Benefits Selling Expo Loves Howaed Dean

taterpeeler

Guru
5000 Post Club
Howdy!

I received a mailer to attend the Benefits Selling Expo in San Antonio May 9th - 11th. I almost puked my guts up when I saw who their keynote speaker is, none other than Howard Dean, public enemy number 1 for all health insurance agents.

The editor of the magazine is a man named Denis Storey and in his mailer he says Dean will talk about health care reform. Or better would be Dean will continue to try and brain wash Americans about a single payer system.

Here is my email I sent to Mr Storey:


I have been in the insurance business since 1993 in the great state of Texas. I operate a successful independent agency selling health and Medicare supplement insurance.

I received a nice 8 page mailer from the organization you are the editor of, Benefit selling magazine, early this week and as I looked over the flyer something struck me as strange. Probably the strangest this I have witnessed in the last few years. The selection of your keynote speaker for your upcoming Benefit Selling Expo in San Antonio Texas. After reading the flyer the "strange" feeling I had left and I became somewhat enraged with your audacity of selection of former Governor Howard Dean who also was former chairman of the Democrat National Committee. He has also been heavily involved in other far left, socialist leaning organizations that go completely against the fabric of what most agents stand for. Most insurance agents stand on the principal of freedoms as it relates to small business and this selection slaps the face of small business people from every corner of our land. Let me explain:

Dean has always supported a national health care system molded in the likes of European countries like Sweden and the U.K. He has publicly said the only good health care reform is the complete elimination of the health insurance agent and health insurance companies. During the health care debate he could be seen publicly supporting what was occurring, only to turn his back on the process once he realized a single payer system would not happen yet.

How in gods name can you allow "Public Enemy Number 1" to come speak to thousands of insurance agents about his ideas and views? How can you exhibit the foolishness of allowing the fox to plan in the hen house? Allowing Mr. Dean to speak to agents that have seen commissions slashed, business models changed and overall prices increased all at the original prodding of this clown. He hates agents, insurance companies and all that associate with their likes. I'm sure he is laughing all the way to the bank for the fee you are paying him, I know I would be.

You indicate in your mailer that San Antonio is a place that " knows a little something about never forgetting" well, that goes for all Texans and you are correct, I will NEVER forget your actions in this matter, ever. We (insurance agents) will never forget your brain dead decision of selection the one man that wants to completely eliminate the health insurance market with his far left socialist medical system.

Here are a few examples: Would you send George W. Bush to speak at a convention of Taliban members? NO
Would you allow Hitler to speak to a gathering of Jews? NO Would you allow an atheist leader to speak at the Baptist General Convention? If any of these individuals did they would A) get booed off the stage or B) no one would attend and the party booking the speaker would be replaced.

In closing I would like to thank you for reading this email and remember this: you flat out screwed up. I will not be attending you little liberal fest and I will do all possible to spread the word to my fellow agents about your groups actions.

Disturbed
xxxxxxxxx
 
Well, you sure told him off in no uncertain terms.

If all you wanted was for him to believe you are just another right-wing "crank" agent, you succeeded.

And you probably succeeded in reaffirming his belief that the choice of Dean was a good one... because editor's love controversy as do convention impresarios.

I'm sure the editor knows that unless he had some right-wing conservative as his keynote speaker that you were not going to go anyway, and my guess is that they keep demographic stats on who DOES go, and my guess is that the choice of a liberal speaker was calculated on that demographic who come, spend money, and are the audience the vendors really want to reach... which I would say are moderate to liberal agents who are willing to consider new ideas, new products, new vendors, etc.

Conservatives don't value "new" all that much and I'm sure the vendors who are paying major dollars to exhibit know that.

I don't think they are looking for the hard-core, conservative, NYL agent from the deep South who bleeds NYL or MassMu blue.

It was a fun letter to read, that's for sure, but you didn't sell your idea that the speaker was a poor choice as much as you sold the idea that you are right-wing conservative that would not be pleased no matter who was the speaker... either friend or foe.

Personally, I think Dean is a good choice because he is a doctor, he is a good speaker, and he knows public policy issues quite well.

Funny. Conservatives will object to Dr. Dean speaking, but I doubt that mod/libs would write a similar letter if Dr./Senator Rand Paul were speaking.

Big tent vs. small tent. That's one of the differences between conservatives and mod/libs... not the only one for sure, but a big one.

Anyway, good letter... it will energize the "base" in this venue, but my guess is that the editor will just shine you on as a "crank."
 
whatever al3, i expected as much out of you... birds of a feather flock together....

Same for conservative frat-boys.

If you want to be taken seriously by adults in an adult word... you have to act like an adult.

Your letter was that of a petulant child. It was fun to read, but made us all look like raving right-wing ideologues.... which all (most) of us are not.

Al
 
but al3... dosent the talking point page distributed in your monthly "Today's Liberal" newsletter call all of us conservatives things like: stupid, ignorant, mindless, racist, elitist, dumb, redneck, hillbilly, uneducated...bla bla bla... i may have missed a few but i think thats what we are called...

having said all that... i still love you al3.... have a super weekend
 
call all of us conservatives things like: stupid, ignorant, mindless, racist, elitist, dumb, redneck, hillbilly, uneducated...bla bla bla...

Here maybe... in this venue. I'm not trying to win friends nor influence people in this venue and I don't claim to represent anyone but myself.

But when you write a letter to an editor, and if you imply as you did that you are basically speaking for "all" agents, you want to sound a bit more even-tempered than you did in your missive.

Like I say, it was a fun screed and a good rant, but a convincing, serious argument that the convention has made a major mistake... it wasn't.

Look. If it made you feel good... then that's all that counts. It wasn't like the convention planners were going to change their mind no matter what you wrote. You lost all credibility with them should you ever write them again, but if you got to speak your peace and feel good about it, then you accomplished what you set out to do.

What I found most interesting is that for a guy who claims (revels in) illiteracy, you're a hell of a good writer. You (and Healthguy) have an excellent talent. I don't know why you (both) are not putting it to better use then wasting it in this venue.

If there is a book inside of you, you have the ability and talent to let it out. You might give it a go and see what happens. I don't think you will be disappointed with the result.

I don't write all that well myself, but I recognize talent when it hits me on the head. You got it. Use it. (You too Healthguy.)


Al
 
For what it's worth, I too disagree with the response and especially the tone.

Howard Dean could not be any further down the political spectrum from me. I disagree with most, if not everything, that he believes, says, and stands for.

Your letter to Mr. Storey appears to be coming from a closed minded person, spewing anger that is based on someone elses view of the world, and who does not value an open society that allows debate and differences.

While I generally do not care how a person acts, this does reflect on our industry. I am sorry, but you have sullied that image.
 
Back
Top