About

About the Author

Arthur R. Kamm, PhD (Dr. Art Kamm) devoted his career to the study of patient populations and the research and development of treatments to alleviate pain, suffering, improve quality of life, and save lives. He obtained his doctorate in Biochemistry at the Medical College, University of Arizona, in the field of cancer research – his research was accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Art was a twenty year member of the American Academy of Dermatology and a 10 year contributing member of the Dermatology Foundation’s Leaders Society. He served as Vice President Clinical Development (medical studies of therapeutic agents) at Glaxo, Inc. He has served as a corporate officer for Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. holding the posts of Sr. Vice President Research and Development and Chief Development Officer. He was founder and CEO of his own regionally-recognized drug development services company and served as Adjunct Professor Campbell University School of Pharmacy as course director and instructor for Leadership Development (2006-2008). Art left his corporate pursuits in 2005 to support and devote time to his wife who was stricken with serious illness. He is currently a student of social and political issues where he applies his skills to writing and speaking. Art has engaged in humanitarian work including a hunger relief mission to Zambia and Zimbabwe, donating time to foster children in personal leadership practices to improve self-esteem and performance, and was invited to speak at the Duke University/UNC-Chapel Hill Rotary Center for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution. He is a ‘Friend of the Center’ with the Southern Poverty Law Center through his regular financial contributions. His continuing education has included courses and/or seminars through Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Vital Learning’s Leadership curriculum, The Service Quality Institute’s Customer Service curriculum, and multiple executive training retreats.

About the Blog

Following his wife’s illness Art had the opportunity to engage in extensive reading about issues that are often clouded by special interests and media spin. This blog is dedicated to his study of many topics including, but not limited to, debt, deficits, economy, leadership, healthcare, climate, politics, hunger, intolerance, etc. The intent is to disseminate information and open dialogue based upon consideration of information rather than spin. Some articles will use humor, some will be letters/e-mails submitted to various media, and others will be a condensation of information and opinion. Some of the e-mail submissions sent to shows have undergone minimal editing for grammatical corrections and better clarification as they were produced quickly, but the communications are in very large part what was sent to the media. It should also be noted that the communications sent to these shows do not represent the views of the shows, their sponsors, affiliates or employees – they are simply the views of the writer. Fully understanding that Mark Twain’s quote (used as the tag line for the blog) may well apply to his own opinion and information from time to time, the blog is intended to provide a learning experience for all parties and foster a climate of open communication and exchange.

Recent Posts

In Defense of the Assault Weapons Ban

The finding that the AR-15 rifle was being actively selected for premeditated indiscriminate mass killings in 2012 fundamentally changes the debate regarding Senator Feinstein’s Assault Weapons Ban. Not only does this finding take this weapon and mass shootings beyond anecdotal observations, it has predictive value. We now know with certainty that there will be another horrific premeditated and planned mass killing involving this weapon or another having similar rapid fire and high capacity capability. And it will be difficult to defend against as we cannot predict the timing, the venue, or the selected targets. It is clear that both the weaponry and background checks on all buyers should be addressed to reduce the opportunity for, and carnage of, future premeditated indiscriminate mass shootings. This should become a fundamental part of the upcoming debate on the Senate floor. Should meaningful gun control legislation fail in the Senate, for those senators who opposed there is little doubt that some would have swallowed a ‘poison pill’ regarding their political career.

Selection of the AR-15 Rifle in Premeditated Indiscriminate Mass Shootings

A total of four independent, premeditated and indiscriminate mass shootings occurred in the latter half of 2012. There was no connection between the shooters and the victims, and no reason was established in the selection of victims other than inflicting mass casualties. An AR-15 rifle was the weapon used in all four of these events. The odds of this particular weapon being selected for all four of these independent events simply by chance was estimated to be less than one in a million using two different approaches. The intentional selection of this firearm is additionally supported by the behavior of all four shooters. It is felt that this finding fundamentally changes the assault weapon debate. It is not that this weapon was simply being used at these events, there is little if any doubt that it was being intentionally selected as a weapon of choice in those premeditated indiscriminate mass killings. As this weapon is being actively sought for these events, leaving it unregulated and expanding public availability could only increase the opportunity for its use in future mass shootings of the nature we witnessed in 2012.

The Problem with Congress? Look No Further Than the Gun Debate

With 11 of the 18 Senate Judiciary Committee members benefitting from gun lobby financial contributions, the impartiality of both their opinion and eventual votes is drawn into question. The Newtown incident has laid bare, as no other has in the past, the inherent conflict lawmakers face regarding their obligation to legislate in the public’s best interest versus special interest pressures that threaten their ability to retain office. This current debate has morphed into something larger than regulating the gun market. It provides clear evidence that our Congress needs to fundamentally change the way it operates.

Featured Article

The Year the GOPs Con Game was Exposed

The GOP’s decision to reinstate tax cut policy in 2001 exposed their hand. It was not about deficit reduction, growing the economy, or job creation. It was about ideology and, no doubt, special interests. It was a backdoor approach where government revenue was cut in an attempt to curtail spending on popular programs they otherwise could not take head-on. This while obstructing the work of Congress, spinning a web of deceit about the benefits of their policy, and weakening our country’s financial standing. It’s time to play hardball during ‘fiscal cliff’ negotiations and force them to be specific about what spending cuts they are talking about to offset the tax benefits they wish to preserve for the wealthiest. They wouldn’t have the nerve.