A New Magnitude of Interference

Henry Waxman gets some testimony from Richard Carmoma, Surgeon-General of the United States from 2002-2006, on the subject of George W. Bush's unprecedented political interference with that office:

Carmona's opening statement here. Sadly, people die when public health agencies see their missions undermined by financial interests and ideological fanatics and that's what George Bush is all about.

Comments

I understand that GOP is trying to resurrect Lysenko to appoint him as the next Surgeon General.

Posted by gregor | July 10, 2007 5:54 PM

Glad to see Waxman's spending his energy on the "people's business".

This is the sort of thing that makes me wish we had a parliamentary system. Hate Bush? Great, hold a no-confidence vote and if he loses call early elections. Instead, we get these endless fishing expeditions, while our entitlement programs go unreformed, our energy resources go untapped, etc. And then when the GOP gets control back, expect more of the same, in reverse.

Posted by Harry | July 10, 2007 5:55 PM

Oh, it's not just Bush. It seems to be a Republican trend. Remember under the "Father of the Modern Republican Party" Reagan, the CDC and the NIH were punished for wanting to figure out what this strange "Gay Cancer" was. Budgets were slashed and they had to do their limited research very discreetly so as not to be caught by their Republican overlords. It wasn't until Bush-41 became president when an American president even discussed AIDS - and then it was only in the context of pediatric AIDS. Too many really good people died who shouldn't have because of the ideological fanatics that control that party.

...And under Clinton, when Surgeon general Jocelyn Elders dared suggest that teenagers should use condoms if they have sex... oh the outrage from the screaming Right! She was pushed from office for that one.

Posted by RandyH | July 10, 2007 6:08 PM

I thought Elders got nudged out because of the masturbation comment.

Posted by blah | July 10, 2007 6:21 PM

I thought Elders got nudged out because of the masturbation comment.

Yup. Probably the sanest advice (along with condom use) teenagers could get in sex ed. Of course, the religious right wouldn't stand for it, even though there isn't a shred of biblical support for an anti-masturbation position. (Onan got crisped for withdrawing during intercourse with his brother's widow -- such intercourse being required under religious law. Of course, fundies will turn the bible inside out trying to make it adhere to their prejudices.)

Posted by idlemind | July 10, 2007 6:49 PM

Re: Too many really good people died who shouldn't have because of the ideological fanatics that control that party.

Do you really think an AIDS cure would have been found if Ronald Reagan had been more gay friendly? I rather doubt that. Besides which the sun does not rise in the Atlantic and set in the Pacific and even if Reagan had outsourced the CDC to Westboro Baptist nothing would have hindered researchers in other advanced countries from research.

Posted by Jonf | July 10, 2007 7:14 PM

Do you really think an AIDS cure would have been found if Ronald Reagan had been more gay friendly?

Straw man.

Posted by Dan | July 10, 2007 7:34 PM

Sadly, people die when public health agencies see their missions undermined by financial interests and ideological fanatics and that's what George Bush is all about.

Come on Matt, try to be a little more even-handed with your analysis. You should also have pointed that Bush believes these people deserved to die.

Posted by The Bobs | July 10, 2007 7:58 PM