A thought this Sunday:

[PCIntern]

Last edited Sun Feb 8, 2026, 12:38 PM - Edit history (1)

As I have posted many times previously, I was extremely well acquainted with the individual and his family who were the number one fundraisers in the Delaware Valley surrounding and including Philadelphia for the Democratic Party. One can make an assertion that he was the most powerful and influential person in the region and virtually everyone I ever met, who was acquainted with him, was beholden to him or scared to death of him.

When word got out that he and his family were coming to my office for treatment, none of the political big shots who used to throw their weight around my office, make demands, get obnoxious, say stupid stuff to my staff ever did so again. The patriarch, the fundraiser, had let it be known in the Philadelphia area that I was untouchable in terms of being abused.

You might ask, how did this come about? One morning, he was in the waiting room, having just walked in, and a state senator whom I was treating was taking his leave, but not before he was making some ridiculous comments which were designed to intimidate and put me and my staff on the defensive for things which are perfectly normal in a healthcare environment. The senator turned around, saw the money-man, changed his tone entirely and began glad-handing him. The fundraiser was having none of it: he told the senator that he should tone it down and be respectful to his friends and his staff. The senator quickly nodded and added that he was only joking around. The fundraiser just stared at him. I never had a problem again with this guy to the day he died.

It was a real lesson learned: you can read the sentence “The wealthy contributors are powerful” a thousand times, but until you see their sheer power, you don’t fully understand how immense that power is.

I have a hundred stories involving this guy and since he’s deceased, I can talk, but the one thing I’ll leave you with is that for all the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars he funneled to politicians and candidates, he contributed a minimal amount himself, sometimes $100.00 or less. The watchword of the faith was OPM: Other People’s Money.

[Joinfortmill]

1. Very interesting stuff.

[cksmithy]

2. Thanks for the story. It reminds me of a

personal story regarding my own medical care, over 35 years ago, when I was in pain. All of the doctors I consulted, didn't think any surgical treatment was warranted. I finally found my ENT surgeon, who said, of course you need surgical treatment. When I told the other doctors, they all deferred to my surgeon. He was the top ENT in our city, I believe he is now retired. They would not dare to go against his diagnosis, but at the time, as a 49 year old woman, they either didn't believe me, thought I was nuts or were worried about insurance coverage and their own reimbursement.
It was very interesting to observe their opinion of my condition change from one breath to the next, when I told them who my surgeon was. "Well if that's what Dr...... recommends, let's do it."

[PCIntern]

3. Yes and

I’m glad you were (finally) managed correctly.

And you have no idea how many female patients said to me,”You’re the only doctor who really pays attention when I speak.”

It’s atrocious how people are pigeonholed in the medical “system” as it is called these days.