A little bit of politics:
Campaign '96: Physicians, Nurses In Bid For Congress
ALEXANDRIA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The October 16 issue of the AMERICAN
HEALTH LINE features a survey by the American Medical Association that
identifies 29 physicians or physicians' spouses running for Congress
(AMERICAN MEDICAL NEWS, 10/21 issue).
At the national level, four incumbent physician representatives are
seeking re-election. They are: Greg Ganske (R-IA), *Dave Weldon (R-FL)
(Note:has also cosigned Chris Smith's version), *Tom Coburn (R-OK) and
*Jim McDermott (D-WA). Physician challengers include: Vic Snyder
(D-AR), Doug Mains (D-IL), Ernest Fletcher (R-KY), John Cooksey (R-LA),
Paul van Gryska (R-MA), Morris Frumin (D-MI), Noel Collis (R-MN), David
Westbrock (R-OH), Richard Wild (R-RI), Gerald Frankel (D-TX), Ron Paul
(R-TX), James Sweatt (D-TX) and Dave Little (D-WA). At the state level,
Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) is seeking re-election, and more than 100
physicians and spouses are running for legislative seats (AMERICAN MEDICAL
NEWS, 10/21 issue).
Meanwhile, a WASHINGTON POST article shows how the introduction of
President Clinton's health reform plan has helped catapult the American
Nurses Association to "political prominence," boosting political action
committee's contributions to more than $1 million in 1995.
While the "...most famous nurse in politics these days is probably Sheila
Burke, chief of staff..." to former Senator and GOP presidential candidate
Bob Dole, the nurses' organization "...is touting the virtues of its five
nurse-candidates..." for Congress -- all of whom are Democrats
(Gugliotta/Romano, 10/13). "Before healthcare reform, it used to be, 'What
do the doctors think, what do the hospitals think?'" said Chris deVries, ANA
political director. "But we went up on [Capitol] Hill and testified 12 or 15
times, and now it's 'What do the nurses think?' Today we are viewed by
policymakers around town as the voice for nursing."
The nurses' political action committee, which is now the third-largest
health-related political action committee in the nation, saw the
second-largest increase in contributions to federal candidates in the
1993-1994 election cycle.
In Texas, *Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D) is seeking reelection. In
Iowa, Connie McBurney (D), a licensed practical nurse, chose to run because
of congressional attempts "...to shrink the health care system." She is
challenging Rep. Ganske. Lydia Spottswood (D), an operating room
nurse, is challenging Rep. Mark Neumann (R-WI). Carolyn McCarthy (D), a
licensed practical nurse and gun control advocate, is challenging New York
Rep. Daniel Frisa (R). McCarthy chose to run after her husband and two
children were killed on the Long Island Rail Road in 1993. This
August, McCarthy addressed the Democratic Convention, pledging to fight to
retain the ban on assault weapons and to end "...the violence that means
millions of dollars in hospital costs every year, and so much pain." Rita
Tamerius (D) is challenging California *Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R)
(Note: is also cosponsoring Smith's version). In the October 1996 issue of
the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NURSING, Tamerius said, "Our practice will be
determined by what happens in healthcare financing in the next 10 years. If
we're not part of the solution, we'll be out
of there," AMERICAN HEALTH LINE reports.
-Westport Newsroom 203 221 7648
Margaret Tuchman(54yrs,dx1980)
[log in to unmask]
*******************************************************************
