OT at the 2008 Conventions

DNC in Denver - Notes from a Grassroots Attendee

2008-09-22T14:58:00.001-04:00

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend several events while the DNC was in Denver. My many thanks go to Darlene Dennis and Christina Metzler at AOTA, plus Amy Lamb from AOTPAC. To witness such an event firsthand in my own hometown was truly a once in a lifetime event.

I was able to hear Bill Clinton and Senator Joe Biden speak at the Pepsi Center Wednesday evening. This included an appearance by Barack Obama at the end of the evening. The atmosphere was electric and the speakers were inspiring.

Thursday was packed with events culminating in Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High. Earlier in the day, the most interesting events were a question/answer session with Nancy Pelosi, then a reception for women in the Senate. The AOTA brochure on surviving handshaking while on the campaign trail was helpful in sparking conversations with the senators. One senator said right away that she knew exactly what OT’s do; she was a social worker before becoming a senator.

The feeling at Invesco Field Thursday evening was indescribable; One African American woman remarked that she never thought she would see this happen in her lifetime, where a man of color was a nominee for the Presidency. People were extremely happy, hopeful and involved. The weather was perfect and there were American flags everywhere. Courtesies to strangers were extended that you would never experience at any football stadium.

To have the opportunity to attend such an event was incredible. Thank you again to all who made this possible.

Beth Fletcher, OT, Denver, CO

The Big Surprise!

2008-09-17T12:26:00.006-04:00

You've been waiting for the big announcement, and here it is: the next blogs on this site will be from the Congressional Swearing In Day events (early in January 2009) and from the Presidential Inaugural events (January 18-20, 2009)! And, AOTA members, you can be part of the action here in Washington - winning a trip. Visit http://www.aota.org/Practitioners/Advocacy/AOTPAC/Inaug09.aspx for the details.

See "AOTA Grassroots Members Attend Convention," to see what some of the grassroots members had to say about attending the national conventions!

Message from Sharon Sanderson, OT (OK Alternate Delegate to RNC)

2008-09-15T10:57:00.002-04:00

I enjoyed meeting with Amy, Penny, and Tim in St. Paul. It was great to see AOTA having such a visible presence at political gatherings.

I have only been real active in national politics for the past three years, when we moved to a small rural county in Oklahoma. We found that not much was happening in the Republican Party in this county, so my husband and I started working to get people interested in the GOP and in voting. From our county, we were elected to positions at the District level, where we have gotten to know several state and national politicians in Oklahoma. Knowing so many on a first name basis will be a great benefit when/if we occupational therapists need to contact them for local issues. Both of us were elected as Alternate Delegates to the RNC at the District Level. In the several meetings before we went to St Paul, we were privileged to get to know better all of our US Representatives and Senators, as well as Republican leaders in Oklahoma.

In meeting people, I have shared that I am an occupational therapist, so I am doing my part to create visibility for the profession. Tom Cole is our Representative whom we have known for many years, so I was thrilled to meet him in the NRCC suite with Amy, Tim, and Penny. He is well respected by all US Representatives, and is a great person to listen to the common voice. I know that we can count on him to advocate for occupational therapy.

Not sure what being an Alternate Delegate would entail, I was surprised by how much time I actually spent on the Delegation floor. Any time Delegates needed to leave the floor, Alternates were asked to take their places. I got to vote for the Platform, the Rules, and for the nomination of Sarah Palin as VP Nominee! Actually, the Alternate seating had a better view of the speakers, but it was thrilling to mingle with the Delegates, as well as reporters.

We came home exhausted, but we know we will be ready and willing to do it again in four years! I would be glad to talk with anyone on how to get involved in politics at the local level. In fact, I will be presenting on how to do just that at the OOTA Annual Conference on October 4.

Sharon Sanderson

Parting Shots

2008-09-10T11:13:00.005-04:00

Although Penny, Amy, and I had a great time in Minneapolis at the GOP Convention, I can't say I am sorry it is over. I think we definitely left a mark at the convention and took advantage of some great opportunities to network with policy makers and other advocates; but it was exhausting.

Penny made some great connections with several key nursing and health care leaders who were interested in working with AOTA for mutual benefit. Amy and I got a chance to meet Members of Congress outside the Beltway, and that helped demonstrate AOTA's national reach.

In fact, the whole thing is so exhausting I am off at Rehoboth Beach, DE to recharge and prepare myself for Hill Day on Monday, September 22. This year's event is going to be big, with over 150 RSVP's already. If you like politics, Washington, or even if you just think it's important to be an advocate for your profession and patients, then join us in Washington on the 22nd. More information is on AOTA's Legislative Action Center at: http://capwiz.com/aota/issues/alert/?alertid=11627416

And now that I have internet access that really works, here is a youtube link to John Rich's Raising McCain video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmKgITJejfg

Thanks for reading. I hope the posts informed you about activities, but more importantly I hope it made you laugh a bit. Now just be sure to do your part and VOTE!!!!

Let us know at aotpac@aota.org if you would like to see a policy & politics blog continue from AOTPAC/AOTA.
Thanks, We'll do it again in 4 years! (Thank goodness!)--- Tim

AOTA President at Republican Convention

2008-09-09T18:33:00.009-04:00

Penny Moyers Cleveland, AOTA President, Rep. Tom Cole (OK), and Sharon Sanderson, OT and Secretary/Treasurer of ASAP

Penny Moyers Cleveland, AOTA President; Senator Charles Grassley; Amy Lamb, AOTPAC Chair

Our President, Penny Moyers Cleveland, sitting at the 'Presidential Desk of the White House' thinking "Watch out Gov. Palin, I can do this!"

AOTA Grassroots Members Attend Convention

2008-09-09T15:50:00.008-04:00

We were lucky enough to get some extrta credentials and tickets that allowed some AOTA members to participate in some of the Democratic National Convention activities. We put out a call for interest and ended up having so many people respond that we had a drawing to find winners to attend events. Here are their comments about the experience.

I was afforded the most incredible opportunity ever by AOTA! I would put the experience up there as one of the most exciting lifetime experiences. The air was electric in the Pepsi Center in Denver. To see and hear all the special speakers I have followed for years and to be there for President Clinton’s captivating speech was amazing. The event was topped off by hearing Joe Biden and when Barack Obama came on the floor the excitement overflowed. I also had the opportunity along with Chris and Amy to go to a special event before and after getting into the Convention. We promoted the profession by meeting and thanking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and giving him the AOTA brochure Grip and Grin on handshaking tips. Thank you AOTA and thanks for all you do to help the profession!

Ruth Berenbeim, M.Ed/CT, OTR

Just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to attend Senator Obama's acceptance ceremony at the DNC on Thursday. The crowd and evening was so well planned and Amy did a great job at getting us to Invesco and getting good seats. The cheers, music, speakers and fireworks made for a very loud but motivating evening. Obama addressed many issues that are on my mind. The recent events in my life that are so impacted by the current state of the economy here in Colorado and the USA were addressed briefly. I too have been recently laid off from the hospital I worked for. The hospital said they were in financial trouble and decided to eliminate the Pediatric Rehab Department. That left me and the other OT, speech therapists and physical therapists without a job and many families without the needed therapies for their children. Obama talked a lot about health care reform and the poor state of the economy. He had several ordinary people talk about their difficulties with finding jobs, paying their bills, losing their retirement money and not having enough health care. These people got more applauds then the politicians.

In talking with Amy, she did a great job of networking and getting the word out about the need and benefits of occupational therapy. Professionally I see how the medical and educational services for children with special needs are being eliminated or cutback continually and this is scary. The politicians need to know what is happening to the children in our country. The children of our country deserve more respect and I hope if the words of the politicians on Thursday can be implemented, OT and the lives of the people we work so hard to help will change for the better. Thank you once again.

Jackie Murphy OTR

Photos from Invesco Field - Democratic Convention

2008-09-09T11:08:00.006-04:00

Lots of energy, excitement, and patriotism for Senator Obama's speech during the Democratic Convention at Invesco Field.

PAC Chair Protects Lobbyist and President

2008-09-05T01:20:00.005-04:00

Well, we were fortunate enough to have credentials to the convention floor Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evening. On Monday, Tim and Penny went without me and had the incident with protesters throwing rocks at the their bus from the overpass. Wednesday and Thursday evening I joined them on the journey and we can report zero run in's with protesters--clearly my presence protected Penny and Tim from harm.

This morning we attended the Creative Coalition event from Hollywood to the Hill and listened to a great panel on the state of health care today and where we are headed. We connected with the American Nurses Association (ANA), and will be looking to collaborate further with them as they see us as a vital part of their health care reform legislation. Tim asked the question on the minds of everyone in the room when he asked Senator Arlen Specter (PA) about where mental health parity fits in with reform. He answered the question with good confidence that the mental health parity bill should be able to pass Congress before the adjournment of the fall session. Other key topics at the luncheon were prevention, overall reform, re-authorization of SCHIP, and the need for bipartisan support for health care reform and the parties to work together.

Just when you thought the blog was over.....you were wrong. Check back Monday for a big announcement! By then Tim and Penny will hopefully had time to post their closing thoughts on the conventions.

Stay tuned, you will not want to miss this announcement!

Happy Friday!

Amy

Lipstick!

2008-09-04T12:02:00.007-04:00

Last night we enjoyed the hospitality of the National Republican Congressional Committee in a great suite at the Xcel Center. The downside was that we couldn't really see the stage. No matter though, the excitement in the hall was electric and the people watching was fantastic (Did you see those elephant hats? Amy knows her kids will be upset if she returns empty handed.)

The evening started with several speeches from lesser known leaders in the Republican party but the event really picked up intensity with the arrival of former Maryland Lt. Governor and Senatorial Candidate Michael Steele. He riled up the crowd with his signature charisma and brought down the house regarding energy policy when he paused and delivered, "Drill Baby Drill!".
The crowd ate it up and returned to that chant several times for following speakers.

And what speakers they were, a virtual who's who of the leading Republican candidates with the noted exception of one Ron Paul. Romney, Huckabee, and Rudy Jiuliani reved up the crowd for the highlight of the night--Governor Sarah Palin.

Everyone was wondering how she would do on the national stage, but she could not have had a more supportive and welcoming audience. She took the stage and seemed to be at home in front of the bright lights. I thought she started slowly but clearly began to find her rhythem as the speech continued. She held very little back in her remarks toward her opponents. Regardless of your politics, her delivery and cutting wit played well with the audience both in the Xcel Center and across the nation. You may not have liked her words, her politics or her point but she certainly delivered each well.

Now, as an aside, and as a person with a Master's degree in social work, I did not really appreciate the digs at community organizing, but they did help minimize crticism towards Governor Palin's experience. With that said I still think they laid it on a little thick and played on the fact that most people don't really know what community organizing is and how effective it can be in improving the circumstances of individuals and communities.

Penny, Amy, and I were able to meet with Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK) and to share some time with occupational therapist Sharon Sanderson, who is an alternate delegate from the state of Oklahoma. Sharon got a chance to talk to her Congressman and spend time with us before returning to her delegation duties.

This morning I spent more time with Congressman Cole at the NRCC breakfast and Penny, Amy and I are soon to be heading off to an event at the Hard Rock Cafe titled, "From Hollywood to the Hill" that is sponsored by the Creative Coalition and should be a star studded event. Afterwards we plan to prepare for another long night at the Xcel Center. It is rumored that there will be twice as many people at the convention center as there are seats, so we are glad that our seats are confirmed. We plan to get there early and take in the excitement and atmosphere as Senator John McCain takes the stage to claim his nomination.

I think McCain has a hard act to follow given his running mate's performance last night, but I expect he'll be up for the challenge; he always seems to be. As a noted "Hockey Mom," as was mine, Gov. Palin had the best line of the night when she answered her own question about the difference beween a hockey mom and a pit bull being simply "Lipstick!" She was certainly a political attack dog last night and neither Obama nor Biden got away without a few painful nips.

Tonight is the last hurrah from Minneapolis and if the last few days hold true, it should be entertaining if nothing else. --- Tim

Sleepless in Minneapolis

2008-09-03T16:07:00.004-04:00

To end your anxiety and claim my culinary victory the "Traditional Minnesota Dinner" was in fact highlighted by walleye. Our dinner with Senator Grassley (R-IA) was very successful and we had a good time talking with him about issues and politics. We also had wild rice, beef tips over pasta, and several salad options. I was chastised for not drinking local beer, but quickly righted that wrong and we finished the dinner with a great carrot cake. All in all, it exceeded expectations, which in reality was not too hard given our initial trepidations. Also it is valuable to note that no one fell in the pool during the patio reception, though there were a couple of close calls as attendees angled in to speak with the Senator who wisely used the pool as a protective barrier.

After the dinner, I wanted to head straight to bed but Amy persuaded me of my duty to soldier on and represent AOTA among the GOP revelers. We attended a party hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center at a beautiful restaurant called Bellanotte. We were there with delegates, fellow advocates, and there was a rumor that former Senator Dole had been the life of the party just before we arrived. Pictures exist, at least of Amy and I; we'll post them on the site soon.

The next morning there were breakfasts and events throughout the morning followed by a luncheon where Penny and I were able to make important contacts with mental health leaders. You can read more in Penny's blog, but I wanted to thank AstraZeneca for hosting the lunch and am glad Penny and I had the opportunity to sit with Congressman Ramstad (R-MN) and the CEO of AstraZeneca for the event.

Tonight we are preparing ourselves for a marathon session at the Xcel Center where we, probably like you, are very interested to see Gov. Palin speak on the national stage. I am also preparing myself for our PAC Chair's wry looks and protestations when I try to sneek off to my hotel after the convention; she forgets that I am older than she is.

We are hopeful to make even more contacts at the Xcel Center tonight and we'll keep you informed on our adventures. --- Tim

Mental Health Parity & Lunch with the Stars

2008-09-03T15:07:00.004-04:00

It has been a fantastic adventure advocating for occupational therapy. On Tuesday, I attended a tea for women to meet the leadership in Congress. I talked to the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell from Kentucky. I had first met the Senator when I lived in Louisville, KY and he was the County Commissioner. When I worked on my Master's degree in Community Development, he taught one of my classes on County government (I got an A in the class but I don't think he remembered).

The dinner with Senator Grassley from Iowa was nice because I grew up in Iowa. Turned out he knew my father and uncle and close family friends. In fact, after the floods this past spring, he walked right past my family home to tour the damage. We had a great evening and he knew occupational therapy well and he has been helpful on our Medicare issues.

Today, Wednesday, I had breakfast with the National Republican Congressional Campaign where Haley Barbour, the Governor of Mississippi, was slated to present. He is still in Mississippi handling storm-related issues, so we heard from Congressman John Kline from Minnesota. Then Amy and I went to a healthcare panel on President's Bush Aide package for Africa to address HIV/AIDS, maleria, and TB. This panel was led by Senator Bill Frist, retired from Congress. Mike Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas and previous Presidential candidate for the Republicans was featured on the panel.

Then Tim and I went to the Mental Health luncheon put on by the Campaign for Mental Health Reform. Their partners included AstraZeneca and the Creative Coalition. Actors Tom Goldwyn, Tim Daly, and Giancarlo Esposito were there to tell their stories about the importance of mental health treatment. Congressman Jim Ramstad from Minnesota presented as he has had a leadership role in getting mental health parity passed. The bill needs to be voted on by both chambers of Congress and is expected in late September. We will be asking everyone to contact Congress to urge passage, so watch the AOTA Web site.

More later!
Penny

Building Democracy, One Girl at a Time

2008-09-03T14:14:00.003-04:00

I personally have done this since my daughter was born in 2001 and continued the tradition with both my children when my son joined our family in 2003. Every election day I take my children with me to the polls, they come into the voting box with me (one on each side now). We talk about the right to vote and our ability as individuals to make a difference. Here is a web site www.thewhitehouseproject.org/daughters ... the web site focuses on girls but as occupational therapy members we pride ourselves on being adaptable so bring the boys along too! Sign the pledge and bring your children with you to the polls on election day and get them started on the right foot! -- Amy

Cause Greater

2008-09-03T14:09:00.002-04:00

In light of the hurricanes the McCain-Palin campaign has created a disaster relief effort www.causegreat.com. Feel free to visit the site and learn more. We know we have occupational therapy members in all the states affected by the Hurricanes. If you'd prefer state specific efforts here is some information for you.

Alabama www.servealabama.gove
Florida www.floridadisasterfund.org
Louisiana www.aidmatrixnetwork.org
Mississippi www.mississippirelief.com or www.mcvs.org
Texas www.texasresponds.org

Bipartisan Initiatives

2008-09-03T13:11:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a day filled with convention sessions that brought together panels on a variety of issues talking about initiatives and strategies for change. I attended the American Solutions for Winning the Future Education Forum. It was a panel of unlikely bedfellows including Al Sharpton, Newt Gingrich, Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty and U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings at the forum, which was sponsored by American Solutions for Winning the Future, a non-partisan organization chaired by Newt Gingrich. Al Sharpton called on elected officials to put party differences aside to come up with a solution.

We viewed a portion of the movie "Two Million Minutes," which was a stunning contrast of high school students study habits, social habits, etc. from the United States, China, and India. You can see more information at http://www.2mminutes.com/ and learn more.

Themes at the education forum included performance driven systems designed around individuals and measurable student outcomes, a responsive dynamic system that is adequately supported including investing in teachers, customer driven encouraging parental and community engagement in the system and transparency of data to drive decisions in the system.

After the education forum I met up with Penny and Tim at the James J Hill House in St Paul for the Cerner Health Information Technology Policy Discussion, which focused on the Winona Minnesota health system that has used a bottom up approach to paperless documentation throughout their health system. It was a great discussion and we were pleased to hear the Winona project did include rehabilitation and behavioral health as well. You can find out more at http://www.winonahealth.org/ or http://www.cerner.com/. I would also encourage Minnesota vacationers to visit the James J Hill House. It has tours conducted by the MN Historical Society, and it is a beautiful home filled with history http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jjhh/.

Later we attended a dinner for Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) at the home of Layna and Ben Peltier. It was an intimate dinner with about 30 individuals attending. It provided us with the opportunity to talk with representatives of the ADA regarding legislation to allow dentists to refer to Occupational Therapy and also provided us with the chance to say thank you to Senator Grassley for his support of our initiatives on the Finance Committee. He did a Q & A after dinner and Tim was able to miss all the turtles at the turtle crossing so we all made it home safely! It was way out of the city.

We ended the evening at the Bipartisan "Two Parties, One Ticket" event at Bellanotte. Tim and I enjoyed networking with some of occupational therapy's policy "friends" from Washington and showing our support for reaching across party lines to move the country forward.

This morning Penny and I attended another Bipartisan event held by the ONE organization. ONE is a nonpartisan organization. ONE is a campaign against poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries. We heard from representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a Director General of Uganda AIDS Commission, a Washington Post and Newsweek columnist, and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Please visit http://www.one.org/ to find out more about this organization and their global health efforts.

The highlight of today has been Penny and I having our pictures taken behind the desk of the "oval office".........we looked truly presidential. We will be posting pictures soon so don't stay away from the blog for too long! We have credentials for the convention proceedings tonight, we hope to avoid another rock shower on our adventure into the Xcel Energy Center!

Early to Late

2008-09-02T17:07:00.005-04:00

Tuesday has been a busy day at the convention now that it is in full political swing. It was so busy in fact that it began with Amy, Penny and I attending the premiere women's event at the convention past midnight. The event titled, "Political Chicks A Go Go" was sponsored by the Lifetime Television Network and Rock the Vote. It was also hosted by the Executive Director of everywomancounts and several Republican Congresswomen.

We got the chance to enjoy music from John Rich of Big & Rich fame and network with many young convention attendees. The event was turned into a Red Cross Hurricane Relief fundraiser at the last minute and we all made a contribution to the cause. John Rich played a song he wrote about McCain that is a free download from his website. It was a great song and even if you don't want to vote for him, it certainly recognizes his service and personality.

The next morning Penny and I attended a breakfast with Representatives Wally Herger (R-CA) who is a member of the House Ways & Means Committee and Virginia Foxx (R-NC) who sits on the Education & Labor Committee. Penny had her picture taken with each and Rep. Foxx offered to post the picture on her Congressional website to promote occupational therapy.

In the afternoon we connected with Amy and the three of us attended a Health Information Technology event at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul. The event was great and we had an opportunity to discuss the inclusion of OT measures in health IT systems. The building was also beautiful and you can take a look at: www.mnhs.org/hillhouse.

This evening we are attending a fundraising dinner for Senator Grassley (R-IA) who is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care legislation in the Senate. The menu is a traditional Minnesota Dinner and there has been significant speculation over exactly what that might be; my guess was walleye.

Afterwards we are attending a health care reception to network with Members of Congress and attendees with an interest in healthcare like ourselves. We are hoping for an earlier evening because the day starts early tomorrow at 8am and we will be on site at the Xcel Center until the end of the convention tomorrow night.

We'll keep you up to date about the event details and also end the mystery of the "Traditional Minnesota Dinner" on tomorrow's blog.

Thoughts from Penny

2008-09-01T19:53:00.004-04:00

Hi all,
It has been great to join Amy Lamb, AOTPAC Chair ,and Tim Nanof, AOTA staff, at the Republican Convention. I was sorry I could not attend the Democratic convention, but I needed to be present at UAB for the beginning of our fall semester. It was thrilling for me to meet Sharon Sanderson, one of our AOTA members and Secretary of the Affiliated State Association Presidents, who is serving the role as an alternate delegate to the Republican Convention from the state of Oklahoma. Regardless of party, it is important that our occupational therapy practitioners become polictically active in whatever way one can in order to have a voice in shaping our country's healthcare policy. We are representing our members well on both sides of the aisle in our effort to spread our message about the importance of occupational therapy services.
Penny Moyers Cleveland

Wind, Rain and... Rocks?

2008-09-01T19:11:00.008-04:00

Well President Moyers Cleveland and I were present for the opening of the Republican Convention today but none of it was without drama. As you have likely heard, the Republican National Convention (RNC) has been scaled back and there was significant discussion of cancelling all of it except for necessary business. In fact, plans remain very much up in the air depending upon the ultimate impact of Hurricane Gustav on the Gulf Coast.

The opening of the convention was a subdued affair with much of program targeted toward raising money for Hurricane Relief. The RNC opened with a prayer for those affected by Hurricane Gustav and then the RNC Chairman requested all attendees, families, colleagues, and friends to donate money to Hurricane Relief .

While the opening was subdued, the ride to the Convention was anything but! Because of protests concerns, similar to what was seen in Denver for the Democrat Convention, the police presence in Minneapolis has been robust. Penny and I rode to the Convention in the GOP Express accompanied by Officer Todd of the Findley Police Department and we were glad for his friendly and assertive presence. As we rolled off the exit for the Xcel Center police began waving us quickly through their security lane and we soon learned why; protesters on the highway overpass above threw a softball sized rock that hit our bus, just barely missing the large front window and Officer Todd seated in the font seat.

Luckily no one was hurt and there were no other violent interactions with protesters on our trip. The return back to the hotels was uneventful and we will keep you informed as we trek back and forth over the coming days. We expect the proceedings to become more substantive over the next few days. We have a very full agenda tomorrow and will be connecting with delegates, members of Congress, and other attendees. Tomorrow Amy and Penny are starting off with a Senate breakfast and then we split up for a series of sessions to make sure we make as many people aware as possible that OT is at the RNC. --- Tim

Manic Monday!

2008-09-01T19:00:00.004-04:00

Today's agenda has been scaled down due to hurricane Gustav. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in the path of the hurricane. We know we have many members who needed to evacuate and fragile patients as well. We will continue to look toward a quick and safe return for all to their homes.

This morning Penny Moyers-Cleveland and I attended the National Republican Congressional Committee for breakfast. At this event we ran into a man who has worked for the last four years to develop a piece of adaptive equipment for individuals with spinal cord injuries. We enjoyed hearing about the process and exchanged cards so he can get more information to us. This was one of those chance encounters that is a reminder of what a small world we live in.

This afternoon, Tim and Penny, attended the business session of the delegates at the Xcel Energy Center. I attended a reception for Senate Council held by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. I was fortunate to have been able to greet Senator John Ensign (NV) and meet his wife Darlene. Darlene told me her son received occupational therapy services, and as we were talking about it she was pulled to the stage so we will connect later and I will find out more details! Senator Ensign is a long time champion for occupational therapy, specifically regarding the Medicare Therapy Cap! Senator Orin Hatch (UT) also addressed the crowd and we enjoyed music by Lee Greenwood for the remainder of the reception. We were introduced to several Republican candidates. Unfortunately, two of the three were not able to be in attendance as they were in their home states to assist with hurricane Gustav and its effects in their communities.

I will start a separate section this evening with more information on the candidates we are meeting here in Minneapolis.

Amy

On The Road Again

2008-08-31T23:57:00.005-04:00

After a brief 20 hour stay at home I am on the road again. I arrived today at the Twin Cities in the great state of Minnesota and site of the 2008 Republican National Convention. I am joined by our AOTA President, Penny Moyers-Cleveland, and Tim Nanof AOTA Legislative Representative. Our calendar is full but tentative as the GOP is closely monitoring the situation surrounding Hurricane Gustav. Stay tuned to the blog and stay informed about how your Association and AOTPAC are representing you at the conventions. -- Amy

History in the Making

2008-08-29T11:16:00.004-04:00

Regardless of political affiliation what a historic couple of days this is for our country. Senator Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for President and Sarah Palin (Governor of Alaska, mother of 5 including one child in the military and her youngest a special needs child) joining the Republican ticket as the VP nominee with McCain. The presidential tickets of both the Democrat and Republican parties alike are showing the changes in America's demographics and the progress we have made as a country. While AOTPAC focuses on Congressional candidates and does not support presidential campaigns or endorse presidential candidates, I felt it was worth noting the historic moments we have all been witnessing in the past 48 hours.

DNC's final day

2008-08-29T03:09:00.004-04:00

I blog tonight as my clothes are being dry cleaned for the next leg of the trip. It has been a wonderful experience to be here in Denver Colorado for the Democratic National Convention.

Christina Metzler and I began our day at the book signing with Nancy Pelosi for her recently published book entitled "Know your Power" A message to America's Daughters. Madam speaker shared a bit about how the book came to fruition and also took questions from the audience. One person asked how she came to the title. Her response created a link between AOTA and madam speaker. As it turns out one of Speaker Pelosi's mentors is Lindy Boggs. Congresswoman Boggs listened to the titles Speaker Pelosi was considering for her book and at the end of the conversation the former Congresswoman left Speaker Pelosi with this message "know your power." AOTA has an advocacy award named the Lindy Boggs Award. It was incredible to uncover this link.

Beth Fletcher a CHT in Denver and a proud AOTA member joined me for a Creative Coalition fundraiser entitled "From Hollywood to the Hill: Speak out on Healthcare. This star studded event included Senator Liz Fowler, Gloria Rueben (Jeanie from ER), Tim Daley, Representative Lois Cobbs of California, representatives from the AARP regarding the Divided We Fail campaign, Matthew McConaughey, Ann Hathaway, and Susan Sarandon For more information check out the following links: http://www.dividedwefail.org/ and http://healthcareforamericanow.org/.

From the Creative Coalition event we attended the Women's Senate Reception were we met up with Christina Metzler and Melisa Weiser-Rose. When I met Melisa I noticed her recall that Sue Goswezski and I had dinner with her at the California Pizza Kitchen in Long Beach during the most recent AOTA annual conference. Melisa is a mental health occupational therapist here in Denver and also a proud member of AOTA. At the event we heard from Senator Amy Klobucher of Minnesota, Senator Mikulski of Maryland, and Barbara Boxer. All were provided with Grip and Grin brochures and Senator Klobucher had an opportunity to share with us how she had an injury from handshaking during her campaign. Senator Mikulski had great words of understanding and support for occupational therapy as mentioned in a previous post. We have a great advocate in her.

From the Women's Senate Reception we dashed to make the final DSCC bus to Invesco Field for Senator Obama's acceptance speech. We met with Jackie Murphy, a pediatric occupational therapist from Denver and hopped on the pedicab with our good friend Matt for a quick ride to catch the bus to the field. It was quite the site as the three of us rode in the rickshaw. Jackie and Beth were kind enough to let the AOTPAC chair ride on their laps for the ride as we had a big time crunch to catch the final DSCC bus. Rush, Rush, Rush we did and thanks to great driving by Matt we made it with time to spare. Turns out we had ample time to spare as the bus was running behind schedule. When it arrived Jackie, Beth and I boarded and were taken to Invesco Field. We were fortunate to have a short 5 minute wait to go through security and off to our seats we went. Jackie had a credential that allowed her a seat on the 100 level and promised she will blog on her experience. Beth and I had credentials for club level which afforded us the opportunity to be about 20 feet from Hilary Clinton and Madeline Albright in the skybox right behind us. We were to the front of the stage and had an exceptional experience. I promised I'd let Beth share her thoughts with you on the experience.

I enjoyed spending time with our members Jackie, Beth, and Melisa. I am always reminded of the bond we share in occupational therapy as it is like an immediate friend when you meet a colleague. In this case I was able to catch a ride on Jackie and Beth's laps after only minutes of knowing them so we "bonded" quickly.

You are all probably wondering were are the pictures. They are coming, I promise. I will be headed home (back to Omaha) on my way to the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention and will work to get some pictures online soon.

Thanks to all of you who are dialing in to the activities of AOTPAC and AOTA at the convention. Know that your profession is in good hands, go out, spread the word about the good things we are doing and encourage your colleagues to be members of the association and contributors to AOTPAC as this crucial election year is proving to provide great opportunity for occupational therapy!

Amy

Wednesday in a Nutshell

2008-08-28T02:47:00.004-04:00

Today began with the Meet the Candidates breakfast allowing us to meet multiple new people running for office (find out more information in the the Up and Coming Class post). From there we proceeded to a Campaign briefing on the general election with the Democratic National Committee strategists.

The campaign briefing included a Q & A. We got a look at the "battleground" states for the upcoming election. The states considered "in play," meaning they could go either way, include Nevada, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. These states will likely receive some visits in the next 60 days.

After the briefing I dashed to the Nebraska delegation luncheon hosted by the APTA and Christina went to a luncheon for Community Mental Health. Both luncheons offered the opportunity for networking with groups.

After the luncheon, I attended the rural caucus and got some good information on how the campaign is approaching rural issues. Amy Klobacher of Minnesota said she believes that the campaign is receptive to learning about the unique needs in the rural community and examining ways to meet those needs.

From there, we met with Ruth Berenbeim , a proud AOTA member here in Denver and she attended the convention with me. On the way to the convention floor we stopped in at an event for Senate Majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada and again shared with him our Grip and Grin campaign information and tips. We arrived at the convention via our favorite Pedicab driver, Matt, and were seated in the convention center to see the roll call vote. California and Illinois passed during the roll call and on the second calling of Illinois they passed to New York which then brought out their own Hillary Clinton to make the motion to cease the roll call and declare Barack Obama the Democratic candidate. The motion was seconded and passed.

As the other convention proceedings have proven, the Democrats had a full line up carefully orchestrated to finish with a bang. Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House led a tribute to the 88 year anniversary of women's voting rights and we heard from many women of the House as well. Melissa Ethridge performed with a patriotic mix that concluded with God Bless America. Also at the podium tonight were Senator Harry Reid, Majority Leader of the Senate; Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. We watched a video honoring our veterans, their service and their commitment to our country before hearing from former President Bill Clinton. The former president could not get the crowd to quiet down to begin his speech--he received a great welcome from the crowd. The night culminated with Senator Joe Biden of Delaware accepting the VP nomination and giving his acceptance speech. The noise in the Pepsi Center during this time was off the charts. The excitement and energy is visible in the arena. When Senator Biden concluded he was joined by surprise guest Barack Obama himself. Just when you thought the energy couldn't go higher it did. A wonderful night with lots of excitement for the Democratic party!

We concluded with a post-gavel celebration of Senator Biden's nomination and saw and heard from him in a more intimate setting. Ruth seemed to enjoy the opportunity to be able to be a part of the process. Perhaps Ruth can add to this post what she experienced in her time at the convention.

The Convention Hall - Tuesday

2008-08-27T03:20:00.003-04:00

Our journey to the convention hall began with two networking events. The first event was a reception for health care groups providing Christina and I the opportunity to network with physicians, opthamologists, and more. We were able to talk with several individuals about the Grip and Grin campaign.

Next we ventured to a reception for Representative Dutch Ruppersberger from Maryland's 2nd district. At this event we were able to talk with Representative Ruppersberger about the issues important to OT and share our Grip and Grin campaign with him. We also had the opportunity to talk with Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota.

After the events we headed in the direction of the Pepsi Center to attend the evenings convention proceedings. Christina and I have become quite fond of the Pedicabs to get around downtown Denver. They are great rides and we have met some great people/drivers. When we arrived at the Pepsi Center we were greeted with a very long line (several hundred deep). We'd been walking from where our Pedicab driver, Matt, dropped us off at the security check point with some other individuals. When we approached the second security point (where the hundreds of people were in line) we evaluated the context of the environment and did what any adaptable occupational therapy practitioner would do, followed the group we were with to the short line. As it turns out we were with the Cincinnati Mayoral delegation. It provided a fun story for the blog :-)

Inside, the arena was packed. We heard from several democratic leaders, including Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas; former Virginia Governor Mark Warner running for a Virginia Senate seat in this election; and the Governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer. The the reason for the packed arena came to the stage. Hillary Clinton was welcomed by a group of energetic supporters and delivered the much anticipated speech of the convention.

After the convention proceedings our nighttime events were still ahead. We attended the Big Night Sky event hosted by the Montana delegation, providing us the opportunity to network with Governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, and staff of Senator Max Baucus. Then we attended an event honoring 20 years of service by Tom Erickson, a DC political firm. Again our nighttime events allowed us ample opportunities to share the message of the Grip and Grin campaign and provide some tips on handshaking to candidates and Members of Congress. I also had the opportunity to provide some therapy tips to a couple Members who've developed tendinitis of the elbow due to campaigning. It just proves that in every room there is a need for our services in some way, shape, or form.

Overall, a successful day at getting the Occupational Therapy message out!

Health Policy Briefing

2008-08-26T17:07:00.004-04:00

Today, Christina Metzler and I had the opportunity to attend a session entitled "Bring on the Boomers : Exploring policy changes for the next administration," hosted by PattonBoggs LLC, the firm who played a key role in helping to resolve the 75% rule. We heard from panelists including Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi of California; Jennifer Friedman, professional staff to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health; Piper Su, legislative counsel to Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado; and Billy Wynne, health policy counsel to the Senate Finance Committee. Discussions surrounded challenges and potential solutions to Medicare, S-CHIP re-authorization, and health care reform. Some topics of discussion between participants and panelists specifically regarding health care reform included insurance market reform, risk pooling, individual responsibility, tax treatment of health care, and prevention. On the topic of prevention, two diagnoses received more extensive discussion including obesity and diabetes. The session concluded with discussions of overall health care reform versus incremental reform.

For occupational therapy, I believe a key here was prevention and developing further what our role can and will be as health care reform moves forward. If you have any ideas on occupational therapy's role in prevention as it relates to obesity, diabetes, or just overall prevention please post them here as discussion is welcome!

The Up and Coming Class - New Candidates Met at the Democratic Convention

2008-08-26T03:18:00.005-04:00

House Democrats:

John Adler (New Jersey - 3rd district) - Mr. Adler is currently ahead of his GOP counterpart in his race. In the state of New Jersey he has been integral in smoking cessation programs and believes that prevention plays a vital role in health care reform. Mr. Adler is part of the Red to Blue program and occupational therapy's good friend Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is his mentor in his candidacy.

Steve Young (California - 48th district) - Mr. Young finds his passion with veterans. His mother was the head nurse at the local VA for many years. When his father, a veteran, suffered a stroke they were unable to get care for him at the local VA. He took this experience and made it into his platform to run for Congress and is focused on improving access and services to our veterans.

On Wednesday morning at a meet the candidates gathering we had the opportunity to meet several candidates. Tom Udall of New Mexico, Jeff Merkley of Oregon (currently speaker of the statehouse), and Mark Udall of Colorado. Yes there are two Udalls in this group and interestingly enough they are cousins!

Stay tuned this post will be updated throughout the convention!

The Convention Hall - Monday

2008-08-26T02:56:00.004-04:00

This evening was filled with excitement and energy on the convention floor. Christina Metzler and I attended the events together. A few highlights of the evening included:

Caroline Kennedy led a tribute to her uncle Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts much of which revolved around his consistent support of health care. The occupational therapy profession witnessed this support with his recent and brief return to the floor specifically to support the Medicare bill and to turn the vote to our favor and extend the exceptions process for 18 months. The hall was completely unified in support of Senator Kennedy waving Kennedy signs--it was an amazing site.
Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa came to the stage and signed to the crowd to say he was excited to see such a tremendous showing of people with disabilities here advocating for health care reform. Senator Harkin had a brother who used sign language as his primary form of communication.
Finally Michelle Obama joined the convention and shared a bit about her story, her husband, and their family. Mrs. Obama was joined at the end on stage by their children and Senator Obama via satellite from Kansas City.

After the convention we attended several networking events including the Party with your Party celebration hosted by Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean, "Two Parties One Ticket" Bipartisian Party, and Speaker Pelosi's Celebration of Democracy.

Denver is a great host city so far! Tomorrow we look forward to attending a health policy briefing on the challenges the baby boomers bring for the next administration, a book signing, several health care group receptions, the women's caucus, and a reception for Representative Dutch Ruppersberger of California. This is just a glimpse of what is to come tomorrow so stay tuned for more updates on the strides AOTA is making for you during the political conventions, and feel free to post your comments and begin a dialogue.

Amy

Monday's Happenings

2008-08-25T17:03:00.007-04:00

This morning I had the opportunity to attend a breakfast with Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland and Senator Charles Schumer of New York. At the breakfast, Senators Cardin and Schumer both shared the message of unity of the Democratic party at this Convention.

This afternoon, Christina Metzler and I, had the opportunity to attend a small luncheon with Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of California. Congresswoman Sanchez has been a long time supporter of occupational therapy issues. During the luncheon she spoke about upcoming education issues that she looks to move forward in the last three weeks of this Congressional session and in the upcoming Congress. I was able to share with her information on the Grip & Grin campaign as she continues to campaign in her home state of California to retain her seat in the House. Christina and I enjoyed the company of Esther Coopersmith, a well know woman in politics in Washington, and her son Jeff Coopersmith of the Coopersmith health law group in Seattle Washington. Jeff and I had some great conversations regarding occupational therapy and challenges with insurance denials. He represents hospitals and has represented his clients on occupational therapy denials to gain reimbursement through the legal process.

This evening we will be attending the convention and will hear from Michelle Obama and Caroline Kennedy.

Thanks for following the blog, feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

Amy

Welcome Reception

2008-08-25T13:46:00.005-04:00

Sunday evening proved fruitful as Christina Metzler and I enjoyed networking with Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan, Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas, Rep. Allen Boyd of Florida, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of CA, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida, and several new candidates running for Congress. Great success for getting the OT voice out!

Welcome to Denver!

2008-08-24T18:40:00.002-04:00

Greetings from Denver! Christina Metzler and I have arrived at the Democratic National Convention in Denver and have several activities scheduled for this evening including a welcome reception with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top House candidates as well as other networking events. The excitement surrounding the "historic nature" of this convention is visible from the moment you arrive in the mile high city. Stay tuned for more! -- Amy

Welcome to Denver!

2008-08-24T18:36:00.000-04:00

Greeting from Denver! Christina Metzler and myself have arrived to the Democratic National Convention in Denver and have several activities scheduled for this evening including a welcome reception with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top House candidates and other networking events. The excitement surrounding the "historic nature" of this convention is visible from the moment you arrive to the mile high city. Stay tuned for more! -- Amy

--
Amy Jo Lamb, OTD, OTR/L
AOTPAC Chair & Region IV

Whether you believe you can, or believe you can't you are right. ~ Henry Ford

48 hours remain

2008-08-23T01:00:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone! It has been an exciting week as we've been approaching the conventions. We are looking forward to continuing to foster the necessary relationships with members of Congress to ensure occupational therapy is at the table as we proceed with what will likely be a fairly aggressive health care reform cycle. We will also have the opportunity to talk to many candidates and elected officials about AOTA's Grip and Grin campaign as we make the occupational therapy voice heard at the conventions.

Please plug into the blog regularly to find out more about what is happening at the conventions and how occupational therapy is part of the action in this critical 2008 election year.

Welcome to the blog!

Amy

Welcome

2008-08-22T13:34:00.005-04:00

We are glad you have joined us on our journey to both the Democratic National Convention in Denver from August 25 to 28, and the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul from September 1 to 4. Your representatives at the conventions are:

Democratic Convention 2008 - Amy Jo. Lamb, AOTPAC Chair and Christina A. Metzler, Chief Public Affairs Officer, AOTA

Republican Convention 2008 - Penny Moyers Cleveland, President, AOTA; Amy Jo Lamb, AOTPAC Chair; and Tim Nanof, Legislative Representative, AOTA

Their journey has already started with travel arrangements and schedules for the events. Check here for regular updates on the activities and excitement they will share and how they are promoting occupational therapy to all attendees they meet along the way.

Your comments will be welcomed!