What is wrong with the President having an articulate, knowledgeable, and trusted public figure out there giving health advice and explaining health care reforms to the American people?

The Obama is looking for a Surgeon General who is going to be less bureaucrat of a government organization of uniformed doctors and more an advocate for public health. Apart from a small number of contrarians the nomination is being met favorably by the medical profession.

Gupta is a well-qualified doctor with excellent communication skills. The man is the perfect Surgeon General.

Doesn't he have some experience in the area of public health policy? I have many reservations about many things this Administration is cooking up, but I don't get the concern here. Leon Panetta, OTOH...

gupta doesn't have the wherewithal to tell us whether or not it is lupus.

Surgeon General is a PR appointment. If a plumber could inspire people to take better care of themselves, he'd be qualified. Gupta is perfect for it.

He should have went with Dr. Tim Johnson.

Dude, it's not like it's brain surgery.

Wait... CONYERS is acting butthurt over this? A) He's your president, B) you don't get a vote on the guy's confirmation.

Either he's trying to repay a favor for Michael Moore, or there's some leftover hate from when Jocelyn Elders was fired.

/wtf is this guy's problem?

Lionel Mandrake - Gupta is a well-qualified doctor with excellent communication skills. The man is the perfect Surgeon General

Sure, but as far as Surgeon General's go, I prefer the comedy act of Jocelyn Elders.


The Surgeon General approves of your fapping

/she was a hoot

If a plumber could inspire people to take better care of themselves, he'd be qualified.

Joe has enough jobs already.

If McCain were elected, and died before making his selections, we'd be staring down the barrel of Dr. Phil as Surgeon General.

Lionel Mandrake: Gupta is a well-qualified doctor with excellent communication skills. The man is the perfect Surgeon General.

In the current form of the job? I couldn't agree more. Conyers is out of line.

MasterThief: Wait... CONYERS is acting butthurt over this? A) He's your president, B) you don't get a vote on the guy's confirmation.

Either he's trying to repay a favor for Michael Moore, or there's some leftover hate from when Jocelyn Elders was fired.

/wtf is this guy's problem?

Did you read the linked Krugman column? Gupta put out a hit piece on Sicko before appearing in an interview with Larry King where they both talked over Moore and called him a liar for something they later admitted was correct. I can see why they would do that, every pharmaceutical company and insurance company advertises with CNN. Why risk letting that insolent blimp of a man bite the hand that feeds them? Invalidate his points by calling him a liar, don't allow him to respond, then cut to a GlaxoSmithKline commercial.

I'm afraid I'm having a little buyers remorse about Obama. We get Gupta, and health care company pimps like Daschle. "Hope" must have been code for fresh D.C. whores, and "Change" must have meant putting the old ones in new dresses.

Richard Saunders: Lionel Mandrake - Gupta is a well-qualified doctor with excellent communication skills. The man is the perfect Surgeon General

Sure, but as far as Surgeon General's go, I prefer the comedy act of Jocelyn Elders.


The Surgeon General approves of your fapping

/she was a hoot

She really got jacked around on that deal.

ChemicalRummy: I'm afraid I'm having a little buyers remorse about Obama. We get Gupta, and health care company pimps like Daschle. "Hope" must have been code for fresh D.C. whores, and "Change" must have meant putting the old ones in new dresses.

As a person who voted for Obama, stop acting all butt-hurt just because he isn't the absolutely perfect liberal. Obama is never going to be able to do everything you want him to do in the way you want it done. He has to work with the tools that are available and use them the best that he can.

But whining that he is appointing two guys that you don't like is not constructive and won't do a damn bit of good in the long run. But if it depresses you that much that he is not "liberal" enough, then go find some reruns of West Wing and pretend that you voted for President Bartlett last November.

Code_Archeologist: As a person who voted for Obama, stop acting all butt-hurt just because he isn't the absolutely perfect liberal. Obama is never going to be able to do everything you want him to do in the way you want it done. He has to work with the tools that are available and use them the best that he can.

I'm not too happy about the Jeff Warren thing. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and get over it.

The guy hasn't even put his butt in the big chair yet. Patience people!

Best. Surgeon General. Evar



/hot

ChemicalRummy: MasterThief: Wait... CONYERS is acting butthurt over this? A) He's your president, B) you don't get a vote on the guy's confirmation.

Either he's trying to repay a favor for Michael Moore, or there's some leftover hate from when Jocelyn Elders was fired.

/wtf is this guy's problem?

Did you read the linked Krugman column? Gupta put out a hit piece on Sicko before appearing in an interview with Larry King where they both talked over Moore and called him a liar for something they later admitted was correct. I can see why they would do that, every pharmaceutical company and insurance company advertises with CNN. Why risk letting that insolent blimp of a man bite the hand that feeds them? Invalidate his points by calling him a liar, don't allow him to respond, then cut to a GlaxoSmithKline commercial.

I'm afraid I'm having a little buyers remorse about Obama. We get Gupta, and health care company pimps like Daschle. "Hope" must have been code for fresh D.C. whores, and "Change" must have meant putting the old ones in new dresses.

Gupta also has written a good bit against pot legalization.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO stupid in 2009. I'm not digging the Obama this far in many areas.

Code_Archeologist: ChemicalRummy: I'm afraid I'm having a little buyers remorse about Obama. We get Gupta, and health care company pimps like Daschle. "Hope" must have been code for fresh D.C. whores, and "Change" must have meant putting the old ones in new dresses.

As a person who voted for Obama, stop acting all butt-hurt just because he isn't the absolutely perfect liberal. Obama is never going to be able to do everything you want him to do in the way you want it done. He has to work with the tools that are available and use them the best that he can.

But whining that he is appointing two guys that you don't like is not constructive and won't do a damn bit of good in the long run. But if it depresses you that much that he is not "liberal" enough, then go find some reruns of West Wing and pretend that you voted for President Bartlett last November.

100 times this.

Assuming his is cool with teh paycut, Gupta will be fine. Its a PR job. Anyone but a bureaucrat.

i like how we even outsource the attorney general to indian contractor

From_The_Year_2000: Code_Archeologist: ChemicalRummy: I'm afraid I'm having a little buyers remorse about Obama. We get Gupta, and health care company pimps like Daschle. "Hope" must have been code for fresh D.C. whores, and "Change" must have meant putting the old ones in new dresses.

As a person who voted for Obama, stop acting all butt-hurt just because he isn't the absolutely perfect liberal. Obama is never going to be able to do everything you want him to do in the way you want it done. He has to work with the tools that are available and use them the best that he can.

But whining that he is appointing two guys that you don't like is not constructive and won't do a damn bit of good in the long run. But if it depresses you that much that he is not "liberal" enough, then go find some reruns of West Wing and pretend that you voted for President Bartlett last November.

100 times this.

Riggghhhht. Just shut up and tow the party line.

Is he in favor of self loving teens masturbating? Apparently, this is critical.

/He will be called Dr. Goo-pta

burndtdan: gupta doesn't have the wherewithal to tell us whether or not it is lupus.

it's never lupus...


or so i have figured out after many episodes...

Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

Code_Archeologist: What is wrong with the President having an articulate, knowledgeable, and trusted public figure out there giving health advice and explaining health care reforms to the American people?

Not saying he is not qualified for the job but what you mention is not the main duties of the Surgeon General.

PascalsGhost: I'm not digging the Obama this far in many areas.

You should go volunteer for the McCain campaign.

WTF Conyers?!? Is he the wrong shade of brown??

PascalsGhost: Riggghhhht. Just shut up and tow the party line.

Nope just have realistic expectations.
...or wait till something substantive is actually done as the President of the United States before passing judgment?
...or try not projecting your own political leaning upon him because you will only get disappointed when he doesn't make the same call you would have?
...or just try to not be a flaming douche nozzle troll?

Shaggy_C: PascalsGhost: I'm not digging the Obama this far in many areas.

You should go volunteer for the McCain campaign.

Hell no. Republicans need to die off. I just held off and didn't vote Obama cause of the FISA vote and his idiotic nuclear power stance.

phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

Yep. Read that and see how shallow his views are. Not a good thing.

Code_Archeologist: Nope just have realistic expectations.
...or wait till something substantive is actually done as the President of the United States before passing judgment?
...or try not projecting your own political leaning upon him because you will only get disappointed when he doesn't make the same call you would have?
...or just try to not be a flaming douche nozzle troll?


Why troll? These appointments of people who sill directly make policy are substantive? Ok.

phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

Wow, it's almost like he wrote that piece in order to solidify his drug policy credentials prior to accepting a federal government appointment.

Obama will eventually do something I don't like... but I seriously doubt it will have anything to do with the largely ceremonial post of surgeon genera. He could pick Josef mengele and I'd likely be peeved but it's gonna take more than some questionable appointments to give me buyer's remorse. It's gonna take me a few decades to forget the parade of clowns bush gave us.

Sanjay Gupta is a vaccine pusher with financial ties to Merck.

kronicfeld: phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

Wow, it's almost like he wrote that piece in order to solidify his drug policy credentials prior to accepting a federal government appointment.

I like this:

The Nevada and Colorado marijuana initiatives have gained support from unlikely places. More than 33 religious leaders in Nevada have endorsed the measure, arguing that permissive legalization, accompanied by stringent regulations and penalties, can cut down on illegal drug trafficking and make communities safer.

Perhaps. But I'm here to tell you, as a doctor, that despite all the talk about the medical benefits of marijuana, smoking the stuff is not going to do your health any good.

That's not a reason for something to be illegal.

Conyers is a self-important politician asshole. His own president-elect has almost ZERO management skills and seems to be learning quite well on the jorb. (just guessing)

I would guess that Dr. Gupta is even smarter than President-elect Obama and will adjust fine.

John Conyers couldn't probably make his own dinner.

phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

The reasoning in that piece has to make you wonder where he stands on the legality of tobacco and alcohol. Freaking nanny-staters.

Lawnchair: phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

The reasoning in that piece has to make you wonder where he stands on the legality of tobacco and alcohol. Freaking nanny-staters.

THIS

fernt: Sanjay Gupta is a vaccine pusher with financial ties to Merck.

This is what we get by voting for candidates from the Corporatist Party. You know, the Republicrats.

phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta


Actually I take it all back. Conyers is correct. This guy is not qualified.


/knows lots of docs that "party", even a neurosurgeon

Probably no worse than any other appointee.

Lionel Mandrake: Gupta is a well-qualified doctor with excellent communication skills.

who hates on pot.

PascalsGhost: Why troll? These appointments of people who sill directly make policy are substantive? Ok.

OK, then try having some realistic expectations. If you are expecting Obama to be the President to make it legal for you to smoke pot and get high... then you perhaps should put down the bong and come back to reality.

If you're entire judgment about Obama was made concerning a purely political vote concerning FISA (trust me if he had voted the way you wanted the Republicans would have bludgeoned him with it and he likely would not have won) then you need to come to understand some realities of the political process.

Why do I care? As Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, puts it, "Numerous deleterious health consequences are associated with [marijuana's] short- and long-term use, including the possibility of becoming addicted."


Complete and total horseshiat.

What are other health consequences? Frequent marijuana use can seriously affect your short-term memory. It can impair your cognitive ability (why do you think people call it dope?) and lead to long-lasting depression or anxiety. While many people smoke marijuana to relax, it can have the opposite effect on frequent users. And smoking anything, whether it's tobacco or marijuana, can seriously damage your lung tissue.

So? That's not your decision to make for other people. Why don't you go preach your intolerance elsewhere, prick.

Phil Herup: Conyers is a self-important politician asshole. His own president-elect has almost ZERO management skills and seems to be learning quite well on the jorb. (just guessing)

I would guess that Dr. Gupta is even smarter than President-elect Obama and will adjust fine.

John Conyers couldn't probably make his own dinner.

Phil Herup: phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta


Actually I take it all back. Conyers is correct. This guy is not qualified.


/knows lots of docs that "party", even a neurosurgeon

Wow a two part concern troll. You set it up and then slam it down.

I was amazed with the Boobies but I see why you did it so you could add creditability to your attack on him on the second one.

If I was not familiar with you posting history I might of been fooled.

Code_Archeologist: you need to come to understand some realities of the political process sell out on your ideals and blindly support your chosen party.

We all get what you're trying to say.

Code_Archeologist: PascalsGhost: Why troll? These appointments of people who sill directly make policy are substantive? Ok.

OK, then try having some realistic expectations. If you are expecting Obama to be the President to make it legal for you to smoke pot and get high... then you perhaps should put down the bong and come back to reality.

The societal and economic costs of pot being illegal are HUGE and not based on sound science.

Its the way it is to justify more cops and prisons. Not to keep society safe. It does the opposite. And the money involved...WOW.


If you're entire judgment about Obama was made concerning a purely political vote concerning FISA (trust me if he had voted the way you wanted the Republicans would have bludgeoned him with it and he likely would not have won) then you need to come to understand some realities of the political process.

If you put politics before the LAW, you don't get my vote. We just had a ton of that.

phansen: Why I Would Vote No on Pot By Sanjay Gupta

Good thing he doesn't get to make policy, then. Yeah, he'll weigh in on the debate, but the SG vs the AMA - advantage AMA (even if it's House v. AMA).

Besides, it looks as though Obama's gonna cut the nuts off the DEA - less cash for enforcement means only targeting the big fish. More and more states (hello, Massachusetts!) are getting on board with back-door efforts to undercut the drug war.

Sanjay Gupta is a great pick for selling National Health Care, and my gut tells me that this is the main reason for Obama's selection.