Just called AMA - very upset (lied too?)
Well it sounds like you pretty much have it figured out as dishonest and a conspiracy (grassy knoll theory and two shooters etc…) lol. Thought you were asking for other opinions?
My guess based on 8 years of IT customer service center experience is that your experience was probably a result of an innocent misunderstanding. The keyboard tapping you heard was the ama person checking the computer db for...your address...your ama # identification. Beyond that she made the leap of faith of saying it was mailed because all eligible ama members received a ballot or should have since according to her records they all went out. Of course the person on the phone you spoke with didn't actually go to the post office with your particular ballot.
She should have checked the db for your date of sign up or just realized you just signed up based on you ama #. Remember the people you talk to on the phone are not experts they rely on the systems they use to provide you the customer/member with information. The ama probably needs to upgrade their software, but that would cause a increase in dues. :-)
Well, that's what I would chalk it up to, but everyone to there own.
Mike