Re: U.S. Politics, Voting Issues

Re: U.S. Politics, Voting Issues

Lux orthotics

4/9/1999

The issue of consolidation affects individuals that belong to ABC and the
Academy. If we are going to consolidate, then any individual that it
affects and who belongs to one of the organizations that is to be affected
should have a say in what happens! What makes the Academy the only
significant entity worthy of a vote. ABC practitioners who do not belong
to the Academy should have a voice in what happens!
I am an Academy member and a member of ABC. I still feel that anyone
affected by consolidation deserves the right to their opinion with a vote.

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> From: Brian Gustin < <Email Address Redacted> >
> To: <Email Address Redacted>
> Subject: Re: U.S. Politics, Voting Issues
> Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 9:50 AM
>
> Dear Stephen
>
> This is an issue of consolidating the different organizations within the
> National Office. If somebody didn't want to join there was nobody there
> forcing them to reconsider. Therefore if you want to voice your vote you
> first must be a member of the organization that is holding the vote. In
this
> case the organization is the Academy. If you chose not to be a member why
> should you have a vote? I believe you also stated this in your question
> relative non voting members and why would they want to join. You seem to
> make two points that contradict one another.
>
> However, I feel the non voting membership status is silly. If somebody is
> going to pay fees or dues to an orgaization then they deserve the right
to
> vote, period. We need to get over the letters that appear after your name
> and start thinking about survival in today's healthcare arena. Now
swallow
> hard, the BOC is not going away. Don't you all think it is better to have
a
> unified voice when it comes to policy and fees ? If you feel you have
worked
> so hard to earn your letters then go out and beat the others in the
> marketplace. National policy and local competion are two separate issues
and
> should not be considered when decieding the issue of consolidation. The
base
> of knowledge is doubleing faster than ever before, pretty soon your alarm
> clock will go off and your spouse( significant other) will elbow you and
> say,Get up stupid and you will be ! This faster pace is happening in
our
> industry as well and we must be able to respond quickly, consolidating
our
> resources and voices makes sense. As I've said in an earlier post, do not
> base your vote on the DRAFT BYLAWS, base your vote on what you feel makes
> sense for you industry( not just ABC conpanies) to survive in the future
> healthcare market.
>
> Brian Gustin CP.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lux orthotics < <Email Address Redacted> >
> To: <Email Address Redacted> < <Email Address Redacted> >
> Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 8:58 AM
> Subject: Voting Issues
>
>
> >I just read the fax on consolidation dated April 8 and have some serious
> >concerns!
> >First of all, WHOM decided that only Academy members could vote on
> >something that is going to have a significant impact on the entire O&P
> >field? Second, is the voting issue a power play to force the 1500
> >ABC,non-voters, to join the Academy?
> >I also have not heard anything about what the anual dues will be. Is
this
> >something we will be told after the fact, when we can't do anything
about
> >it?
> >On a final note,why would non-ABC credentialed individuals want to
join
> >an organization to become second class citizens, with no voice?
> >
> >Please answer
> >Stephen Hartness CP
> >