ACR Policy: The Mouse That Roared

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Do you remember the 1959 movie, The Mouse That Roared? Through a few small actions, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, a small, often overlooked principality, becomes a superpower on the world map overnight.

In many ways, rheumatology has been in the same position. We are a small specialty; we don’t have well-known diseases. Although our treatments are exciting to us, they are not as impressive as the latest cancer treatment or surgical procedure. Our patients depend on our ensuring the viability of our specialty; through advocacy, we can be medicine’s own mouse that roared.

History is full of examples in which just one small voice changed the world, even without trying. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, she became the face of the civil rights struggle in the South. Paul Revere is remembered far more for a midnight ride than for his work as a silversmith. The number of single voices who have changed the world is legion.

As powerful as a single voice can be, several voices coming together can be even stronger. Fifty-six signatories on the Declaration of Independence led to the birth of the United States. In 1954, Milan High School, with an attendance of just 161 students, won the Indiana High School Basketball state championship, defeating the team from the much larger, four-time champion Muncie Central High School—a win that served as the inspiration for Hoosiers.

How strong we would be if we all stepped up and joined our voices together? For years, rheumatologists have been far too complacent; we have been willing to accept changes on the premise of helping our patients, often to the detriment of our practices. In other words, we have been meek mice.

We need to capitalize on the opportunity that RheumPAC provides. RheumPAC is our specialty’s political action committee, and it opens doors in Washington, D.C., for our collective viewpoint to be heard. These positions will reach far more ears if more of us step up and stop relying on the other guy to carry the burden of advocating for our specialty. Rheumatology needs everyone to step up and become active; only then will the volume of our input be turned up to a roar.

How can I support RheumPAC?

• Visit rheumatology.org/RheumPAC and consider setting up a monthly investment that fits your economic situation. For example, $42 per month will make you a Gold Investor ($500 per year).
• Visit the new RoomPAC at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in Chicago. ACR members who invest $100 or more and fellows-in-training or ARHP members who invest $50 or more will have access to this break room and lounge, where you can charge your phones, store luggage and chat with advocacy staff and volunteers. RoomPAC will be located in the Algebra Room of the Marriott Marquis and is open from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. from Sunday, Oct. 21, through Tuesday, Oct. 23.

The RheumPAC portal makes it easy and more efficient for you to support ACR advocacy. Log in to the RheumPAC portal now, and:

• Process your contribution from your computer, phone or tablet;
• Set up monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual automatic payments with your credit card;
• Review your past transactions at any time; and
• Make or alter payments whenever you wish.

Disclaimer: Contributions to RheumPAC are used for political purposes and are not tax deductible. Contributions to RheumPAC must be voluntary and made with personal funds. Federal law prohibits contributions to RheumPAC from corporations, but ask us about the RheumPAC Advocacy Fund, which does support advocacy with soft dollars. Contributions to RheumPAC can be made only by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens.

Chris Morris, MD, is a rheumatologist at Arthritis Associates in Kingsport, Tenn.

Note: This article was edited on Oct. 10, 2018, to include legal language regarding contributions.