The Surgeon General serves as America’s chief health educator by providing Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. Prior to 1977, all Surgeon Generals served in the Commissioned Corps. Now the Surgeon General is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate for a 4-year term of office. In carrying out all responsibilities, the Surgeon General reports to the Assistant Secretary for Health, who is the principal advisor to the Secretary on public health and scientific issues.
Today the only requirement for being the Surgeon General is that they agree with everything the president says.
Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, M.D., served as Surgeon General from 2002-2006. On July 10, 2007, he testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and accused the Bush administration of political interference and preventing him from speaking out on certain public health issues like embryonic stem cell research, global climate change, and abstinence-based prevention initiatives.
“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.”
He was asked to make speeches to support Republican political candidates and to attend political briefings, at least one of which included Karl Rove, the president’s senior political adviser, he said. According to Carmona, he was even ordered to mention President Bush three times per page in every speech he gave. Another dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania, also required scientists to sprinkle his name in their speeches.
Dr. Carmona joins a list of present and former Bush administration officials who assert that politics often trumped science within what had previously been nonpartisan government health and scientific agencies.
Currently the office of the Surgeon General remains vacant.
[tags]Surgeon General, Bush, Dictator, Impeachment[/tags]
2 responses so far ↓
1
Vice
// Nov 6, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Yes, Dictator Bush and his henchmen have pretty much screwed us good for the past 7 years. One can only hope that in 440 days, the likes of Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzo, Rummy, and the rest of the loyal Bushies will never be seen or heard of again except in the courts.
2
couchmouse
// Nov 7, 2007 at 12:25 am
440 days… A lot more damage can be done in that time. Just look what Masharif has done in one week.
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