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A Further Perspective
Dr. Galt
The doctor is in — not.
Jack Cassell is too much for some people.
He’s the Florida doctor who told his patients to go elsewhere for treatment if they voted for Obama. The message posted on his office door: “If you voted for Obama, seek urological care elsewhere. Changes to your health begin right now, not in four years.”
It didn’t take long for Cassell’s Congressman, Rep. Alan Grayson, a Democrat, to say that he smelled racism.
“Well, in fact, where he lives, in Mount Dora, which is in my district, many, many of the Democrats who live in Mount Dora happen to be African-Americans,” explained Grayson. “So, by saying that he will not treat somebody who supported Obama, he’s saying that he’s not going to treat a large number of African-Americans in this community.”
Cassell told Fox News that the real purpose of his door posting was educational, not racist, and that he wasn’t literally turning down patients.
“I came across the timeline for implementation of Obamacare and I got a little discouraged when I got to next year and found that most of the ancillary services and nursing homes and diagnostic imaging, all these things start to fade away, and I felt that my patients really need to know about this, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I got until I finally felt like I’m going to put a little splash page on my front door and just get people thinking a little bit,” Cassell explained.
“I think there’s a real, real problem that’s going on here in this country and unfortunately Obamacare fatally compromises my ability, or any doctor’s ability, to uphold the Hippocratic Oath,” he continued. “I mean, I can’t believe that more people aren’t standing up. I think all the doctors in the United States need to take a stand on this, because pretty soon it’s going to be too late.”
Cassell particularly objects to the $500 billion in Medicare cuts in the health reform bill, charging that the cuts would effectively put a stop to hospice services and end of life care. “Not only do they want you to die at a younger age,” he said, “they want you to die a slow and painful death as well.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Grayson, trying to dig up a victim in order to challenge Dr. Cassell’s medical license and/or empty the doctor’s bank account, is reportedly looking for an Obama voter who encountered Dr. Cassell’s notice on the door and then took flight, thereby being deprived of medical care.
Taking a more positive view of Cassell, Investor’s Business Daily, in an editorial entitled “Dr. Galt,” describes Cassell’s actions as “a noble one-man fight against the soft tyranny of the federal takeover of the health care sector.”
“Galt” is the fictional hero in Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged, the individualist who organizes a strike by the most productive members of society against the organized looters, the socialists, the redistributionists, a strike against the stifling bureaucracies and inept governments, against the idea that man must sacrifice himself to the collective, that others are somehow entitled to the product of his mind, somehow owed the product of his labor.
In “Dr. Galt,” Investor’s Business Daily contends that Cassell understands that we’re on the path to where “Washington will eventually treat him and others doctors as vassals of the state,” that America’s doctors “will no longer be the owners of their minds and their labor.”
About the Author
Ralph R. Reiland is the B. Kenneth Simon professor of free enterprise and an associate professor of economics at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (70) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Ralph R. Reiland
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http://spectator.org/archives/2010/04/14/dr-galt
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SC Mike| 4.14.10 @ 6:57AM
Under ObamaCare, medical professionals will be treated worse than vassals of the state: they’ll sorely need Vaseline…
LQQKY| 4.14.10 @ 2:58PM
BOHICA -- Bend Over, Here It Comes Again!
Carol| 4.14.10 @ 6:58AM
I applaud the doctor for putting the sign on his door. Sometimes it takes in-your-face tactics for people to wake up.
There was a black lady who was interviewed by a reporter after seeing the sign and said "I wouldn't want to be treated by someone who thinks like that" (I'm sure she was one who called that P.O.S. Grayson to make her complaint) . Hopefully she'll take the time to found out why he put the sign up instead of just complaining like so many Democrat voters tend to do if services aren't provided to them like the Nanny State has convinced them to think they are entitled.
Just like elections have consequences, so does your vote especially in the age of Obamacare.
Speedbump| 4.14.10 @ 7:22AM
Dr. Cassel's action is merely the first of what should be done if we can't turn this situation around by the electoral process in November...in order to stop this outright theft of our personal freedom by the collectivists, we all may have to "go Galt" on the aristocracy...if that also fails, then, perhaps, this aristocracy will have to learn what the French Aristocracy learned at the end of the eighteenth century...I pray it doesn't have to come to that, but I will stand with my countrymen if it comes to pass...
Yumster| 4.14.10 @ 11:32AM
Ah. I see. And what did the arisrtocracy learn? Although I agree with the article, I'm getting a bit annoyed with posters who hide behind vague implications such as this, which makes us conservatives sound like we are secretly aching for war. Heck, maybe we are, or at least some of us. What exactly are you saying? That we ought to eract a guillotine and literally decapitate our nations aristocrats? March on DC with guns? Firing squads and roadblocks, what?
Well, I'm saying it! I ache for war!
Say what you mean and mean what you say, man!
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:17PM
Now that you've said it, one small "act toward aggression" against the United States is treason, Bubba. Enjoy playing "hide the sausage" in prison, wing-nut.
Becky| 4.14.10 @ 7:37AM
What about all the non Obama voters that will be unable to obtain medical services? Obama voters, like Obama, seem to only care about what they are, get, and do.
There are always those doctors who wore the white coats for picture opportunities with the president to go to. After all, they seem to feel they could handle providing service to the masses at less cost, etc. As a matter of fact, if you paid attention to the president last summer and earlier this year, Dr. Galt is a rarity, so there isn't any need for worry.
We were told all economists and it was implied all drs (AMA, etc.) supported this plan. Now they are surprised by defections?
I do feel some of their pain; I voted for Jimmy Carter when I was young and stupid.
LQQKY| 4.14.10 @ 3:01PM
If the messiah holds true to form, he most likely required that the white coats be returned after the foto-op.
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:19PM
And, so now you have compounded your youthful mistakes by voting for "W" and you're old and stupid. well you are consistent.
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 12:56AM
Hey Purple, from the post there's no evidence of a vote for Bush. Not only that, you use the present tense "voting" when the last election for "W" was a few years ago -- while the election for "Hussein" was more recent against -- ? -- I don't know the man's middle name -- but if "W" is good for one prez I guess "Hussein" or "H" is good for the current one, eh?
Charles Martel| 4.15.10 @ 10:54AM
It was "Sydney", but nobody called him that.
Besides there was no stupidity involved in any vote for Bush the Younger: to have done otherwise would have meant endorsement of a Gore or Kerry presidency. Now THAT would have been stupid.
+++
Stan Redmond| 4.14.10 @ 8:30AM
Pretty sad when Obama and the democrats who passed this horrible bill treat doctors as nothing more than slaves. They really believed they could control the lives of all Americans and expect everyone to just jump right on board the Obamacare train without changing their lives or behavior. This is a nasty law that WILL destroy the medical industry in this country. Who in their right minds are going to take the years and expense of becoming a doctor when they are expected to be nothing more than slaves to the Obama?
Old Soldier| 4.14.10 @ 4:32PM
Not slaves - serfs.
At the end of the Roman Empire, farmers were selling themselves into slavery to avoid tax debts. The Emperor forbade the practice and prohibited the farmers from leaving their farms. Making them serfs.
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:22PM
I don't know - how many? Maybe we should ask the doctors around the world who, oh, I don't know, are still doctors and not bitching about caring for their patients. The only doctors complaining are the rich bastards that have had the gravy train slowed a bit... the truly great doctors are happy to treat patients and now they will have an easier, though not as Wall Street profitable time of it. Yeah for President Obama and the Democratic Party.
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 1:07AM
Hey Purple -- there are less doctors per capita in every country on earth than in America -- why? Foreign doctors come here for advance training -- we don't go there now do we? Nope. Further -- I've used health care in the Czech Republic and Mexico -- where doctors apologized for the old level of care and the technology they had, they told me to immediately return to the US to get "the best." While in Europe for 3 months during the election campaign for Obama it was volunteered to me in Eng, Fra, Ger and Cze "Don't get sick in England" "France" etc -- and this is what you want? Not only that, the procedures, machines and drugs used in Europe and Mexico were all American -- this is what Obama Care will wreck -- then where do we get it? And if Wall Street was so darned profitable why did your anointed one have to bail them out with taxes paid for by doctors? Hmmm, you is confused!
Doug| 4.15.10 @ 7:12PM
"Rich bastards"... Okay, now you've shown your hand, dude.
I trust that when you get cancer, or develop heart disease, you'll demand a poor bastard doctor to treat you? An affirmative action grad who barely knows which end of a scalpel to hold? When I need a specialist, the richer he is, the more confident I am in his abilities. You dumb dork.
danny| 4.14.10 @ 8:37AM
becky, i also voted for carter when i was young and stupid. praise god the lesson i learned from that has stuck with me for the rest of my life.
Margie| 4.14.10 @ 4:44PM
I'm thankful I didn't place my first vote till later in life. By God's Grace I never voted for a stinking Democrat! That doesn't make me a better person, it just shows His amazing Hand in my life. :^)
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:23PM
Who is that, Reagan? he was a Democrat at heart - until he found out how much money he could make duping all you fools....
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 1:13AM
Hey Purple -- Reagan was a Democrat until he realized you were all socialists. Then he was governor of California -- which is all but ignored or forgotten -- as a Republican. But besides that -- he made his money in movies -- which you all disparage constantly: "He was only an actor!" He didn't go on some wild speaking tours like Clinton and Gore after leaving office, for he was an "imbecile" and "senile" Remember? And I find it funny that Kerry (D-You know) was so opposed to money making he just married a rich widow (a foreign born one at that, who will not return to her wondrous country of socialist mush!) Get your timelines and facts straight, it'll help in the long run.
Doug| 4.15.10 @ 7:15PM
Hey dorkface, I read today that the Obama's made $5.5M last year. Not bad for a pair of incompetent lawyer dropouts. Wanna explain that one for us, genius?
Richard Baker| 4.14.10 @ 8:47AM
Idiot Grayson won't be my Congressman next year. The level of anger in this district is profound. I guess that he has forgotten that the Physician is free to see whomever he wishes.
Chucktrader9| 4.14.10 @ 11:19AM
Who is running against Grayson? I would like to contribute to his opponent. I am sending more more out of Florida and my district to those who will run AGAINST the supportersof obamacare and against the progressive repubs like McCain and Lindsey Graham!!
brutus6| 4.14.10 @ 2:45PM
Becky asks, "What about all the non Obama voters that will be unable to obtain medical services?"
Follow Chucktrader's lead, Becky. I'm in TX yet I support Hoffman in NY, Rubio in FL, and I'll support whomever runs against Blanche Lincoln in AR. And I won't forget Ben Nelson in 3 years, either.
Throw the bums out! And if you can't vote then out yourself, support those who can.
Thomas| 4.14.10 @ 3:07PM
Richard, I certainly hope you're right. I can imagine how infrustrated those in his district must be. I don't even live in the state and I find him crass, embarrassing and totally unprofessional
streetfighter| 4.14.10 @ 9:09AM
Once again we have a liberal trying to paint with a racist brush. It is they who are racist.
Humphrey Dumfries| 4.14.10 @ 9:26AM
Here's the IBD article:
http://www.investors.com/NewsA.....?id=529344
Son Of Sam| 4.14.10 @ 9:58AM
They are not liberals, they are ObamaNazis. They don't even pretend to be tolerant anymore. Just look at the assholes who want to "crash" the tea parties: they're trying to "prove" that tea parties are "racist" by "infiltrating" tea party events holding up racist signs that THEY have brought. Does that make any damned sense???
stand strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam
MikeBee| 4.14.10 @ 7:05PM
Son of Sam,
The Tea Partiers should forcibly remove such offending signs from their holders, destroying the signs immediately. Then, they should demand that these people leave their group. After their signs are destroyed, they will leave, as there really is no other purpose for their presence there, than to sully the Tea Partiers' reputations.
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:25PM
If they are, they were taught well by the Republicans... hurts when they use your own tactics agin ya, don't it Chuckie?
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 1:18AM
Hey Purple, which tactics of invading political gatherings with fake signs and accusations might you mean? Would that be Republicans showing up at Democratic meetings and threatening fights like Grayson? Or would that be Republicans showing up at Democratic run protests where the flag was burned and Bush compared to Hitler and shouting "LOWER TAXES NOW! When do you want it? NOW!" Yah, you got your head on straight, but positioned wrong.
Doug| 4.15.10 @ 7:18PM
Give us one example to prove your point, dork. None of your usual generic BS with no basis in fact.
Doug| 4.15.10 @ 7:19PM
(Above comment aimed at Purpledouche, not you, Jim Hlavac.)
Don Rorschach| 4.14.10 @ 10:10AM
Dr. is absolutely correct. And, when will we Americans have the guts to stage the second revolution to get rid of these Muslim/Nazi thugs?
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.14.10 @ 11:42AM
Mr. Reiland,
Thank you for the column. I had read the IBD account, and your comments were right on point.
I truly hate to see our country's doctors presented these bad choices.
On a broader scale, these choices are going to have to be made by everyone in the medical field. Those choices are going to be felt ...directly...by everyone, if we can't de-fund come beginning in November.
You know, a lot of folks really do not grasp the scale of effect the tea-partiers are having across the country. Every one of us, (perhaps 25,000 right here in Houston), are talking to at least 20 other people to get their voting registrations up to date, and to vote in November.
When one calculates the "multiplier" effect of those couple of million active tea-partiers, one does have hope for our country.
I pray earnestly...........and work earnestly, for a peaceful transfer of power back to the citizens of our country, and that we will guard it more zealously from here on.
Best regards
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:27PM
Yep, like all the Tea Party storming Washington - all 500 of 'em... or maybe you mean the 2000 in Nevada for anti-Harry Reid rally? The numbers are staggering.
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 1:23AM
Hey Purple -- "storming" DC? Or do you mean taking the bus, train, plane and car on public roads? 500? Why didn't you see the videos of the thousands on the night of the Health-Tax vote -- you know the one where the Democrats waltzed through thousands of people to see if they could get some trouble started? Don't you have a clue of crowd count techniques? 2000 in Nevada for Reid? Giggle -- Reid couldn't get a 100 -- and the low ball 2000 is surely laughable for it's far easier to get "500" to DC then "2000" to the middle of nowhere -- surely you jest or are blinded in furious indignation that Lord Reid shall be no more.
(gee this is fun to counter this putz words for words!)
Ragin Cajun| 4.14.10 @ 11:43AM
...aaah the stench of double standards, if Dr Jack Cassell did not like socialism and 'Obamacare' why has he accepted Medicare and Medicaid patients all these years. That would be government money would it not. I do not buy the racism comment or care for Alan Grayson but I do not think Dr Cassell is anywhere close to John Galt.
-M
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.14.10 @ 1:18PM
Ragin Cajun,
Dumbshit, that doctor...and all of us medical providers do pro-bono work constantly, and ignoramuses like you never even hear about it.
Medicare and Medicaid pay much less than commercial insurance, but we accept it anyway, so we can afford to continue our pro-bono work.
We consider medicare/medicaid a "safety-net". We pay taxes to support the "safety net", just like you do if you have a job. Then we go the extra mile!
kiss my hiney.
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:31PM
Thank you for your service ... a respectable doctor doing his part. That's exactly why doctor's looked up to as role models.
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 1:27AM
OMG! No invective -- no wrong facts -- just a heartfelt thanks? Why, you are slipping Purple -- time to get back to the barricades - -you might lose your street cred. (Though do get the grammar right -- "that's ... why doctors ARE looked ... " -- not "doctors IS" -- geez, public schools was it?
Doug| 4.15.10 @ 7:24PM
No, Jim, just Purpledouche's plea that we all be good communists and accept our master's dictates.
John Jaye| 4.14.10 @ 2:47PM
Ragin Cajun says "that would be government money," THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE ANY OF ITS OWN MONEY,other then the salaries they get. ( notice I did not say earn.) ALL THE MONEY COMES FROM TAXPAYERS, AND IT IS OUR MONEY.
As for medicare, all working Americans have been contributing to medicare since 1965. Later on they started deducting it from our paychecks. It used to have a surplus, just like social security, Congress has been borrowing money from both fund and used it for other programs, and has never paid it back.
marylou | 4.14.10 @ 12:02PM
Congratulations Dr Cassel for the courage to tell it like it is. ObamCare is destroying his practice.
He wants all the morons who voted for the person who shoved it down his throat to go away.
That's his right! He didn't refuse anyone care! He just invited you to go away!!
When the liberal press doesn't like what you do, they automatically play the RACE CARD. This notice didn't say black people go away!
How predictable is the Liberal Press!! Since OBAMA was elected they dream up something to play the RACE CARD on a daily basis.
saleboter| 4.14.10 @ 2:38PM
The racist term is being so overused it really doesn't have much effect anymore. If everyone's a racist then nobody's a racist.
MikeBee| 4.14.10 @ 7:10PM
Saleboter,
Exactly! I think that, the next time we go to the polls, every conservative in America should wear a T-shirt which states, "RACIST" in bold black letters. Then, when a media fool attempts to interview one of us, calling us racists simply because of our conservative beliefs, we can state, proudly, "Yeah, I'm a racist!" America will catch on, and will laugh at the liberal media.
canuckistani| 4.14.10 @ 6:25PM
It is good entertainment to see "real" Americans complain about the "boot" of the "man" on their necks, isn't it?
If the doc had any balls he would demand cash payment only for his services and let the patient bill Medicare or the insurance company for reimbursement. He won't because his patients love being at the government teat and his honorable peers will find a way to steal his patients.
Start pulling licenses of these guys and then we'll get them aligned to serving the public in a system that has historically paid them the most versus any other global jurisdiction. We're not talking Johns Hopkins research "Dr. House" types here, we're talking a dime a dozen GPs that could be replaced with well-trained foreigners for cents on the dollar that can defer er I mean refer any patient and over-test as well as any US trained GP. Start there.
dumb and dumber| 4.14.10 @ 9:23PM
The medicare payment cuts are cuts to private companies that provide services to the government at inflated prices. Its called privatization. You know you conservative nutbags love that stuff. Well guess what? The government can save YOUR tax dollars by no longer being ripped off by these private corporations. The doctor would know this if he could actually read. THATS WHAT THE CUTS ARE OBAMA SAVING YOU NUMSKULLS MONEY!
Curtis Rasmussen| 4.14.10 @ 11:22PM
Legislate taxes for Medicare, expose tax dollars to fraud and waste through inept Federal management, followed by more legislation exposed to the same incompetence and fraud?
Make sense, man. Your'e talking in an endless loop of fraudulent nonsense, growing in size to a black hole of corruption that will suck the life out of this country.
Uh-oh! I said black! Which one of you Marxist propagandists will call me racist first?
Purpleguy| 4.14.10 @ 11:35PM
I couldn't care less if you're a racist. But being stupid, now that's another matter for a voter. The Medicare Advantage pgm that is being slashed to save 500 Billion is saving your tax dollars, extending the solvency of Medicare , which saves tax dollars, and puts all Medicare on the same footing. That levels the field for all Medicare recipients. Name one thing the private sector ever did for you?
Jim Hlavac | 4.15.10 @ 1:32AM
I'd suspect, Purple, that you do not live in a gov't supplied and/or freely found cave -- ergo Private Sector house or apartment (and even public housing uses private sector contractors.)
Put down that cell phone, get off the computer, get out of the car, chuck those CDs and Videos -- go to no movies, fly nowhere, eat no food and -- most importantly -- ungird yourself of your private sector clothes -- you are already a naked emperor!
Doug| 4.15.10 @ 7:31PM
Hey dumbdouche, here's an idea for you: tell YOUR employer to stop paying YOU to save HIM all that money so that others can live better. It's the fair thing to do in your world, ain't it?
"Inflated prices," eh? Have you tried taking out a building permit lately? A business license? Paid a speeding ticket? I don't see private industries running those scams. Guess which compassionate arm of society runs those theft rings?
Osamas Pajamas| 4.15.10 @ 1:03AM
No worries about what the doctors get paid by the government. Just stop serving the government's patients. If the government tries to conscript doctors, the the doctors should arm themselves and rebel and kill anyone who tries to make them perform forced labor [slavery]. Simple. I believe in gun control. Disarm the government. Arm the people. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Osamas Pajamas| 4.15.10 @ 1:06AM
The Democrats have this "enemies list" - denominated in epithets aimed at the people whose wallets they wish to hijack and take up residence inside. You can be a ‘Racist!’ and you can be a ‘Homophobe!’ and you can be a ‘Teabagger!’ - a homosexual man taking his partner's testicles into his mouth. You can be ‘Selfish!’ and you can be a ‘Hick!’ and you can be a ‘Rube!’ You can be a ‘Right-wing-nut!’ and you can be "Unenlightened!" and you can be a ‘Fascist!’ - altho' no one more closely approaches the precise description of ‘Fascist!’ than the usual Demo propagandist - either official, or self-appointed.
So all you have to do to occupy multiple epithets on the Demos' enemies list is to insist that they take their hands off yourself, off your wallet, off your property, off your kids, off your healthcare, off your car, off your weapons of self-defense, off your liberty, and off your freedom of speech. Insist on all these good things - and that qualifies you to be spat upon by nasty, mean-spirited Democrats who regard their right to do this as just another entitlement of The Friends of All Mankind --- by a gang of lying, thieving, sticky-fingered, bloodsxcking, predatory humanitarian thugs. No political party in the history of America more profoundly deserves absolute and outright destruction.
Richard Baker| 4.15.10 @ 8:20AM
Purpleguy:
I am constantly amazed that you liberals seem to sanction individual slavery to the state instead of Liberty and Freedom. I've also always wondered if you think your personal taxes and Liberty will remain unchanged while the rest of us will be enslaved. Regardless, since the anti-war movement in the '60s, with liberals it's ALL street theater. Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Donna| 4.18.10 @ 9:21PM
Dr. Cassell had every right to post that sign on the door of HIS BUSINESS. He is the owner of a private business, and can treat anyone or not treat anyone , as he deems fit. The "supposed" obama voter who saw the sign and left "without receiving medical care" is B.S. Anyone can go to any other Doctor . Just because this Doctor will not treat someone, does not mean that they will not get treatment anywhere else. Bunch of Progressive B.S.
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