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) has tried to mend his relationship with President Obama in recent months but their reconciliation hit a snag Monday over ballistic missile defense. > Read More

One Week Until AFP-GA Day at the Capitol and GA Taxpayer Rally!

Next Thursday, March 19, we have a great day planned at the Capitol. First, we’ll hear from Secretary of State Karen Handel, take tours of the Capitol, and learn to lobby for the most underrepresented group in America – the taxpayers!

At 11, we’ll gather on the front steps of the Capitol for a GA Taxpayer Rally. Bring your friends, bring your posters, and bring your message to state lawmakers – NO New Taxes!

In these difficult economic times, the last thing we need is any new tax, yet lawmakers are looking for ways to raise revenues. Let’s tell them that we want smaller government instead and right now is the perfect time to downsize. This event is free and open to the public.

Poster contest! We’ll sponsor a poster contest during the rally. Prizes will be awarded for "Best Looking poster," "Most Original poster," and "Best Kid poster" – made by someone under 16 years old. We may add other categories, so be artful! Be in front of the Washington Street Capitol entrance at 11:00am sharp to be eligible for the contest. Prizes will be gift cards from merchants.

Then at Noon, join us at the Top of the Slop (Empire Room, Sloppy Floyd Building) for a catered lunch featuring a super lineup of speakers on fiscal issues – House Speaker Glenn Richardson, Senators Chip Rogers and David Shafer, Representatives Mike Coan, Tom Graves, Jan Jones, and Austin Scott. Subjects include the JOBS Act (that so many of you supported this week through our Action Alert,) zero-based budgeting, property assessment caps, education funding, and other topics.

There is a $25 charge for lunch, which covers our costs. RSVP here.
Or e-mail here if you need further information.

Important:

There is NO CHARGE for the Taxpayer Rally at 11 AM on the Capitol steps.

Bring posters, but not on stakes – the Capitol Police will confiscate them.

Do bring picture ID but do not carry weapons, including pocket knives, when entering the Capitol Building or the Sloppy Floyd Building.

Invite your friends to join us for the Taxpayer Rally.

Stay tuned - next week we’ll update you on the tax revolt in SE GA, the upcoming Hot Air Tour, and a national video contest!

Jared Thomas
State Director
Amerians for Prosperity

Atlanta Tea Party Report, State news

The Atlanta Tea Party was soggy, but successful. Thanks to all of our AFP members and other Georgians, who slogged through torrential rain to send a message to DC about mortgage bailouts and other wasteful government spending. Around 300 people brought posters, children, strollers, and umbrellas to the protest on the State Capitol steps last Friday. Hundreds more let us know they wanted to be there, but were working.

View photos here.

Many of our state legislators came out and got soaked with us. Speakers included State Reps. Tom Graves and Austin Scott, State Senators Chip Rogers and David Shafer, Insurance Comm. John Oxendine, and representatives from the several conservative organizations that put the event together. Watch a video here.

3rd Annual AFP-GA Day at the Capitol Americans For Prosperity- Georgia's 3rd Annual Day at the Capitol is Thursday, March 19. This event gives opportunities for you to tour the Capitol, observe the Legislature in action, lobby your legislator (with as much guidance from us as you may need), and enjoy speeches during our luncheon from our elected officials who “get it.” RSVP now on our webpage – space is limited.

Note: If the links above don’t seem to work, it may be due to the security settings on your computer. If you cannot change those, you may RSVP at vgalloway@afphq.org also.

(From Americans for Prosperity, www.AmericansforProsperity.org)

Tea Party Protests Planned

ATLANTA - Tea parties are being planned for this coming Friday in more than a dozen U.S. cities, including Atlanta.

They won't be silly tea parties like the one from Alice in Wonderland, but serious demonstrations like the Boston Tea Party of 1773 that protested British taxation.

The one set for noon on the steps of Georgia's State Capitol is being planned by several local groups that recently banded together on the internet.

"The time for rhetoric is gone and it's time for action," says Debbie Dooley of Duluth. She and co-organizer Michael Mealling met face to face for the first time Tuesday.

http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=127332&catid=40#comments

Rick Santelli's Chicago Tea Party

Rick Santelli's rant is becoming the rallying point for frustrated people across the country. Tea party groups are springing up everywhere.