Aaron Estis has a nice comment on the January 10 entry, on the nature of do-gooder organizations, how typical it is to be "unselfish," and how that really doesn't work. Spoken like a true graduate of the Goldman School of Public Policy.
Aaron is right-on. It's interesting to note that Mike Crichton made the opposite point in his book (diatribe) against the do-gooder global warming groups. His do-gooder leaders were self-aggrandizers, and his members of the organization were blind hypocrites. Mike (OK, I'm name dropping - old friend from college and med school) wasn't exactly on their side.
Interesting to note, speaking of organizations, by the way, that the Health Reform debacle has revealed the essential weakness of physician organizations. The AMA had no claims of substance to pursue (the sustainable growth pay formula is a dead-letter anyway, and their quest to get it eliminated once and for all really was de minimus, since it is voted down every year anyway, and if it weren't, there would be a nationwide doctor strike). The docs had no standing against the real corporate powers,pharma, hospitals, device-makers, and insurance companies. All in all, it was just a pitiful sight, although you've got to say, they made no enemies - the weak seldom do. And the specialty societies were just as pitiful, it seems. Marking the end of the era of professional domination, and revealing that the corporate era is here in full force.
Budd Shenkin
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