Re: PA needs help passing Lyme legislation

From: A_Weisman (a_weisman_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 11/18/04 

Date: 17 Nov 2004 21:41:14 -0800

derdrittemann2003@yahoo.com (derdrittemann) wrote in message news:<f2af2263.0411171059.16ca72c6@posting.google.com>...
> GregGerber@hotmail.com (Greg Gerber) wrote in message news:<146041df.0411162345.afd8afa@posting.google.com>...
> > derdrittemann2003@yahoo.com (derdrittemann) wrote in message
> >
> > "derdritteman, while I understand your questions about logistics and
> > the wisdom of one bill over another",
>
> Well, that's a relief, anyway.
>
> "I am quite frankly stunned thatyou have failed to see the role
> politics plays here".
>
> And you draw this conclusion from what exactly?
>
>
> > "If you think that educational seminars for physicians will
> > counteract internal accounting audits commissioned by managed care
> > companies to bolster the bottom line, you are very naive, indeed".
>
> And did I say this, Greg, or are you now inserting words in my mouth?

Not that I read sir der.

> "I have to say: No,educating physicians and doing more research are
> not the ONLY issues"
>
> Again...did I say this, Greg?

Not that I read sir der.

> > in this most political of diseases, although they are certainly essential issues".
>
> Yes.
>
> I think you are talking about two different areas of concern: on the
> one hand, assuring that long-term chronics are not denied appropriate
> treatment.
>
> On the other, educating physicians and trying to secure better testing
> so that as few as possible become "chronic".
>
> Two separate, but connected thoughts.
>
>
> >"And no, counteracting medicine-by-accounting-fiat
> > with legislation to prevent that type of inappropriate control does
> > NOT amount to legislating attitudes".
>
> Well, Greg, I don't know really how to repond here, except to say,
> "nice essay"...but as you pointed out earlier...I was really
> addressing a question of methodology...tactics...not goals...

That's how I read your comments if that helps.

> To some extent though, it has always been my belief that the ultimate
> arbiters of this debate are doctors...collectively...the weight of
> their opinions will really determine outcomes...

And how to persuade them? Not with legislation mandating that they
think like burrascano. That is un american and wrong. And won't work.
It is unacceptable. Totally. Wrongheaded.

> ...that the nature of this debate is really professional and
> scientic...which doesn't exactly lend itself to "grassroots" activism.

In fact "grassroots" activism is counterproductive and proves the
point of Lenny Sigal and others of his ilk, that Lyme groups spread
fear and ignorance and are driving anxiety and demands for doctors to
do something that is medically hard to defend because there is
inadequate evidence to support it.

> "It is simply righting a wrong".
>
> Right is on our side? God, too?

LOL Well that does seem to go a long long way in politics these days
sir der. And faith has officially replaced religion so perhaps there
is a point? LOL