It's My Life ... !

medicineman said:

I'd bet that most of those opposing health care reform, or Obamacare as they call it, are covered by some decent insurance. They should be estatic, as all their buddies in the insurance business are about to make big bank off the middle class, and even off the poor under goverment assistance. I'll bet as we speak and listen to them bitch, they are out buying medical insurance stock by the boatload. Most of the posters here on the right, you can bet, are above average in wages. That's why they bitch so much about big government and taxes. Where were they when Bush/Cheney put in the patriot act and all the other anti-freedom legislation under executive order, Oh, that's right, they were too busy celebrating the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.

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CrackerJax said:

Hahahah .... I have encountered Nick before. Another piece of the puzzle drops into place. Of course, he's a govt. worker. Now I see.

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CrackerJax said:

Hey Nick...do you like to work both ends of every conversation?

Probably the only way you can post huh....funny you went straight to DEA agent.

I didn't....

My comment indicated your allegiance is to more govt. which shades ur objectivity... you are part of the drain on the country right now.


From 2000 to 2007, 93% of all new jobs created in the state of New Jersey were government jobs.

And their budget is blown sky high and are swimming in debt. Coincidence? I think not.

You are part of the problem, not the solution.

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NoDrama said:

Actually the "Left" have more money than the "Right" do when it comes to Congress anyway, 70% of the richest politicians are Donkeys.

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Nick Danger said:

I guess Rossman didnt have to take the Hippocratic Oath in South Africa, but he clearly WAS educated under apartheid. Ayn Rand my ass....its all about greed...narcissism....and the perpetuation of social and economic inequality. We, as citizens, have a right not to be fed poisonous food, not to drink poisoned water or contaminated milk....to be prescribed medications that are safe and effective. We can thank government for protecting us from these dangers. All these things comprise the inalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that the founding fathers of the American democracy had in mind. Yes...healthcare IS right for all citizens of the US, Canda...and most European and Latin American countries. Rossman is an embarassment to the practice of medicine...and as a physician...I am disgusted by his greed and self-centeredness.

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ViRedd said:

It's My Life! A Doctor Has a Right to His Own Life
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
By: Jonathan Rosman, M.D.

A doctor has a right to work for himself, and to charge such fees as he deems his expertise to be worth.

When I came to the United States from South Africa as a young doctor 17 years ago, I was excited. I was leaving behind an oppressive, racist regime, and I was entering a country founded on the inviolable rights of an individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I did not expect to find a political system trying to enslave me.

Doctors in this country do not seem to have the same rights as other Americans. We are regarded as public servants who are expected to selflessly sacrifice our time and resources to satisfy the needs of our patients--that is, we are expected to be altruists. For example, emergency room specialists and anesthesiologists are already required to do pro bono work, and managed care and Medicare continually try to squeeze more effort out of us under increasingly oppressive bureaucratic oversight, for less and less reward.

Every doctor, like individuals in other jobs, has a right to work for himself and for his own enjoyment, and to make a ton of money at it if he can. As individuals, doctors have a right to offer their patients treatment according to their best judgment, and to charge such fees as they judge their expertise to be worth. Conversely, patients have the right to accept or reject our advice and services, and to shop around for the best deals they can get.

Having the right to your life does not guarantee health or medical treatment at the doctors' expense, but it does guarantee that every individual has the freedom to seek whatever treatment he wishes, according to his own judgment and his own means. Individual rights means the freedom to act within one's means; it does not mean an entitlement to the goods and services provided by others.

However, not only have American doctors been stripped of their professional freedom by all the various oversight agencies (which include licensing boards, the Health Care Financing Administration, managed care companies, peer review committees and more), but--more important--they have also been morally disarmed. Our intellectuals have taught doctors that need comes before ability, and that healthy and rich doctors have a duty to support sick and poor patients. They have taught doctors that the consumers of medical services (patients) are morally superior to the providers of medical services (doctors), just because the consumers are in need.

Bureaucrats have eagerly latched on to this altruistic idea, and have erected a maze of welfare laws and regulations to satisfy the needs of the poor and the sick, and to "protect" them from "greedy" doctors. Thanks to these controls, it has become very difficult for doctors to think or to act freely on their own judgment. And it is the best doctors, the most dedicated and those least ready to relinquish their independent judgment, who have been the first to leave the practice of medicine when doctors' rights were trampled on. Who will ultimately be left if this trend continues? To quote Dr. Hendricks in Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged, "Let them discover, in their operating rooms and hospital wards, that it is not safe to place their lives in the hands of a man whose life they have throttled. It is not safe, if he is the sort of man who resents it--and still less safe, if he is the sort who doesn't."

To save American medicine, American doctors need to be saved from altruism. To accomplish this, doctors must vigorously challenge the invalid notion of a "right" to health care. Nobody has a right to an antibiotic made by someone else, just as he does not have a right to someone else's car.

Nobody has a right to have his gallbladder removed, just as he does not have a right to have his toilet fixed by a plumber. No one has a right to demand that a doctor treat him, but doctors do have rights, just as do auto workers and plumbers, to practice their profession (or trade) free from coercion.

To save themselves, doctors must proclaim openly that they refuse to regard themselves as anyone's servants. They should be left free to enjoy their careers as they see fit. It is important that as doctors we assert our moral right to be free. On the issue of their rights, doctors need to be inflexible and intransigent. They need to declare openly and loudly, "It's my life--hands off!"

Freedom is the dream that as a young doctor I was looking for 17 years ago. It is still possible to realize it today if we doctors defend our moral right to our lives.

Dr. Rosman, a psychiatrist in private practice in Pasadena, is a senior writer for theAyn Rand Institute in Irvine, Calif. The Institute promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.

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CrackerJax said:

Don't worry...lots of doctors will follow him and leave. then you will be supremely happy....right?

Less doctors, more patients.... sounds like paradise.

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tinyTURTLE said:

well, he got here from south africa, as unhappy as he is here i'm sure he could find his way back to the paradise that is africa. He won't be missed, whiney little bitches are seldom missed.

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ViRedd said:

Its interesting that you attack the author, but take no issue with what he wrote. What, exactly, do you disagree with in the article ... and why?

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CrackerJax said:

Don't worry...lots of doctors will follow him and leave. then you will be supremely happy....right?

Less doctors, more patients.... sounds like paradise.

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Nick Danger said:

Really? Where do you get your facts from? Here are the top 10 riches politicians in the U.S. I recommend counting their party affiliations:

Michael BloombergIndependentMayor of New York City$16.0 billion[1]20082H. Ross PerotReformUS Presidential candidate1992, 1996$4.2 billion[2]20063Tom GolisanoIndependenceCandidate for governor of New York1994, 1998 and 2002$1.1 billion [3]20024Ronald LauderRepublicanCandidate for Mayor of New York City1989$800 million5Arnold SchwarzeneggerRepublicanGovernor of California$800 million[4]6Pete CoorsRepublicanCandidate for US Senate from Colorado2004$750 million [5]19977John Kerry and familyDemocratUS Senator from Massachusetts and candidate for US President-present$525 million [6]20048Mitt RomneyRepublicanGovernor of Massachusetts and candidate for US President$500 million9Amo HoughtonRepublicanRepresentative from New York$475 million10Jon CorzineDemocratGovernor of New Jersey-present$300 million

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NoDrama said:

Don't you wish you could read? I said Congress, not politicians everywhere, it maikes no diff if bloomberg makes a law about garbage in NY city, I live far far away. Congress Buddy, CONGRESS, you know the real politicians with the real power.

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]1. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$230.98 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The Massachusetts Senator claims the mantel of richest Member in the 110th Congress. Kerry’s actual holdings, however — including those of wife Teresa Heinz Kerry, widow to ketchup heir Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.) — are likely much greater. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]In an April 2008 article, Forbes.com estimated Heinz Kerry’s net worth at $1 billion. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Kerry’s disclosure forms list the value of more than 180 assets — including Heinz family trusts and investment funds — only as “over $1 million,” rather than the more specific ranges including $1 million to $5 million. Senators are allowed to list assets in the “over $1 million” category only if the items are held independently by a spouse or dependent child. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]2. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$225.96 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The wealthy Californian, who remains heavily invested in Harman International Industries, has seen her wealth increase nearly $10 million since filing her 2006 report. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Harman’s report lists three accounts, including one held solely by her husband, totaling a combined minimum of $125 million in stock and options in the company. Harman’s spouse founded the company, which manufactures electronics under the brand names AKG Acoustics, Harman Kardon, Infinity and JBL, among others. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]In addition, Harman, who has no outstanding debts, lists a trust fund worth $1.8 million and an additional $2 million in multiple hedge fund accounts. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]3. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$160.62 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The Golden State lawmaker added $2 million to his bottom line in 2007, increasing his fortune by a little more than 1 percent. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Issa, founder of the Vista, Calif.-based Directed Electronics, which manufactures car alarms, claims an investment worth at least $50 million in DEI and $25 million to $50 million in Greene Properties Inc. Both corporations own and operate office and industrial properties in California. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]His portfolio also comprises numerous investment funds, including a dozen valued at a minimum of $5 million each. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]4. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$80.40 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]A descendant of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, the West Virginian’s vast assets remained stable in 2007, as his net worth increased by a little more than 1 percent. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Rockefeller’s fortunes are stored primarily in three blind trusts with JPMorgan Chase & Co., Wachovia Corp. and United National Bank, valued at more than $50 million, $25 million to $50 million, and $5 million to $25 million, respectively. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Another family trust is listed at simply “over $1 million.” [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The Senator lists at least $5.5 million in debt on two loans, down from $6.5 million in 2006, when he listed an additional $1 million loan from United National Bank in Charleston, W.Va. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]5. Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$78.96 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The Tar Heel State lawmaker’s wealth more than doubled since 2006, when he identified about $36 million in assets. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]According to Hayes’ office, the increase, including more than $36 million in new trust funds, is the result of an inheritance. Hayes’ mother passed away in 2007. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Among the holdings in Hayes’ numerous trust funds are a mix of stocks and bonds, as well as properties including land in Lake County, Minn., and Sheldon, S.C., valued at least $5 million and $1 million, respectively. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The funds include at least $1 million in stock in corporations such as Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Merck, Pfizer, General Electric and Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The North Carolinian also lists a commercial loan of at least $1 million to finance his private airplane. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]6. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$65.49 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Buchanan, the owner of several car dealerships, watched his wealth dip slightly in the past year, dropping $1.74 million, or more than 2 percent below his 2006 total. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]While the Florida lawmaker’s empire — comprising several automobile dealerships, an aircraft charter business, real estate holdings and investment accounts — amounts to $102.34 million, it carries with it nearly $37 million in debt. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Included in that figure are new purchases in 2007: a King Air 350 aircraft and a Learjet, both listed as debts valued at $5 million to $25 million from SunTrust Leasing of Baltimore. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]He also lists an Embraer Legacy from the same creditor for $5 million to $25 million. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]7. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$55.33 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Lautenberg, who made millions from the payroll processing company he created five decades ago, reported that his total minimum assets jumped about 24 percent, from $45 million in 2006, but that number is still not very revealing. Lautenberg’s two biggest assets are two blind trusts that he set up for himself, each worth $5 million to $25 million. Together they count for $10 million of his assets for this list, though they could be worth five times that amount. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The major increase over last year appears to be in his wife’s assets. She has several family trusts in her name, mostly holding real estate, and between 2006 and 2007 she received additional assets from her mother, Lautenberg’s office said. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]So in 2006, Lautenberg reported that through an entity called LCBS Corp. his wife held “over $1 million” of Mira Loma Associates, a company holding residential real estate in Riverside, Calif. In 2007, Mira Loma was listed twice at “over $1 million” — once as part of LCBS and once as a separate asset in Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg’s name. Several of her family trusts also purchased real estate and other assets worth more than $5 million in 2007. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]8. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$52.34 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Together with her husband, financier Richard Blum, Feinstein claims a diversified portfolio that grew by $1.8 million, or an increase of just under 4 percent, since 2006. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The Californian lists assets with her husband that include ownership of all or part of numerous limited partnerships. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Among those, the Blum Family Partners, owned entirely by Blum, claims “over $1 million” in stock in RAE Systems, a manufacturer of chemical and radiation detection equipment. The fund also includes “over $1 million” in a real estate investment trust. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]In addition, Feinstein lists a $5 million to $25 million investment in Carlton Hotel Properties in San Francisco and owns condos in both Tahoe City, Calif., and on Kauai in Hawaii, both valued at $1 million to $5 million. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Feinstein also lists at least $2 million in debt to Bank of America for two loans made to Blum Capital Partners. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]9. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$47.62 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Much of Kennedy’s wealth stems from family trusts, and the Massachusetts Senator reported almost no change in 2007, with an increase of less than 1 percent. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Kennedy lists one family trust valued from $25 million to $50 million, as well as four trusts worth at least $5 million each and a blind trust totaling at least $1 million. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]The Bay State lawmaker also owns a rental property in Hyannisport, Mass., valued at at least $1 million and lists a plot of undeveloped land in Lafayette, La., owned by his wife, worth from $500,000 to $1 million. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]Kennedy lists $1 million in mortgage debt from Northern Trust Co. for his Hyannisport property. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]10. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]$28.65 million[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]If you take financial disclosure forms seriously (never a good idea), you might be led to believe that Smith’s net worth tripled last year. His 2006 financial disclosure form disclosed net assets of about $8.5 million. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]But Smith’s worth is largely derived from Smith Food Sales, a purveyor of frozen vegetables. In 2006 he listed that asset as being worth $5 million to $25 million. In 2007, the value has jumped to the next category, $25 million to $50 million, so even if the value of the asset rose from just under to just more than $25 million, the effect on the disclosure form is to add $20 million to Smith’s minimum net worth. Since Smith doesn’t have to report the assets of the corporation, his actual net worth may be far above what is reported on the Congressional form. [/FONT]





[FONT=verdana,arial, helvetica, geneva]I don't have the very latest person who took the Kennedy spot[/FONT]

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tinyTURTLE said:

And the fact that he writes for the Ayn Rand foundation calls the veracity of his complaints into question. Other people who cite ayn rand have proven to be a bunch of capitalist purists with not enough heart or mind to equal what one whole human should have.

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