So says Illinois state Senate candidate Dr. Arie Friedman, when interviewed by Dr. Wes about why a doctor would go into politics. The interview discusses why doctors are so important in politics:
Why are doctors important for politics anyway?
Health care is a huge part of what government does. Here in Illinois, we spend about half of our entire general budget on health care. Despite that, if I’m elected I will literally be the first physician in history elected to the Illinois General Assembly. If physicians care about the future of health care we simply have to begin earning seats on the legislative side of the table. Regardless of party, I believe physician have a very special insight into the needs of our patients and the role of government in health care….
I want to reemphasize the importance of getting involved. Three years ago, I was just another spectator throwing pillows at the TV set. Once I made the decision to get involved, I found that I could really have an impact. Regardless of your profession, if you are concerned about the political situation you simply must take it upon yourself to contribute to the dialogue in some way.
Of course the only reason politics is so important in healthcare is because of the size of government’s role. If we want greater freedom and choice the solution is less government.
Correct But I fear that a decline of gov’t involvement (spending and mandates) in health care will lead to a decline in the standard of living for those that practice medicine. The results that current medical practice yield are completely over-compensated. But hey, its ~free~ so why not use it!
Agreed. By taking trillions of taxpayer money, unwillingly extracted from them, out of the health care industry, it would get alot cheaper and more accessible to the poor. Competition for the fewer dollars would make health care better and more focused. Doctors would still have to help the hopeless and broke, but the cost for the regular people would be alot less, and insurance rates would go down and be more accessible. The path we are on now, by relying for our health care on a broken and broke institution, owned by foreigners and $15 trillion dollars in debt and counting, with no accountability or competition to control them means they will go the way of the Bourbons and the Romanovs and millions will die. These people rooting and planning for that do not have my vote.
I also think doctors are important because, like successful business people, they have real life credibility. They are not products of academia or legal profession (with all due respect to professor Reynolds). Doctors must prove themselves in life or death situations. This extends to some degree to former military members as well.
I commend Dr. Friedman for throwing his hat in the ring. Still, Doctors are notorious for being A-political and rarely make campaign contributions. They have allowed the trial lawyers to control the game. Hopefully, Dr. Friedman will lead a new revolution of medical professionals getting involved in politics.
I wouldn’t expect the doctors to take on the lawyers any time soon. Doctors need lawyers. Sure doctors grouse about the high cost of malpractice insurance, blame trail lawyers, and pass along the costs to their customers (those who are patient with the medical practice are being deceived). Then, the doctors order all kinds of expensive CYA (cover your arse) tests to make sure they don’t get sued.
Doctors tend to spend a long, long, long time in academic pursuits — where, unfortunately, every sixth course is “Leftist Indoctrination”, even as other courses progress from “Intermediate Finger Painting” to “Osteoarthritic Damage, Diagnostic Notes and Treatments”.
He is a very welcomed addition to the resistance.
But we need to stop throwing pillows. McCain did that already. We are known for doing that. That’s why the small c communists don’t fear us.
We figuratively and herein literally are proven pillow throwers.
The Constitution deserves protectors willing to join the fray at a grittier and more robust level of resistance to tyranny. The Dr. has the right stuff. We just need our warriors to be ready to draw upon it.