Donald Petersen, publisher of Dynamic Chiropractic, is on the Rondberg warpath again. This time he is attacking the CBS malpractice insurance program instead of Dr. Rondberg, to avoid the appearance of violating his pledge to end the infighting. But once you plod through the details, if you can, you will find a lot of smoke but not much fire.

To read Mr. Petersen's articles on CBS would lead one to conclude that CBS is on its death bed waiting for the final moment. What a contrast with the true situation where CBS is quite alive and well and providing high-quality and secure malpractice insurance for thousands of D.C.s.

Is the malpractice marketplace turbulent? Yes. Do rates increase from time to time? Yes. Must CBS and other benefit services companies continually shop the market for the best and strongest underwriters? Yes.

But no, the sky is not falling for CBS.

If CBS in not in dire straits, then one must question the true reason for Petersen's relentless attacks.

In this space we just tell the plain truth so here it is: Donald Petersen, backed by the ACA, is trying to destroy the WCA's political power and influence, especially since the blow ups over the VA legislation and committee.

Quick sidebar: The ACA and the WCA have been fighting over the language of the VA legislation and the VA committee makeup for years. WCA and its mouthpiece The Chiropractic Journal held up the bill until it addressed the concept of subluxation, regarded by many as the heart and soul of chiropractic. The ACA was fine with a musculoskeletal disease paradigm. WCA, at the request of the government, nominated a doctor to serve on the VA implementation committee. The ACA, through its mouthpiece Dynamic Chiropractic, just doesn't like to lose. Thus, the DC attacks on CBS.

For 15 years, I have watched Donald Petersen attack Terry Rondberg. Motivations include the WCA's effectiveness in regard to the VA matter, competition for members between ACA and WCA, competition for newspaper advertisers between TCJ and DC, conflict between the medically oriented and subluxation-based members of the profession, WCA's clout in Washington, D.C., etc. You get the point. Anything that is good for Dr. Rondberg is bad for Mr. Petersen.

So we the readers have to put up with endless attacks by Petersen against anybody or any company associated with Rondberg.

If you have read the Petersen articles you have almost received enough education in insurance marketplace minutia to qualify to be an insurance agent. But what's the point? That disaster is looming since CBS is underwritten by an A- company instead of an A? Give me a break. There are no real damning facts in Petersen's articles. The attacks on CBS are just a smokescreen to cover an attack on the Rondberg/WCA/TCJ power structure.

If you are of a mind to, you might suggest that Mr. Petersen spend his time on more positive ventures. The WCA is simply not going away no matter how many attacks Mr. Petersen makes against it. The ACA is just going to have to deal with this situation, like it or not. Surely there must be something more interesting to write about.

The bottom line is that the CBS malpractice insurance program is strong and growing. CBS profits help strengthen subluxation-based chiropractic. There are powerful forces in the profession who think subluxation is a silly fantasy. Continue to expect dirt flowing from Donald Petersen to Terry Rondberg as long as Dr. Rondberg remains effective in protecting subluxation-based chiropractic.

Now you know why there has been a constant onslaught against CBS in Dynamic Chiropractic.