Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Just The Beginning

Words from a practicing surgeon::

Truth cannot be legislated!

Good morning!

The sun came up this morning in upper Michigan.  The air is crisp and clean as usual and another beautiful day is beginning.  As always, I'm operating on Monday.  I saw my first patient, a middle aged man with a hernia.  He smiled at me, we shook hands and I answered his last minute questions.  Soon I'll be in the OR doing the same work that I still love.

My patient didn't watch the vote last night.  He wasn't aware of Pelosi's grand victory.  All that matters to him this morning is that I am his surgeon, he trusts me to do my job well, and I will.

What we saw last night was a political manipulation of history.  A re-write of law to move the money around and change some rules.  I don't agree with what was done.  My disagreement is the same this morning as it was last week, last year and 30 years ago.

Politicians are still trying, with complex systems and regulations, to change immutable facts.  It is a grand illusion that only will have a transient political benefit for them, if that.  No amount of ink on paper can change the fact that people cannot purchase services for nothing.

No amount of government regulation will change the science associated with the medical care that we provide.  No new ruling or designation will elevate unqualified individuals into the positions that we have worked so hard to attain.

The stroke of the President's pen won't do any of that.  Most of the nation knows this, even though they may not be able to articulate it easily.  But, those of us in medicine, the working physicians who care for patients everyday know this very well.

History takes a long time to play out.  We saw what happened in Massachusetts earlier this year.  People know a scam when they see it.  I am confident that we will weather this "storm".  But, don't be complacent.  Washington is once again messing with your freedom.  That is too important to ignore.

 
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