The idea has been simmering on the back burner for a long time: a woman as president of the United States. The question is not if a woman will be in the oval office, but when will voters in the U.S. believe in the ability of a well-qualified woman for the highest office in the land?
Along those same lines, chiropractors have been wondering for years not if, but when a DC would be elected to Congress. With 435 congressional seats, the odds have seemed good that sometime soon a DC would be elected to the national legislature.
While these questions may seem little more than academic or political exercises, the answers significantly reflect and affect how chiropractors are regarded by the community. Electing a DC into the House of Representatives will do much more than assist our political futures.
This is not to understate the advantage of having a chiropractor in the House. Chiropractic is on the outside with many other special interest groups. We're spending most of our precious resources trying to get the attention of a few congressional and senate representatives who can carry our message into committees and onto the floor. We are asking someone who doesn't really understand who we are to tell our story.
Electing a DC to the House has the power to transport us into a political world where we can stand on a par with all of the lawyers, politicians, business people and medical doctors that now direct the future of the United States by their decisions. From that moment on, every time a senator or congressperson wants to know something about chiropractic, they can call on their colleague. One could spend hours imagining all of the political doors that would open for us on a state and national level.
The very fact that three DCs believe they can be elected to Congress is an important reflection on the efforts of our national chiropractic associations. The years of groundwork they have laid have set the stage for this year.
But the biggest benefit is what it does for you. Electing a DC to the U.S. Congress says something about every chiropractor in the world. It would cause even our most ardent critics to recognize the level of esteem that chiropractic has achieved. It forever breaks through a certain amount of prejudice against us.
Those old enough will recall the "controversy" when John F. Kennedy ran for president. The commotion, which now seems dated, was that Kennedy was a catholic. There had never been a catholic president. Would people vote for a catholic? It was quite a serious concern for the Democrats at the time.
Can a chiropractor be elected to Congress? The voters in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Washington state will give us the answer. Will the prejudices that Kennedy overcame also hold true for our candidates?
The three elections put our profession's credibility to the test. They also test your credibility as well. It would a coup to win all three, but we do need to win at least one.
You have a small price to pay in comparison to the hours that Drs. Bakke, Ferguson and Phillips will dedicate to this effort. You won't have to leave your office or miss even one patient appointment. Your part of this great campaign is to send $222 per month for nine months to at least one of the three candidates. If you can do more, you and your spouse could each send $222 per month, or you could support all three DCs for Congress. (Note: An individual is limited to a $2,000 donation to a congressional candidate; a $1,000 for the primary election; and a $1,000 in the general election.)
If you haven't done so, read the front-page article on Drs. Phillips, Ferguson and Bakke. Consider what kind of sacrifice you can make to join the campaign. Make the commitment and follow through.
If you have any questions, call, fax or e-mail them. If I can answer any questions, contact me.
Together we can break through some of the prejudices that still remain.
Thank you for your commitment to chiropractic and welcome to chiropractic '98.
Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS,HCD(hc),FICC(h)
Editor/Publisher Dynamic Chiropractic
Don-DCMedia.com
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
