Don't let the Senate confirm this whackjob

As you may be aware, President Bush in May nominated Dr. James Holsinger to take over as United States Surgeon General. As the testimony of former Surgeon General Richard Carmona suggests, the position of the nation's top doctor has been politicized to the same degree as many other departments within the executive branch.

The nomination of Dr. Holsinger represents the latest in a long line of appointments, firings, and muzzlings, that have marked the Bush administration. For those unaware of Holsinger's "psuedo-scientific" background, you can check some of it out here. Sure, Dr. Holsinger may not be advocating blood-letting or trepanation, but he's a reactionary all the same.

In the coming months, the Senate Commitee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will decide whether to recommend Dr. Holsinger for Senate confirmation. You can write the commitee at help_comments@help.senate.gov.

Here's a copy of the letter I sent:


Dear Senators,

I implore you to take a stand with regard to President Bush's nominee to the post of US Surgeon General. Senate confirmation hearing should be more than a formality, especially in light of the current scenario of a Democratic-controlled Congress and a conservative, ideologically-driven President.

As the brief careers of Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito have shown, claims of objective bi-partisanism during confirmation hearings should be taken with a grain of salt given the rampant cronyism exhibited by the Bush White House.

Dr. Holsinger, despite what he may have you believe, is, and always will be a religious ideologue. While science and religion certainly are not mutually exclusive, our great nation deserves to have a chief medical advocate dedicated primarily to the advancement of science and medicine. From what we know of Dr. Holsinger, it can be fairly asserted that his career has been predicated on the perversion of science and medicine, putting political and ideological beliefs ahead of scientific fact. Science, by very definition, implies advancement of knowledge. Dr. Holsinger's views signify a scientific regression, to a time when stem cells were a mystery and people thought homosexuality was a disorder. As a founder of an extreme Christian congregation, I would also have serious concerns about Holsinger's commitment to near-scientific certainties like evolution and global warming.

It is the responsibility of this committee to determine whether the president's current nominee is up to the task of being the NATION'S doctor. I would contend, from what we know about the President's own ideology, his history of extreme cronyism, the recent testimony of former Surgeon General Carmona, and Dr. Holsinger's own extreme views, the Senate must refuse to confirm the present nominee.

As there are several 2008 presidential hopefuls on this committee, I know I will base my vote, in part, upon the decision of this committee's members. I know this appointment would only last a year and a half, but as Bush has demonstrated with this nomination, he intends to push his extreme right-wing agenda until the day he leaves office.

I believe I represent a large number of Americans who desire a return to a time when government appointees served the public interest of all Americans, not the political interest of some Americans.

Sincerely,

Nick Mitchell