Chiropractic PAC formed

Will raise money for lobbying, funding chiropractic‑friendly political nominees

The Chiropractors for Wellness Care Political Action Fund has been formed with the specific purpose of raising money for lobbying efforts and for electing pro‑chiropractic political office seekers.

Through the years, numerous members of the U.S. Congress have been part of the medical profession. Legislators like Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee and Rep. Dave Weldon of Florida have tremendous influence over laws that regulate not only the medical doctors but chiropractors as well. They openly declare their allegiance to and support of the medical agenda.

Frist, for instance, states: "While I continue to treat patients on an individual basis, I now have the privilege of being able to treat the collective health of the nation." He has done so by voting for numerous medical bills, including support for tax‑funded vaccine programs.

In addition, many non‑M.D. members of Congress have a decidedly pro‑medical viewpoint which can lead them to view chiropractic with suspicion and hostility.

 The Chiropractors for Wellness Care PAC believes that the chiropractic profession needs are more representatives in the Senate and House who are either chiropractors themselves or chiropractic supporters.

The Chiropractors for Wellness Care PAC won't restrict its activities to funding political campaigns, however. This is an era of special interests, and chiropractic is an interest that must not be ignored in Congress.

PACs have increased significantly in influence and numbers in recent years. in 1976, there were 608 PACs, and in 2003, there were more than 4,000. More importantly, they have grown more influential as well, particularly since the enactment of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002, and the ban on so‑called "soft money."

Although often criticized for "buying votes," PACs play an important role in American democracy. One argument is that PACs are an easy and direct way for citizens to voice their support of issues.

"In a representative democracy, citizens have access to their elected officials; however, for most citizens, it often takes tremendous effort and time to make that connection because of the time pressures and schedules of politicians. Political action committees offer another way of connecting with elected officials by bringing the power of like‑minded people together." ("Further debating the issue of political action committees," by Frederick P. Franko AORN Journal, August, 2001.)

Another important role of PACs today is to focus national attention on issues of importance to the PAC's membership.

"While business PACs remain devoted to helping candidates who help their sponsoring corporations, some of the newer ideological committees have a different goal: to have their issues injected into the national political debate," explained Derek Willis in an article for Campaigns & Elections magazine ("PAC plays: how political action committees, large and small, are coping with shifts in the electoral environment," April 4, 1999).

The Chiropractors for Wellness Care PAC wants both to help candidates and drive health care issues on the national level.

The PAC does not think that it will take millions of dollars to make an impact.  It explains it will take thousands of chiropractors who care as much about the future of their profession as medical doctors, dentists, and surgeons do about theirs (all of whom are represented by numerous PACs) who are willing to make donations that will be wisely spent on their behalf.

The organizers for one PAC ‑‑ for Texas CPAs ‑‑ correctly noted that the efficacy of a PAC is directly proportional to the number of members who are involved: "The greater the numbers, the more influence the profession will have," they wrote. "A donation from a PAC with 27,000 members carries much more weight than an identical donation from a 10,000‑member PAC, or even an identical donation from an individual. This dynamic goes to the very heart of grassroots political advocacy."

The more chiropractors who support the Chiropractors for Wellness Care PAC with their donations, the more effective the PAC will be.

More information about the PAC can be found at www.ChiropractorsforWellnessPAC.com