For Those Who aren't happy with Gupta as Surgeon General, you should read this

[berni_mccoy]

I've spoken my mind here as to why I don't like Dr. Gupta.

But you should really read this blog entry Dr. Gupta made:

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/04/extreme-challenges-how-obama-should-address-health-care/#comments

December 4, 2008
Extreme Challenges: How Obama should address health care
Posted: 04:16 PM ET
By Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

There is no doubt health care will be an extreme challenge, especially with the economy in the tank. A bigger challenge may be a perception one. To remind people the economy and health care reforms are truly linked. After all, we have the most expensive health system in the world, and Americans spend more on health care than housing or food. Here is a number to ponder. The United States spends nearly 500 billion more than peer nations on health care, and we don’t get nearly enough for it.

As a doctor and a parent, I can’t believe we have let ourselves get to this point. Too many people are uninsured, and even more have insurance that is simply inadequate. According to the American Cancer Society, 100,000 Americans will end up in bankruptcy because of a cancer diagnosis. Can you believe that? You are diagnosed with the most devastating medical illness of your lifetime only to be hit with the most devastating financial crisis you will suffer. Yes, the economy and health care are truly linked.

Last month, nearly half of all Americans surveyed reported skipping pills, postponing or canceling medical appointments and generally cutting back on medical care simply due to cost. The uninsured who are injured or who developed a chronic illness were less likely to receive follow up care, which worsened the severity of their condition. So, here is another number: Roughly 22,000 people die each year due to lack of coverage. For sake of reference, the number of people who die annually from homicide in the United States is around 17,000. It would seem being uninsured is a different sort of homicide.

The next administration will be faced with extreme challenges and health care reform has to be front and center. As you may infer, you can’t really fix the economy without addressing health care. Still, this reporter is optimistic we will see some changes over the next few years. Heck, the next administration might even deal with stem cells and obesity to boot.

I still don't like him for the misleading information he's pushed in the past (on various topics), but given that post (and others since the election), it seems he's changed his tune. Perhaps it's because he's wanted the job, perhaps he sincerely means these things.

For now, I'm willing to wait and see.

[leftstreet]

1. What do you mean by "changed his tune?"

I'm confused

[berni_mccoy]

5. Have you been reading the threads here on Gupta?

[leftstreet]

6. Yes

I'm not sure how you see him changing his tune though?

:shrug:

[berni_mccoy]

8. He claimed McCain's plan was good enough and he quoted Health Insurance Lobbyist groups

as "evidence". He also said Obama's plan only applied to people who have health insurance through their employers and didn't factor in individuals (where McCain's plan did).

The Columbia Journal Review did a good job of taking his "compare and contrast" bit apart: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8067160

[leftstreet]

9. So he's changed his tune by endorsing more in$urance coverage?

Essentially that was the difference.

[berni_mccoy]

12. Sorry, now I see what you are saying. The change I'm seeing is that he's not just talking about

money anymore. He's talking about the human impact as well.

[Ian David]

2. What does Michael Moore think of this?

'The Trouble with Sanjay Gupta'; ...by Paul Krugman, New York Times
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mikeinthenews/index.php?id=12995

| Bipartisan Objection |
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=13001

FLASHBACK: Sanjay Gupta Fudges the Facts on CNN (VIDEO) |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpKoN40K7mA

'SiCKO' Truth Squad Sets CNN Straight |
http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/news/article.php?id=10017

'SiCKO' Truth Squad Sets CNN Straight — Again | '
http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/news/article.php?id=10026

CNN Throws in Towel, Admits to Two Errors'; ...a message from Michael Moore
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2007-07-17


More:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/

[berni_mccoy]

3. I don't really know and I don't really care.

Gupta pushed misleading info against Moore and attacked his movie with falsehoods, for sure. So far Moore has been pretty quiet about the appointment of Surgeon General (other than to repost the video of him and Gupta debating).

[Ian David]

7. On this issue, I think Michael Moore's oppinion is important. n/t

[davidpdx]

13. I agree, Moore really has not said anything directly

Other then to post the two news articles on his blog (which are available on other places then his website as well) and posting the videos from his appearances with Gupta on Larry King.

Btw, I really hate Larry King.

[firedupdem]

4. Well I like reading that. He has to be on the same page as

Obama or he'll be dropped like he's hot.

[Joe the Liberal]

10. Only time will tell......

I'm not thrilled with this pick but I'll wait and see how it plays out.

[WhiteTara]

11. he's pushing insurance

not health care, imo

[bvar22]

19. So is Obama ..

!

[WhiteTara]

21. which is a far cry from HEALTHCARE

n/t

[bvar22]

22. Agreed.

Mandatory Private Health Insurance is NOT Universal HealthCare,

But I am afraid that this is what "The Centrists" are going to ram down our throats.

The REAL insult is that a Mandatory Insurance program (wrongly called "Universal HealthCare") will make it near impossible to achieve a REAL single payer Health Care system.

"Centrism"...for those who are comfortable being Half Republican.

[backscatter712]

14. I'll tolerate him if...

He goes through the normal Obama administration vetting process, which will likely require him to sell his investments in various pharmcos and insurance companies, to eliminate any conflicts of interest, and he follows strict orders to develop a true universal-health-care plan. Not universal-health-insurance with the same old spiraling costs, gaps in coverage and so on that makes it not so universal, but real universal health coverage.

[cascadiance]

15. If Obama ever goes after the media to do some massive reform I fully expect some Gupta comments...

... reflecting on how difficult it was to work for places like CNN where they were forced to speak the company line which lead to his lame interaction with Michael Moore and "analysis" of his film, and how he and other members of the media need to push back on being asked to lie about things like he was... If he's on Obama's team and no longer beholden to CNN for his salary, I'd fully expect him to come forward and help Obama nail the complicity of M$M "news" programming. That for me might be a time I might start to accept Gupta where he's been put. That and an honest effort to get single payer health coverage going through congress.

Though until this happens, I still don't trust the man, much like I don't trust many others on Obama's staff (Rahm Emmanuel, etc.).

[yodermon]

16. written Dec 4th 2008, which was after he discussed the appointment w/ Obama.

I believe, i'll dlbchck

[eridani]

17. Anyone who cheerleads for private insurance is also--

--cheerleading for those 22,000 deaths.

[berni_mccoy]

18. I don't see what he is saying as cheerleading for private insurance...

I see him saying: "What is the next administration going to do with the uninsured?"

And posing it as a challenge.

[eridani]

20. His entire body of commentary states that those uninsured will be left to the mercy

--of private insurance. The large number of uninsured is CAUSED BY private insurance, which he refuses to recognize.