EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/387844
EW NEWS & OPINION 32 October 2014 We have disagreed but respect each other's positions; I stand in awe of his energy and intelligence. George Will, not known to fawn over lib- erals, recently praised Sen. Brown's consistency in his beliefs. Whenever we see each other, Sen. Brown's first question is "What are you reading?" I know that he is a huge baseball fan, hates the Yankees, reads vora- ciously and widely, and likes stir-fry. When he tires of Washington, I look forward to the day when we can talk books and baseball without a moni- tor checking his watch. Politics for nothing? Not any- time soon, but with Ms. Dehoney's help and apologies to Dire Straits, you now know "that's the way you do it." EW Editors' note: Dr. Noreika has practiced ophthalmology in Medina, Ohio, since 1983. He has been a member of ASCRS for more than 30 years. Contact information Noreika: JCNMD@aol.com by J.C. Noreika, MD, MBA Money for nothin' and politics for free? these staff members for guidance on specific topics What if you disagree with a legislator's position? Consider the conversation a negotiation; be respectful and always look for common ground. Ms. Dehoney cautions to never criticize another legislator or her staff. Washington is a tight-knit community and makes for strange and unlikely bedfellows. But it is reasonable to question an opposing side's claims regarding, for example, scope of practice. Re- main emotionally detached, citing data and offering examples of how expansion of practice adversely impacts patients or your employees. Don't make it about you. If you choose to donate to the cause, consider aggregating a greater amount of money by corralling 3 or 4 professional friends to participate in a meeting with the official. Seek support and guidance from EyePAC and OphthPAC. If you make the effort, it can become personal. Now-Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and I are friends. If you're wondering, the American Optometric Association's PAC has spent $961,963. Both the AAO and the AOA are considered "heavy hitters." But ophthalmologists have other opportunities to have their voices heard. Eleanor Dehoney is vice-president of Policy and Advocacy at Research!America in Washington, D.C. She graciously agreed to share advice for those who wish to become politically involved. Astute and straightforward, Ellie has dealt with countless advocates; she assures me that physicians com- mand respect and wield influence with elected officials. And she firml asserts that our lobbyists, led by the ASCRS's Nancey K. McCann and the AAO's Cathy G. Cohen, effec- tively educate lawmakers about the concerns of eye surgeons and their patients. "The physician community has more influence on Capitol Hill than any industry other than defense," Ms. Dehoney said. "Ophthalmolo- gy's lobbying efforts have been very effective. Relative to other lobbyists, they have done an awful lot of good by preventing bad." Counterintuitive perhaps, but some ophthalmologists remain skeptical about our organizations' ef- forts in presenting the subspecialty's cause. But there it is: Without these advocates supported by our dona- tions, Ms. Dehoney maintains our situation could be worse, a lot worse. She offered a primer for getting involved. Start small, at the local level, making yourself known to the folks in the district office. When arranging a meeting with a senator or congressman, contact the in- state scheduler or district director. A phone call is better than an email. Repeat if necessary. If visiting the Hill, be prepared, punctual, polite, and considerate of the staff's time. Stay on point and command the facts. Make it person- al and especially talk about patients. When questioned, offer constructive feedback. Because of time con- straints, be content with a law- maker's handshake. Rather, spend time with her legislative assistant. When we met, Ms. Dehoney was then-Congressman Sherrod Brown's legislative assistant on healthcare. All elected officials depend on "W e have the best govern- ment money can buy." So said Mark Twain, but if he hadn't, H.L. Mencken, Groucho Marx, or some cable pundit would have. Is it fair? Another election cycle is upon us and email boxes, like apples in a cider press, are brimmed with peti- tions to send your hard-earned coin to favorite candidates. Our profes- sional organizations entreat us to write checks to their Political Action Committees (PACs) so that we can be heard in the halls of Congress. Politics and money, the twain have always met. According to the Mother Jones website, George Washington —George Washington for God's sake—won election to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1758 spending £39 on "booze" to treat voters on Election Day. While disagreeing with Twain, I can appreciate the cyni- cism. But we do elect the govern- ment we deserve, especially when content to watch from the sidelines. I enjoy interaction with the political process. Most who run for office are decent people wishing to make a difference. I have formed re- lationships with some because they are interesting, smart, hardworking, and committed. I write checks to help elect them. In America, politics is a costly endeavor. Highly contested races can be absurdly expensive as ideolog- ical wars are waged. For instance, the Washington Post reported that the race for the senate seat held by Mitch McConnell could set a new record topping the $100 million mark. The population of Kentucky is 4.38 million, its median household income $42,610 (2008–12). According to opensecrets.org's "Health: Top Contributors to Candidates, Parties and Outside Groups," the American Academy of Ophthalmology's OphthPAC has contributed $665,500 in this 2014 election cycle. ASCRS's EyePAC also has spent significant dollars. Insights J.C. Noreika, MD, MBA