The role of Political Action Committees

[overthehorizen]

I have been thinking about a new strategy to attack the NCCPA in a way that doesn't leave fingerprints of any individual PA or PA organization. This may not be the right time but I am wondering if a PAC were created that it could help. Essentially, PACs do the dirty work of discrediting the opposition through whatever means possible. Remember Swift Boat Veterans. We now refer to cutting down the opposition with questionable and salacious information as "swift boating." Of course, you can read The DOs by Norm Ovitz to learn how MDs. Swift boated the DOs for nearly a century. We aren't going to win the fight for independence by being polite. A PAC could really go after the NCCPA and undermine their power and credibility in the eyes of politicians and the public.

[CAAdmission]

That's a great idea. All you need is a lot of free time and a metric sh!t ton of money.

 

May I inquire as to the injustice you are seeking to correct?

 

And why all the cloak and dagger stuff? If you believe in the cause, stick your name on it like PAFT people do. Say the NCCPA finds out you do not like them - what do you think they will do? Give you a "special" version of the PANRE? Cancel your birthday? Send over Seal Team 6?

[sas5814]

That's a great idea. All you need is a lot of free time and a metric sh!t ton of money.

 

May I inquire as to the injustice you are seeking to correct?

 

And why all the cloak and dagger stuff? If you believe in the cause, stick your name on it like PAFT people do. Say the NCCPA finds out you do not like them - what do you think they will do? Give you a "special" version of the PANRE? Cancel your birthday? Send over Seal Team 6?

LOL! I , over the years, have tried the nuclear option on a number of issues and learned through hard experience it just makes people dig their heels in and hunker down. I still tend towards a more aggressive approach but use a softer tone than I used to.

Regulars on the forum may be aware that anesthesia assistants are being shoe-horned into our practice act by a legislator who is an anesthesiologist. He strong armed TAPA under threat of opposing any of their other legislative efforts. Now if he wasn't an anesthesiologist he would just be a typical politician. But what he is doing is threatening an entire profession and misusing his position for something that he will gain from personally. It is corruption. This morning I sent him an email asking if he thought the papers in Austin and his home district would be interested in hearing this story....how he and his friends and colleagues are going to profit from legislation he is forcing on a group that doesn't want it. 

Heavy handed? Yes but I hate a bully more than just about anything. 

Point is the NCCPA needs a little carrot and maybe more than a little stick to get them to mind their manners. Trying to burn them down would create a void and a problem. That would be an appropriate response if they give us all the big middle finger and continue interfering in state legislation at the expense of the PAs who live,work, and earn there.