EDITORIAL: A proud legacy trashed--Ronald Reagan wouldn't back the American Medical Association..

The Washington Times ^ | November 12, 2009 | Editorial

[jazusamo]

Supporters of the House health care bill who tout the American Medical Association's endorsement fail to mention that the AMA no longer represents the majority of American doctors or that it frequently backs left-wing policy proposals.

There was a brief flash of the old AMA earlier this week when the organization's House of Delegates reconsidered the resolution endorsing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's monstrosity, H.R. 3962. Unfortunately, the resolution was voted down by a wide margin. As a result, the AMA continues to back the health care legislation passed in the House last weekend.

Best known for advocating against health care reform in 1961, the AMA then used its most famous spokesman, Ronald Reagan, for a campaign known as Operation Coffee Cup. The AMA has changed dramatically since the Gipper spoke to America about the dangers of socialized medicine.

In the early 1970s, the organization represented about 75 percent of the nation's doctors. Scandal, liberal political advocacy and aging membership have driven membership down ever since.

"The AMA represents 17 percent to 19 percent of American physicians. [A] large percentage are either retired nonpracticing doctors, medical students, practicing academics, or they are in government policy positions," says Kathryn Serkes of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.

The AMA wandered into liberal advocacy with its support of the Patients' Bill of Rights. On the surface, the name gushes good intentions, but as with any "progressive" policy, the substance falls short.

[stubernx98]

There are two great letters to the Editor in the WSJ today. One from the President of the AMA spouting utter BS. The other from a practicing Md who says all the AMA is is a bunch of academics, salaried Docs, and union Health care folks. He trashes the AMA and its President of AMA.

[jazusamo]

Thanks, I’ll check them out.

I read an article several days ago that stated about 27% of physicians were AMA members and thought that was low, 17 to 19% is pathetic. It seems the Times is on the money saying they’re nothing more than a liberal advocacy group now.

[caddie]

They give you AMA membership virtually free as a student, resident, or fellow. It jacks up their numbers and the youngsters play along because they don't know any better.

When you have to pay for real membership, it is awfully expensive, and only the politically inclined (all liberals of course) stay in the AMA.

The AMA is a large insurance broker, which keeps some people in... their group policies are a good deal.

But they are basically commies through and through.

Their journal has devolved into nothing but pseudo-studies about left wing topics (my favorite is the study that came out during the Lewinsky affair that stated that oral sex was not really perceived as sexual activity...LOL). The Editor was canned over that political hack move.

The scariest thing about the AMA is that people think doctors are as liberal as the AMA when nothing could be further from the truth. The AMA does not speak for doctors just as AARP does not speak for retired persons.

Plus, they are really well endowed and probably could conduct their advocacy of left wing causes just as well if the membership dried up and went away entirely.

That is the problem with huge endowments like those left wing universities have... they are so well off that they need answer to no one in their membership. And as soon as they don't have to, they don't.

[jazusamo]

LOL! That’s hilarious, the editor felt he had to support Willy boy on the ‘no sex’ issue.

The doctors that I’ve come to know through life have all been conservative, in fact a BIL is a retired surgeon and they don’t come any more conservative than him but my Sis might have had something to do with that. :)

When this AMA thing started about them endorsing obamacare I was skeptical and found what you’ve said is true.

[a fool in paradise]

People need to listen to Ronald Reagan's speech against Socialized Medicine. It is on Youtube and elsewhere.

Some Senator (R) should read it into the Congressional Record on the floor of the Senate. It is only 10 minutes and could probably even then be pruned down.

[kcvl]

JAMA Editor Fired by AMA CEO

Printing Results of Sex Survey Is Given as Reason, but Criticizing Medical Establishment on TV May Have Buried Him

Anderson said his decision to dismiss the editor was precipitated by Lundberg’s inclusion in the Jan. 20 JAMA of an eight-year-old piece of research from the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction. That research found that 59 percent of 599 Midwest undergraduates did not think oral-genital contact could be considered “sex.”

http://www.chiroweb.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=35086

[kcvl]

AMA releases old survey on oral sex just in time for President’s trial

Copyright 1999 Washington Times
January 15, 1999

http://www.junkscience.com/jan99/wtjama.html