Withdraw you support from Incumbant Democrats and Republicans
For the past 20 years, both Democrats and Republicans have allowed, and actually supported, the attacks on doctors and pain patients, in spite of Supreme Court decisions and the fact that addiction is rising exponentially and drugs are not the cause. Why should you continue to support these status quo maintainers, when there are people running for local, state, and federal offices that know and understand the problem, and are willing to get in there and fight for decency and respect of the chronic pain patient and the doctors sticking their necks out to treat them? Stop supporting the establishment, and
GO LIBERTARIAN!!
On October 7th Cara Schulz, Burnsville, MN City Council member, the candidate recruiting specialist for The Libertarian party, and herself a cancer patient who has seen the denial of pain meds by even oncologists, was interviewed on the DoC Communication Campaign webinar. She gave us some insight into why we need to leave status quo politics behind, and move forward to a new force growing in America. She ended her discussion with the comment (paraphrased):
“Why should we continue to support political parties that have done nothing? That only permits them to continue to do nothing.”
Q: What is the Libertarian Party (LP) and what does it stand for?
A: The basic premise of the party is: don’t hurt people, don’t steal their stuff. People should be able to have voluntary mutual beneficial relationships, acting like adults with one another.
The LP started in 1971. In the history of the LP, they pushed forward discussions, such as the medical use of marijuana, that weren’t popular at the time, but people are now coming around.
More libertarians are being elected into office. Starting with local offices, they then start to impact the wider arena. Local government impacts your day to day life. Local officials create their legislative agenda each year. Those agendas have a big impact on state legislatures. Some communities are starting to push back against the opioid war.
Q: What is the libertarian’s stance on the Controlled Substance Act?
A: The government should not be interfering in the doctor/patient relationship.
One of the laws LP is fighting against is civil asset forfeiture. This law allows for the government to confiscate assets of doctors without even charging them with a crime, and it is ongoing in the War Against Doctors.
Q: How many health care practitioners are in the LP?
A: They don’t know because they don’t invade privacy.
However, there is one doctor, Kyle Varner, MD, an internist in Toppenish, WA who is an active Libertarian. His website is http://www.DrVarner.com.
Q: What needs to be done to get candidates we want elected?
A: Ally with the Libertarian Party
1. Join the LP. There is strength in numbers.
2. Donate even if you aren’t a member.
3. Support the candidates:
o Ask them the tough questions.
o Attend events, attend rallies.
o Speak up about issues.
o Go to the media.
A person can possibly become a member of the LP without giving up their registration with one of the other main parties. Check with your registration requirements in your state.
Q: Who are the current candidates running for 2019?
A: Current candidates are listed HERE.
They will also be listed on a spreadsheet on DoC Call to Action page
Q: If any of us want to campaign, how do we get connected?
A: Go HERE, fill out the form and submit.
FYI: The Libertarian convention for the 2020 election will be in Austin, Tx over memorial weekend. (May 21-25, 2020) The website is HERE.
Contact your state party to learn how to be appointed as an official voting delegate from your state. Family, friends, and observers who aren’t ticketed convention attendees are most welcome to watch the non-ticketed events in the main hall, take in the exhibits, and enjoy family-friendly attractions, shopping and recreational opportunities. https://www.lp.org/state-affiliates
Linda Cheek, MD | October 8, 2019 at 3:03 pm | Tags: 2020 Election, Democratic Party, Kyle VarnerMD, the war against doctors, War Aainst Drugs, war against patients | Categories: Legislative | URL: https://wp.me/p7lNfE-2uJ
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Filed under: General Problems
Where do I start with what distorted representation is most overstated?
Congress is a House and Senate.
The House has failed to represent its constituents due most of all to gerrymandering. Defended, practiced, and upheld by Republican legislators and a 5-4 SCOTUS THIS LAST TERM. See Roberts court lets NC gerrymandered districts stand-July 2019.
Our U.S. Senate fails to represent us due to an outsized influence of less populous states. i.e. There should be eleven Californias if we have two Dakotas.
IF WE ARE TO HAVE ONE AMERICAN VOTING EQUAL TO ANOTHER AMERICAN VOTING. Today’s GOP says NO BTW!
When you invoke the past misdeeds of the Democratic party and ascribe to today’s body politic it is like saying a Tesla is polluting the air because it is a car and so was the Model T. You conveniently fail to acknowledge it was a REPUBLICAN president, very similar in thinking and moral and legal hygiene to POTUS 45, that signed the C.S.A. INTO LAW creating said DEA.
As far as Orwell’s relevance today…Remember when KellyAnne said “We are dealing with alternative facts” on a talkshow? 1984 rocketed to the top of the NYT bestseller list the next week.
I will admit the two parties have their faults.
However It is obvious to a blind person with earmuffs the Republicans are the party much more dangerous to the chronic pain community.
And our nation.
And every minority.
And the environment.
AND TO THE RULE OF LAW!
Via an authoritarian president and lapdog subservient party trying their best to give us totalitarianism. To throw some 1984 shade at you…”The final and most essential command is to ignore what your eyes and ears tell you AND OBEY THE PARTY”! Sound familiar MAGA????
(Interested to see if you delete this comment out of a fear of and from the TRUTH??)
You’re obviously extremely biased. None (NADA) of this blatant discrimination against chronic pain patients would have ever been allowed if not for having the FUCKING ACA illegally crammed down our collective throats!
Therefore, It’s obvious to a blind person (aka. Democrat) with earmuffs that the democrats are the party that not only allowed, but continue to promot the unconstitutional attacks on the chronic pain community.
“Every issue is a political issue” – G. Orwell
BTW…
Recommended and prescient reading for the owner of this blog if he really wants to understand the chronic pain community being treated so badly TODAY!
George Orwell is correct… however… if ones look at our history.
Apparently you believe that the Democratic party is so perfect… here is a short history in how the Democratic party has been behind many of the problems of the chronic pain community… the Harrison Narcotic Act 1914 was passed by a Democratic controlled Congress – this created the “black drug market” and it was based on Bigotry and Racism
The Medicare program was passed by a Democratic controlled Congress – healthcare WITHOUT any coverage for any therapy – especially medication
The Controlled substance act 1970 was passed by a democratic controlled Congress.. that created the DEA
It was a Republican controlled congress that passed the Medicare Part D program – to provide people on Medicare some coverage for medications… after 41 years of Medicare without any medication therapy – like most other insurance program and the Democrats were strongly AGAINST this bill
In 2018 Congress passed a bill that would help treat opiate addiction… NOTHING to help the chronic pain community… ONE Senator voted NO and EIGHT Representatives voted NO.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/03/opioids-senate-passes-legislation-battle-nations-opioid-crisis/1515372002/
The current Congress that appears to be VERY PARTISAN… came nearly in complete agreement to provide treatment to opiate addicts.
It is claimed that 40% of Congress is attorneys … and nearly everything in dealing with the war on drugs has been given to our judicial system
The democrats controlled congress in 1984 when the civil asset forfeiture act was passed. The act that the DEA has expanded (bureaucratic creep ) which seem to be the primary reason why the DEA raids prescriber’s offices.
We have a two party system that have created many rules that helps insures that those two parties dominate the elections. 98% of members of Congress getas re-elected regardless of what they do… don’t do… promise and never follow thru on… Generally, it has been proven over and over again that throwing out one party in control and put in the other… seldom changes much of anything… yet collectively, we continue to repeat the same thing… because we believe that the replacement will be DIFFERENT… Congress functions under a seniority system and a newly elected member of Congress is so low on the “pecking order” that they can seldom get anything done. They can co-sponsor a bill with a more senior member of Congress…and they can vote for/against a bill… Other than that…they are basically a “warm body” with the ability to vote. Constituents can contact them to express that they are for or against a particular bill.. but.. in reality … whatever the leadership of the party wants done… the low seniority member tends to vote that way… because it is in their best interest to go along to get along.
Am I wrong or are we supposed to refrain from political statements on this site??
This is Pharmaciststeve’s own page. That is one of the rules in most pain groups I belong to. A good one to.
Generally yes… but.. is the two party system working well – or at all – for the chronic pain community ? Many other countries have more than two active political parties… Is it something that maybe we should consider… there are 100 million chronic pain pts… and that is enough votes to put someone in or take someone out of just about any elected office in our country. IMO.. the chronic pain community have failed to unify… how many have committed suicide because of this… how many have died of their other co-morbidity health issues were made worse because their meds were reduced/cut ?
how many chronic pain pts have contacted their member of Congress … and what changed…. how many petitions has there been created… and what changed …
I think most people are aware of Einstein’s definition of insanity !
Steve; you have a point about the balkanization of CPPs preventing effective action. And the 2 party system…but it seems every time someone tries to put up a 3rd party, it just splits one of the 2 & gives the election to the other pretty much by default.
To point your observation about a third party has been historically correct. Ross Perot comes to mind… but with 100 million chronic painers with many having a spouse and some adult children… a certain degree of unification of those voters … There us virtually no elected office would be outside of their influence as to who gets elected to any particular office. If those in the chronic pain community continues to fail to unify..it is only their own fault was to the collective damage that can be done to that community. Last Monday Linda Cheek and her http://www.Doctorsofcourage.org had a webinar with a representative from the National Libertarian party and it was shared that the Libertarian has been following and supporting the various pain rallies for about the last year. More than anybody can say about any members of our TWO PARTY SYSTEM. Change is not going to happen overnight, but with 98% of Congress expecting to get re-elected and it doesn’t happen.. it could get the attention of both parties like a “ice water enema ” Abt 85% of Congress is up for reelection every TWO YEARS. Contacting members of Congress, signing petitions, having demonstrations… have accomplished what ? Sending a sizeable percent of Congress packing … I can almost guarantee it will get their attention. Especially the most senior members of Congress are targeted…. which will disrupt their “power structure”