Today's Article
Richard Carmona
testified to House
panel that Bush
appointees wanted
to make him 'the
doctor of a political
party'.
testified to House
panel that Bush
appointees wanted
to make him 'the
doctor of a political
party'.
The American Spark
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Former Surgeon General Says Bush Administration 'Ignoring
Science'
By Cliff Montgomery - July 23rd, 2007
There's been much talk about the recent testimony of former Surgeon General (2002-2006) Richard Carmona
before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The good doctor's diagnosis is that the
Bush Administration is more interested in making the Surgeon General “the doctor of a political party”, rather
than “the doctor of the nation”.
But very few people know what Dr. Carmona actually said before the House panel. That's why we're quoting the
segment of his testimony which started all the ruckus, so you can decide the matter for yourself.
This is from Dr. Carmona's testimony as found in the Congressional Record, and released on July 10th, 2007:
"Being nominated and confirmed as the United States Surgeon General is still a surreal event for me. I will
never forget the extraordinary privilege that the President of the United States and the Senate extended to me
in allowing me to serve my country once again in uniform.
"I am truly grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me by our great nation to work hard, study
harder, and gain expertise in my chosen fields. That expertise brought me the opportunity to be considered
and then nominated for the position of U.S. Surgeon General. I was humbled to be nominated and confirmed
soon after 9-11--at a time when our nation needed leadership in public health and preparedness perhaps more
than ever before.
"As grateful as I am to my country for the opportunities that I have been afforded, that sense of appreciation
will never allow me to become complacent in my commitment to continue to improve the health, safety, and
security of our nation and the world. For as members of a very small and unique fraternity of Surgeons
General, we all believe that 'Once a Surgeon General, always a Surgeon General.'
"Before serving as Surgeon General, I did not know the President, or any member of his cabinet or other
advisors. I knew my local elected and appointed leaders in Arizona, whom I worked with on many community
efforts to improve the economic, health, and education infrastructure of our communities and our state.
"I came to Washington, D.C., having served as a U.S. Army Special Forces medic and weapons specialist, a
registered nurse, police officer and SWAT team leader, surgeon, CEO of a public hospital and health system,
and a university professor.
"I also came to the Office of the Surgeon General knowing what it feels like to be a poor child, whose family
sometimes had to stand in line at public hospitals, waiting for health care, not knowing how we would pay the
doctor’s bill, and sometimes not even knowing where our next meal would come from.
"I came to our nation’s capital ready to serve all people, and prepared to carry on what I believed was a
tradition of implementing non-partisan, evidence-based solutions to public health challenges.
"My fellow U.S. Surgeons General warned me that partisan political agendas often undermine the public
health and well-being of our nation.
"During my first year as Surgeon General, I was still quite politically naïve in the ways of the Beltway. As I
witnessed partisanship and political manipulation, I was astounded but also unsure of what I was witnessing--
for I had no reference point. I asked myself whether this was just happening to me as the new Surgeon
General, or whether this was the norm for all Surgeons General.
"I turned to my fellow Surgeons General, the men and women who came before me and had made
tremendous positive contributions to the science and practice of public health, who had saved and improved
millions of lives through their work and dedication. They became my mentors.
"They said that they had all been challenged and had to fight political battles in order to do their job as 'the
doctor of the nation.' But each agreed that never had they seen Washington, D.C. so partisan or a new
Surgeon General so politically challenged and marginalized as during my tenure.
"They told me that although most Americans believe that their Surgeon General has the ability to impact the
course of public health as 'the nation’s doctor,' the reality is that the nation’s doctor has been marginalized and
relegated to a position with no independent budget, and with supervisors who are political appointees with
partisan agendas.
"Anything that doesn’t fit into the political appointees’ ideological, theological, or political agenda is ignored,
marginalized, or simply buried.
"The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than
ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds.
"The job of Surgeon General is to be 'the doctor of the nation'--not 'the doctor of a political party.'"
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
Science'
By Cliff Montgomery - July 23rd, 2007
There's been much talk about the recent testimony of former Surgeon General (2002-2006) Richard Carmona
before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The good doctor's diagnosis is that the
Bush Administration is more interested in making the Surgeon General “the doctor of a political party”, rather
than “the doctor of the nation”.
But very few people know what Dr. Carmona actually said before the House panel. That's why we're quoting the
segment of his testimony which started all the ruckus, so you can decide the matter for yourself.
This is from Dr. Carmona's testimony as found in the Congressional Record, and released on July 10th, 2007:
"Being nominated and confirmed as the United States Surgeon General is still a surreal event for me. I will
never forget the extraordinary privilege that the President of the United States and the Senate extended to me
in allowing me to serve my country once again in uniform.
"I am truly grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me by our great nation to work hard, study
harder, and gain expertise in my chosen fields. That expertise brought me the opportunity to be considered
and then nominated for the position of U.S. Surgeon General. I was humbled to be nominated and confirmed
soon after 9-11--at a time when our nation needed leadership in public health and preparedness perhaps more
than ever before.
"As grateful as I am to my country for the opportunities that I have been afforded, that sense of appreciation
will never allow me to become complacent in my commitment to continue to improve the health, safety, and
security of our nation and the world. For as members of a very small and unique fraternity of Surgeons
General, we all believe that 'Once a Surgeon General, always a Surgeon General.'
"Before serving as Surgeon General, I did not know the President, or any member of his cabinet or other
advisors. I knew my local elected and appointed leaders in Arizona, whom I worked with on many community
efforts to improve the economic, health, and education infrastructure of our communities and our state.
"I came to Washington, D.C., having served as a U.S. Army Special Forces medic and weapons specialist, a
registered nurse, police officer and SWAT team leader, surgeon, CEO of a public hospital and health system,
and a university professor.
"I also came to the Office of the Surgeon General knowing what it feels like to be a poor child, whose family
sometimes had to stand in line at public hospitals, waiting for health care, not knowing how we would pay the
doctor’s bill, and sometimes not even knowing where our next meal would come from.
"I came to our nation’s capital ready to serve all people, and prepared to carry on what I believed was a
tradition of implementing non-partisan, evidence-based solutions to public health challenges.
"My fellow U.S. Surgeons General warned me that partisan political agendas often undermine the public
health and well-being of our nation.
"During my first year as Surgeon General, I was still quite politically naïve in the ways of the Beltway. As I
witnessed partisanship and political manipulation, I was astounded but also unsure of what I was witnessing--
for I had no reference point. I asked myself whether this was just happening to me as the new Surgeon
General, or whether this was the norm for all Surgeons General.
"I turned to my fellow Surgeons General, the men and women who came before me and had made
tremendous positive contributions to the science and practice of public health, who had saved and improved
millions of lives through their work and dedication. They became my mentors.
"They said that they had all been challenged and had to fight political battles in order to do their job as 'the
doctor of the nation.' But each agreed that never had they seen Washington, D.C. so partisan or a new
Surgeon General so politically challenged and marginalized as during my tenure.
"They told me that although most Americans believe that their Surgeon General has the ability to impact the
course of public health as 'the nation’s doctor,' the reality is that the nation’s doctor has been marginalized and
relegated to a position with no independent budget, and with supervisors who are political appointees with
partisan agendas.
"Anything that doesn’t fit into the political appointees’ ideological, theological, or political agenda is ignored,
marginalized, or simply buried.
"The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than
ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds.
"The job of Surgeon General is to be 'the doctor of the nation'--not 'the doctor of a political party.'"
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!