South Texas Doctors: Cornyn is Big Bad John

by: David Mauro

Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 03:10 PM CDT

We reported last Friday that the Texas Medical Association had rescinded its endorsement of John Cornyn after his vote on a Medicare bill. As one might expect, the Border Health Caucus isn't too thrilled with Cornyn's broken promises, either.

From the Rio Grande Guardian, one of the best online publications around:

The Border Health Caucus says it now feels sick over the way Cornyn, R-Texas, voted on a Medicare reimbursement rate bill. The group, which represents more than 9,000 physicians from South Texas and the border region, says it agrees that Cornyn could be described as "Big Bad John." However, it does not use the description in a friendly way.

“Instead of practicing public policy, Senator Cornyn practiced political policy,” El Paso physician Manuel Acosta, chair of the Border Health Caucus, told the Guardian. “He marched to the tune of President Bush again. In his video, Senator Cornyn likes to portray himself as Big Bad John. Well, we agree. He is Big Bad John.” ...

Acosta added that for months Cornyn and Hutchison had promised physicians they would not let the reimbursement rate cut take place on July 1. He said with last week’s vote they had broken that promise. He proceeded to send Cornyn a sternly worded letter.

“The Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC) is outraged that you made the decision to follow the direction of the Bush Administration and voted to protect health insurance companies at the expense of America’s seniors, those with disabilities, and military families,” Acosta wrote.

Texas Medical Association Rescinds Endorsement of John Cornyn

by: David Mauro

Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 04:25 PM CDT

John Cornyn's vote to cut Medicare funding for physicians by 10 percent seems to have some consequences, the Statesman's Jason Embry reports.

The political action committee of the Texas Medical Association, furious about a Thursday night vote on a Medicare-funding bill, is going to rescind its endorsement of Sen. John Cornyn’s reelection bid, association spokesman Brent Annear said.

Cornyn and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted to stall a bill that would have prevented a 10 percent cut in Medicare funding for physicians, prompting an unusually harsh reaction from the medical association, which has 43,000 members and is one of the most powerful trade groups in Texas politics.

Maybe the recent polling in this race had something to do with their decision, too. There's no reason for groups like the TMA to put up with disrespect and repeated failures from Cornyn when we have a viable and exciting alternative like Rick Noriega.

If Noriega can stay close in the polls and post some good fundraising numbers, the TMA won't be the last group to ditch Big John.