Cavalry with a popgun
As I often do from Organizing Against America (formerly known as Obama for America), I got an e-mail plugging their version of health care reform. In it, Obama mouthpiece and OFA Director Mitch Stewart claims,
The cavalry is here -- and they're in white coats and scrubs: More than a half a million doctors and millions of nurses are joining forces to help pass real health reform.
Americans listen to their nurses and doctors when it comes to health reform -- and for good reason. If we can help them amplify their voices, it'll be a huge boost to our campaign for change.
Then they ask for money, yadda yadda yadda. What, you can't get some of that stimulus money or ACORN's ill-gotten gains to front the cash? Stewart blathers on:
The American Medical Association, Doctors for America, and a dozen other physicians groups representing 500,000 doctors are endorsing reform. So are the American Nurses Association and other organizations representing millions of nurses.
They're speaking out because they see the shortcomings of our health care system firsthand, every day: patients denied the care they prescribe, families losing access to their doctors, and a system that forces them to spend more time with paperwork and less time with patients.
These voices need to be heard -- with so much deception out there clouding the debate, it's critical that medical professionals are able to focus the country on the simple fact that health reform is good medicine.
My experience with large professional organizations suggests otherwise. Members rarely tend to be of a single mind, and it's highly likely that just those who run the above-cited organizations are in the pocket of the pro-Obamacare lobby. Those in the field may or may not like every aspect and most physicians would love to see tort reform included in the package - none of the competing Democratic plans include meaningful tort reform.
On the other hand, the last cavalry reference I heard was from Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, referring to the million-plus faces he was overlooking at the National TEA Party. Perhaps they weren't of similar mind on every issue but the vast majority were unhappy with the prospect of nationalizing health care and creating another budget-busting entitlement program. Moreover, while many of the doctors and nurses simply pay their professional dues to maintain membership in the above-named organizations, those who attended the TEA Parties showed their vested interest at their own time and expense.
It's not quite Astroturf, but the latest appeal for Obamacare just shows that lobbyists have a keen interest in seeing Obamacare pass so they can pick out their piece of the pie. This piece reminds me of the scrubs rally I stumbled upon, just a pretty picture of a hollow effort.