Surgeon general and health matters
I think it would be quite interesting to see Sanjay Gupta as surgeon general – I think he is someone who the general public would be receptive and responsive to, which is critical because the job doesn’t entail very much influence on the law or official policy vs. its potential effects on popular understanding. Although Dr. Gupta has had the rather embarrassing episode with Michael Moore (of all people to make errors about ..), I would hope that he would have a better fact-checking staff as surgeon general. More importantly, he has simultaneously expressed agreement with the idea that healthcare in the U.S. does merit substantial improvement.
Of particular note is Tuft’s rather audacious (in a bad way) bargaining strategy of dropping patients who have BCBS insurance. While it is obviously the insurance company’s sin to treat Tufts as though it were second-rate with low payments, it is irresponsible to use patients’ health as collateral. To me this is no different from taking hostages – you could say that you’re doing it for the good of everyone and that you expect the other side to give in before you terminate the hostages – but would anyone excuse you?
Burris and Blagoyevich
There is very little ethical argument for seating Roland Burris “as is.” I do not believe that Blagoyevich’s nomination disqualifies Burris in any way from being nominated, but Blagoyevich can’t be the one to do the naming. The one thing I do agree with the corrupt governor on is that Illinois does deserve full representation. But that representation shouldn’t be coming via a governor who has betrayed public trust over and over again – that would be the same as a dictator appointing council members – it’s not representation in any way. Instead, it makes more sense to me for the next-in-line (the Lt. Governor, if the office exists), provided he/she is not accused of the same as the governor (which Pat Quinn is not), to make the appointment when there is such obvious controversy surrounding the current governor (even if he is not currently formally guilty of anything). I’m not saying that Blagoyevich shouldn’t have a fair impeachment hearing, but given the circumstances of very important upcoming senate sessions and the prospect of a rather drawn-out impeachment process given judges unwilling to go the quick route, fair and defensible alternatives need to be improvised.
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