94 Comments
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shoehornhands's avatar

It's none of my doctor's business whether I vote. Also none of her business what my politics are. It's also patronizing and paternalistic for a doctor to assume I care what *her* politics are or have any interest in hearing about them.

If I'm seeing a doctor, I need help with a health issue. This defines the boundaries of our relationship. I'm not a child seeking guidance on how to think, act, or live my life.

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BalticSunday's avatar

I advise you not to bump into an academic psychiatrist…

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Will's avatar

There are many reasons one ought not bump into an academic psychiatrist .... 🤣

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Christine's avatar

Nothing would make me lose confidence more than a doctor pushing a political agenda.

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LordAzrael's avatar

I lost faith in most of the medical profession over Covid due to their insistence on things that could not be known to be true. It became clear that most simply repeated what they were told without critical analysis or at best just kept quiet knowing misinformation was being paraded as medical advice. Even now most of those doctors show zero remorse.

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Pairodocs's avatar

The "progressive" orthodoxy taking over medicine (and medical education) is terrifying. In Canada, our Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (which is responsible for credentialing medical specialists) is about to change their PRIMARY focus from "medical expertise" to "social justice". The AMA has taken a similar route. Aaron Kheriaty has pointed out that when doctors start to redefine their goal as the health of the "people" or the "planet" they are starting down a slippery slope that can end in disaster. I wrote about this on our Substack a few months ago: https://pairodocs.substack.com/p/save-the-planet-kill-your-patient

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Dr. Mike Henderson's avatar

In Oregon, we appear to be going down the same path: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/pages/air-conditioner-program.aspx#:~:text=Oregon%20Health%20Authority%20(OHA)%20offers,extreme%20heat%20and%20wildfire%20smoke.

Medicaid funds are also paying for air purifiers and power banks.

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Suzanne Fischetti's avatar

Wow. And people can’t get basic medical care!

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Heather Fitzgerald's avatar

I don't see why this is a problem. In my current state it is required by law that a landlord provide air conditioning. I am not in an at risk group but I'd be dead without AC. I'm not being hyperbolic. It gets up to 115 degrees here and mobile homes are basically solar ovens.

If the state of Oregon has expanded THEIR states rights to include life saving AC and purifiers based on a persons health conditions how is that a problem?

Maybe we should just allow old and I'll people to die if they don't have the income for these things.

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Doug Weller's avatar

I don't care that football players, entertainers, educators and medical professionals have political opinions or ideologies. However, I do care when they feel it necessary to use the inherent creditability that can come from their given profession to manipulate their audience into adopting their ideologies. As a consumer, I just want to see athletes perform sports, actors and singers act and sing, educators educate and doctors doctor. I respect their respective political opinions but have no interest in knowing what they are. In regards to politics, I fully expect the same regards from them.

Good article!

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Kiki R's avatar

At least Shematologist is exposing in her posts what a moron she is. Why would anyone want to go to a doctor who can’t think?

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tracy's avatar

"SHEmatologist" Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!

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DocH's avatar

apparently half the country would appreciate that doctor's attitude.

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Vanessa's avatar

Like many on the left this physician is believing she is more important than she actually is. Another reason why the public has lost faith in the healthcare system.

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medstudent's avatar

Our profession is disgusting. WTF

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Jim Ryser's avatar

Thankfully YOU have an opportunity to make it better. The best teacher is example.

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medstudent's avatar

I'm on it - believe me... have been since 2020 but it's been tough... the lone voice, not one will join me.

BTW, if my doc tells me to vote, I would really give him a piece of mind... no place for that in the clinic

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Jim Ryser's avatar

It does get exhausting to buck the machine; I’ve done it my entire life. And will continue to. It energizes me to see people overcome all obstacles! We old dudes need docs like you!

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TM's avatar

My dtr starting med school next week. I pray she finds other med students/docs like you! I had to laugh at Dr Prasad’s comment concerning conservative students, “I know how did they get in?”

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Catie's avatar

Sorry...I tried to edit my typo & accidentally deleted the entire comment. As "perviously," to my knowledge, isn't a word, I obviously meant "previously." Lol! Apologies for the error. I will pray for your success & happiness as a physician.

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Will's avatar

From now on, it IS a word.

My favorite word.

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Catie's avatar

Haha! Definition??? :)

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User's avatar
Comment deleted
Jul 3
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medstudent's avatar

🙏

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Diana Prince 🦸‍♀️'s avatar

One of the docs in my office wore a lanyard with a QR code with information on how to register to vote. She stopped wearing it after two to three days because all of those eager to register were future Trump voters. (I work in a pediatric office, and of course she was trying to get 18 year olds to register.)

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Eric's avatar

Most of my physicians are female democrats. Is it OK for me to question whether I am getting the best service possible if I am a conservative? I feel like political divide has people not caring if one member of the opposition dies.

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LordAzrael's avatar

Given many of them publically stated that the unvaccinated should be denied medical care during covid its not an unreasonable assumption.

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DocH's avatar

If you make your views clear to them, they will definitely despise you. Not sure they can help letting it affect their treatment.

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David steffem's avatar

Shematologist? that is pretty clear a progressive title. I don't want my doctor, those that entertain me or my minister to talk about politics or voting. Those tweets are deliberately misleading and diminish my opinion of her as an educated professional.

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Jim Ryser's avatar

Having been in the music business nothing disgusts me more than a musician thinking their “status” makes their politics correct.

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Jim Ryser's avatar

“Shematologist” is alienating half of her potential patient population. That’s pretty sad.

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DocH's avatar

She doesn't care. She doesn't like those people anyway. She is on the side of moral righteousness (in her mind, anyway). She'd prefer to just deal with the half that do agree with her.

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LordAzrael's avatar

She won't care because she will literally see those people as sub-human. She's the kind of person that was advocating for refusing medical care to the unvaccinated during covid.

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Sigdrifr's avatar

If she's at Stanford, it's much less than half. Still unacceptable.

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tracy's avatar

"SHEmatologist" Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

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Teacher for Common sense's avatar

As a teacher- I feel the SAME about allowing my political opinions to leak out to my very impressionable students. It’s unprofessional.

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Brenda's avatar

Exactly. For the most part I never knew the party affiliation or ideologies of my teachers with the exception of my honors history teacher who I also was an aid for and the psychology teacher that shared an office with him. They were both old hippies (I was in high school in the late 80's) and being in honors history and his aid led to some very interesting debates and conversations. But outside of that I didn't know and didn't care.

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TM's avatar

Had same exact experience! Graduated in ‘86. My honors history and poly sci teacher (who co-taught my honors English class too )did not like Reagan. lol. But he was a great teacher who welcomed debate. Did a book report on Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead. Boy did we have a discussion lol

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Brenda's avatar

Hey there! I graduated in 86 as well.

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Well now, isnt THAT special...'s avatar

Indeed "Drs" keep your politics out of your medical practice. The term "stay in your lane" is EVER SO APPROPRIATE here👍

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Compsci's avatar

We’ve (I) have been through this all before. Waay back when, firearms and their possession in the home was being taken up by liberal physicians who were against the Second Amendment in principle and civilian ownership in particular.

Instead of today’s encouragement of “civic engagement”, at that time physicians were accused of asking probing questions as to “if and how” firearms were kept in the household. Of course, the follow up discussion was concerning the old, discredited “study” that a firearm in the household was 40+ times more likely to be used against the household than in protection of the household and of course the need to dispose of them as they were an unnecessary “health hazard”. Pure political posturing under the guise of “medical care”.

The “solution” was simple and seemingly effective, gun owners were encouraged to officially complain to their local medical board of a “boundary violation” on the part of their physician. I’ve not heard of that particular “problem” in a while.

In a similar vain, I suggest that we officially complain to any and all appropriate State medical boards wrt these physicians as well.

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AM Schimberg's avatar

I'm pretty tired of moralizing about voting all around, like there is something inherently virtuous about doing so. If I am not given a good choice in candidates, I may choose to vote for the lesser evil, OR I may find the only moral choice is to refrain from voting at all. My non-vote is my voice about the state of things. "If you didn't vote you can't complain" is a bunch of rubbish.

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TerriM's avatar

You can always write-in.

My favorite write-in candidate in some situations is "Leave the seat empty"

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Jim Ryser's avatar

I voted for my chihuahua in several national elections. Local ones I’m more discerning for the German shepherd.

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Samhain's avatar

Reasonable.

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Howard Bampton's avatar

There is always voting third party, or as I'm wont to do write in "withold all" (this also silences the complaints about "undervoting"). Both convey that you went to the trouble to vote, but found the common choices unacceptable.

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TerriM's avatar

"Doctors have to prioritize what matters most, and voting just isn’t it."

Absolutely. And can you imagine the sum total of $$ wasted for every minute spent saying that? If you care, put up a sign in your waiting room.

But how about #6. You'll raise people's blood pressure by mentioning politics? You might as well gut-punch your patients as they walk out too.

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