When it comes to patient care issues, rheumatologists will not be flying solo. “Remember,” Dr. Desir emphasizes, “The ACR is a resource, and its staff are more than happy to help.” Dr. Desir has accessed the ACR’s expertise furnished by the Government Affairs staff on many occasions and found it to be invaluable.
“What Can I Do at Home?”
Dr. Desir joined the GAC in 2010 and soon realized she wanted to do more. She thought, “What can I do at home?” and explored the possibility of working for local candidates in her home district with whom her politics and patient care concerns aligned. The seated Congressional representative, Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat for Connecticut’s third district, had solid support and would be reelected. On the other hand, the Democratic candidate for the Senate was a newcomer.
A local group, the Hill Top Brigade, was planning to lend support to Democrat Christopher Murphy, who had announced his candidacy for U.S. Senator. Not only did Dr. Desir and her husband canvas for Mr. Murphy door to door in nearby Fairfield County, they took their support to the next level by hosting a fundraiser for the candidate in 2011, and met their goal of raising $20,000. Planning and staging for that event were similar to other events she has since hosted for Congresswoman DeLauro and Connecticut Senior Senator Richard Blumenthal.
To get events in her home on a politician’s calendar, Dr. Desir relies on the candidate’s scheduler. The campaign staff sends out invitations to its list of previous donors. Then Dr. Desir personally sends out “hundreds of emails to people” she hopes will be interested. To that list of invitees, she adds members of many varied groups to which she belongs, including the Town of Woodbridge Democratic Committee, the Connecticut State Medical Society, her church book group, her neighborhood book group and the New Haven County Medical Society.
“The ACR Government Affairs staff is always extremely helpful in contacting Connecticut physician organizations and political action committees,” she adds. The state and county medical societies are also willing to include announcements of the events in their respective emails to members. Dr. Desir enlists friends from diverse backgrounds to be on her “host committee” in an effort to enlarge and diversify the pool of potential attendees.
Although others who hold fundraisers may enlist their host committee members to contribute food and beverages, Dr. Desir always uses a caterer for the events at her home. She doesn’t provide entertainment, but if there are other elected officials present, she invites them to say a few words in addition to the candidate’s remarks. The cost to Dr. Desir, in her words, is “a large campaign contribution.” The campaign may sometimes pay the caterer; alternatively, she pays the caterer as an “in-kind” campaign contribution.
