Medicine and Politics, Oil and water

 

 

From reading unofficial political blogs during the Republican National Convention, I find that politicians want to control healthcare. Though physicians train half their lives to become physicians and healthcare providers, a politician wants to manage and control healthcare without a clinical or scientific background. From www.cagop.org/blog I read that 8% of the state has a state medical card and many crucial services must first be approved before the patient can have the medication or procedure. For patients, it means that their doctor or healthcare provider must seek permission form a secretary to perform surgery or prescribe medication. It is an obstacle to medical care.

 

Another area of healthcare that politicians want to regulate is prison healthcare. From www.aladems.org/communication/blog/ I discovered that 80% of incarcerations are drug related. Perhaps healthcare should be part of the solution, and not corrections. On January 28, 2008, a prisoner rehab bill passed the house by a huge bi-partisan margin, but it was held up in the Senate. The bill would provide “grants that go towards helping the recently incarcerated find employment, housing, and substance abuse centers.”

 

Since healthcare is the number one concern of Republicans and Democrats, then the candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul makes sense. He enjoyed great support amongst the medical community. According to www.dvds4delegates.com, he was hopeful for the Presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention. He was also strong on the economy.

 

While at the RNC, delegates assembled personal care packs for Hurricane victims in Mississippi. According to www.migop.blogs.com/blog, Republicans became “bleeding heart conservatives” as they donated blood for the victims of the most recent hurricane which left thousands homeless. Part of the RNC was shortened so that help could be given to the states affected by the hurricane. Medical supplies were donated.