Libertarian ideology rejects most of the modern regulatory systems that protect consumers, because everyone should be responsible for determining whether the hamburger contains E. coli on his own. But does that do-it-yourself dogma apply to the regulation of medicine, too? If you’re Dr. Rand Paul, practicing ophthalmologist, the answer is emphatically yes.
According to an amusing story in today’s Louisville Courier-Journal, the Kentucky Republican Senate candidate bills himself as a “board-certified" physician even though he is not actually certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology — the only recognized body that certifies doctors in his specialty.
Paul’s only certification was provided instead by something called the National Board of Ophthalmology, which is very convenient because he operates that organization himself. As the Courier-Journal explains drily, the American Board of Ophthalmology, which maintains a fully staffed headquarters in Philadelphia, has existed for roughly a century and currently lists about 16,000 doctors on its rolls. (Most hospitals and insurance companies strongly prefer doctors who are board-certified because certification indicates that they have kept up with changes in technology, best practices and so on.) The National Board of Ophthalmology has existed since 1999, when Paul “founded" it, lists no more than seven doctors, and its address is a post-office box in Bowling Green, Ky. He had claimed to be certified by both boards, but Courier-Journal reporter Joseph Gerth quickly discovered that claim was false.
When Gerth tried to ask Paul why he claims to be board-certified when he isn’t and why he set up the National Board of Ophthalmology, the candidate stonewalled:
“I’m not going to go through all that right now," Paul said while at the Great Eastern National Gun Day Show and JAG Military Show, in Louisville. Asked when he would talk, Paul said: “Uh, you know, never … What does this have to do with our election?"
That’s golden! You should try to get The Daily Show’s attention on that one.
That's golden! You should try to get The Daily Show's attention on that one.Unfortunately I have no way to get it to the Daily Show's attention. We can hope they see one of the news reports. It's been widely reported. Lois
Also widely reported: Paul’s penchant for plagiarism.
Edit: I almost linked to an NPR story about Rand Paul’s plagiarism, but did not because it was a softball story leaving readers with the impression that Paul’s actions did not arise from dishonesty but were merely a breach of etiquette. The comments below the story are far more insightful than the original story. The comment from Anthony Owens] is especially good. The author says he is a college writing professor, and he makes a strong case that Paul’s plagiarism is not only lazy, it is dishonest.
Rand Paul even puts that slick-ass grease in his hair too. You ever see that?
Talk about filling out the caricature. Is that a perm he was sporting?
Don’t get me wrong. 90% of politicians of all stripes will lie, beg, borrow, or steal to be up on the “dais”.
There lining up Hillary for the next go round. Senator from my state of NY? The ink on her NY drivers license was still wet when she got elected senator.
They’re all just phonies. I think we need to be led by phony people! That’s got to be it.
Talk about filling out the caricature. Is that a perm he was sporting? Don’t get me wrong. 90% of politicians of all stripes will lie, beg, borrow, or steal to be up on the “dais". There lining up Hillary for the next go round. Senator from my state of NY? The ink on her NY drivers license was still wet when she got elected senator. They’re all just phonies. I think we need to be led by phony people! That’s got to be it.And while we're on the subject Rand isn't from Kentucky either. He was born in Pennsylvania and raised in Texas. Don't get me wrong, there are several legislators in D.C. Who don't hail from their home states, i.e. the Rockefellers. Our brand of politics either attracts the vote whores or transforms them into one as they desperately seek political power and attempt to fence sit to keep it. Term limits might help; at least no one could accumulate the influence needed to keep their positions. I agree with John Stewart's contention that we don't need a geriatric legislature where 100 year old arch conservative white men run the show. But then again, I'm a progressive optimist The real reason these politicians stay in power is that John Q couldn't care less and one of the major reasons for that attitude is that they don't even know how the government is run, or for that matter who is running it outside of the Prez. Most couldn't even name their own governor. Apathy is the real ruler here in democracy land where 30% vote and the other 70 whine about it. I do have a solution and if you elect me to the WH... . Cap't Jack
And while we're on the subject Rand isn't from Kentucky either. He was born in Pennsylvania and raised in Texas. Don't get me wrong, there are several legislators in D.C. Who don't hail from their home states, i.e. the Rockefellers. Our brand of politics either attracts the vote whores or transforms them into one as they desperately seek political power and attempt to fence sit to keep it. Term limits might help; at least no one could accumulate the influence needed to keep their positions. I agree with John Stewart's contention that we don't need a geriatric legislature where 100 year old arch conservative white men run the show. But then again, I'm a progressive optimist The real reason these politicians stay in power is that John Q couldn't care less and one of the major reasons for that attitude is that they don't even know how the government is run, or for that matter who is running it outside of the Prez. Most couldn't even name their own governor. Apathy is the real ruler here in democracy land where 30% vote and the other 70 whine about it. I do have a solution and if you elect me to the WH... . Cap't JackI'll vote for ya. If I can be your Minister of Information and Culture. :vampire: But seriously. Good points VA.
I’ll vote for ya. If I can be your Minister of Information and Culture. But seriously. Good points VA.You've got the job Vy, with one proviso,you have to tell the voters the truth, oh damn! There goes my political career straight in the dumpster! Well we could found an org. To stamp out ignorance and promote knowledge and voter responsibility. I know, we'll call it schoooooooool! Yeah, we could tell kids how their government really works, I mean really not some "pie in the sky" bland patriotic BS but what PACs do and how lobbyists work their magic on our leaders, and how politicians are allowed to lie to us in their ads and what "mudslinging" means and the definitions of gullible and credulous and as the song says, "our leaders are the finest men and we elect them again and again" ( from Tom Paxton's "What did ya learn in school today"; I don't want to mirror Rand Paul you know). Also what the word jaded means in reference to voting. Oh, and porkbarrel politics. Can't leave that out. And the bridge to nowhere. If we can somehow convince the voters and potential candidates to eliminate these cancers from the body politic and use reason instead of emotion and vote whoring then we might have a chance. Maybe. Cap't Jack
... it is dishonest.Rand Paul being dishonest :ahhh:
... it is dishonest.Rand Paul being dishonest :ahhh: I know. Shocking, isn't it? :lol: