I think I'd be getting another doctor regardless

Fla. doc's sign warns off Obama supporters: Democrats should ‘seek urological care elsewhere,’ says notice on door

The notice on Dr. Jack Cassell's Mount Dora practice says, "If you voted for Obama, seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years."

Probably not the best PR move, although he's obviously entitled to his opinion. But the implication is that care will be either refused or worsen, from the sign, although he denies that and agrees that would be unethical.

I can't imagine my doctor putting up a similar sign. Of course he's Canadian, from the land of socialised medicine. :) But I don't really want to discuss politics with my doctor, I want to discuss my health. And that sign just seems...wrong.

Good Lord...

House Democrats report increased threats since health care vote

Hoyer told a news conference that "a significant number, meaning over 10," had reported either threats, vandalism or other incidents. Capitol Police officials have briefed House Democrats on reporting suspicious or threatening activity and taking precautions to avoid "subjecting themselves or their families to physical harm," said Hoyer, D-Maryland.

Earlier Wednesday, the Albemarle County Fire Marshal's Office in Virginia confirmed the FBI was investigating a suspicious incident at the home of Virginia Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello's brother, days after the brother's home address was posted online by a Tea Party activist.

An aide to Perriello told CNN that a line to the propane tank on his brother's gas grill had been severed.

On the other side of the coin, our local Congressman, Ben Chandler (a Democrat, too), has been receiving very ugly messages as well for voting AGAINST for the bill.

It's absurd, the idea that violence could solve anything in this situation. And the lunatic fringe is having a field day. I give you:

Blogger Michael B. Vanderboegh of Pinson, Alabama, said Monday that in a Friday blog, he called for people to break windows at Democratic headquarters at the city and county level. He said he didn't call for the damages to congressional offices because, "I didn't want to be responsible for anybody breaking a federal law."

However, "I can understand how someone can be frustrated enough to throw a brick through a congresswoman's window," Vanderboegh said. He said he feels the health care bill is "unconstitutional and tyrannical."

"My answer is violence, by getting their attention," he said, adding, "If we can get across to the other side that they are within inches of provoking a civil war in this country, then that's a good thing."

I have a friend who is a staunch Democrat who is terribly embarrassed by his father, who is showing up at Tea Party protests in his area with a guitar and harmonica singing songs from the Declaration of Independence's point of view (in his opinion) and styling himself the Party's 'poet'.

I shake my head at these people. I cannot understand their paranoia.

In today's era

I found out about the House passage of the health care bill not from traditional news sources--but from Twitter, specifically:

'So, now we have health care like most of the free world...maybe AT&T will release the IPHONE and we can choose our carrier.'--David N. Wilson

and

'RT @repblumenauer House did its job, now the ball is in the Senate's court. Don't let America down and let's get this done!'--Barack Obama

Only then did I go to Google News and see:

House passes health care reform bill; Vote garners only one Republican

Parsing the House Health Bill

and this video from the White House on YouTube:

Worth perusal

The Five Biggest Lies in the Health Care Debate--and their origins

A good visual

concerning special interests and their myths of rationed health care, from the AARP.



For more information, check out Health Action Now!

Oh, this is great!

If you've been paying attention to the health care debate, you know that the Republicans and right-wingers have been attacking the British National Health Service, causing a backlash from the British, who like their health system, by large. #ILovetheNHS is a topic on Twitter, for example.

But this took the cake, as reported by Joe. My. God.:

Stephen Hawking On Health Care Reform

Seems someone over at Investor's Business Daily wrote that Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the UK with the National Health System. One problem: Hawking is British and has lived there his entire life.

Says Hawking, as quoted in The Guardian:

I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived.

Thanks to Occasion2B for sharing the story on Google Reader.

Take that, you wingnuts!