Wow! Now that's the Ann Coulter we've come to know and love. This column is a home run..."I laughed, I cried, it changed my life!" Thanks! Made my morning.

Imagine the surprise of the Democrats when, in a few years from now, due to med school tuition and malpractice insurance,not to mention villification by their own government and society at large, there won't be enough abortionists to take care of the next generation! I can hear the weeping and wailing now.

"But as the Times would note, doctors in Burkina Faso only get $25 and one goat per year."

Yes, but it is a very large and nice goat.

As usual, Ann hits it out of the park, much like A-Rod as the Yanks close in and ultimately overtake the dreaded Red Sawx. (If you are a fan of sports or not, you can not possibly root for any state's team who are represented by a Kennedy and a Kerry.)

I would add that the crux of the biscuit is the fact the AMA does not pay as much tribute to the DNC as the ABA.

There is a 50/50 chance, arbitrarily, that your lawyer will prevail. But would you accept the same odds from your doctor? Like homeland security, a doctor needs to be right as close as possible to 100% all the time.

Perhaps I answered my own question. Rather than saying all the safeguards the government have put in place to keep us safe and free from terrorist attack the libs cavil that their rights are being eroded, in contradistinction to the REAL Americans who can see these actions as the REASON we have not been attacked.

(And, er, Ann, do you not possess a Law Degree?)

God Bless and God Speed

John

Hilltopbabe wrote: “(T)here won't be enough abortionists to take care of the next generation!

My head is spinning on this and give me a sec to sort it out.

If abortionists do their jobs there will not BE a next generation.

Given that I can see the Liberals wanting to:
A) Force women to increase their frequency of pregnancy to create a "make work" situation for the baby- killers.
B) Put a cap on the number of abortions a baby-killer may perform so that they may stay in business. Oh, they would also get a gov’t subsidy for NOT killing babies much like some farmers get paid for not growing certain crops.
C) Demand that the babies make a conscious effort not to be aborted so that the baby-killer can look like he/she are doing their job without actually doing it. (As I have said so many times before, wanting to do something is EXACTLY the same as doing it to a Liberal.)

You get the picture.

God Bless and God Speed.
John

(PS: OJ is only one felony away from filling out his punch-card to be Senator from Massachusetts!)

Yet another great one, Ann!

To become a doctor, you need 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, 2 years of internship, massive student loans and continuing education throughout the rest of your career whenever new treatments are discovered.

To become a blood sucking trial lawyer, all you need is 4 years of “1001 Ways to be a Schiester” and to pass the bar exam on your 3rd or 4th attempt – no continuing education is required to stay at the top of your field – just membership in the DNC and you'll get all the education you need in new ways to bilk the public. You don’t even have to pay exorbitant Lawyer Malpractice Insurance premiums!

The way I see it, the problem is with the whole idea of “medical insurance”. The idea of medical insurance was to help reduce the cost of medical treatments for the premium payers.

As an example: if 10 people age 30 pay for medical insurance, what are the odds that they all will get cancer; or all need an MRI; or all need extensive rehabilitation; or all have a stroke; or all have a heart attack? What are the odds they all will have a catastrophic illness at the same time?

The premiums paid in by all 10 people should be greater than the medical expenses paid out as a result of those 10 people. If the medical expenses paid out were consistently higher than the premiums paid in, insurance companies would be out of business.

I have run across doctors (especially those in the chiropractic profession) that use the insurance system to get as much money as they can.

I personally had an eye doctor that knew exactly what my insurance would pay therefore, he charged way more than the actual cost.

This doctor knew my plan (for this particular service – eye exam and a new pair of glasses) only paid once every 2 years. He knew exactly what the percentages were of each item he could charge against, so, he determined how much he wanted (because my insurance wouldn’t pay anything in the next year), applied the percentages and that’s how he determined how much he would charge. All of this finagling was done right in front of me.

Even after he “doctored” the bill (which ended up in the neighborhood of $500 paid by the insurance company directly to him), the portion I would have to pay out of pocket still came to $135. He was paid at least $635 for an eye exam and a pair of glasses. This was in the 1980’s.

He listed the cost of the frames as $500 dollars because insurance would pay 50% for the cost of frames, to a maximum of $250. Again, insurance would only pay once every 2 years so he made sure he received the maximum amount possible. The frames were not $500; nor were they $250. But, had he billed the true amount he would have only received half.

Insurance is supposed to help reduce the premium payer’s costs, not line his pocket and then charge me (the glasses - frames and lenses - were $200 and the exam was $35 - $235 versus $635 – more than double the price - go figure).

Then, add the trial lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits to the mix of those that are bilking the system. These lawyers have somehow convinced the public that doctors are the “bad guys” and insurance companies, all insurance companies, must pay.

Then, throw in Hillary, need I remind you – yet another lawyer politician, who has the fix for it all – namely more government regulation and higher taxes?

Rush Limbaugh said it yesterday. The word is Freedom. How much freedom are we willing to allow to be whittled away bit by bit before the masses revolt against these charlatans?

I wish I had something pithy to say other than the fact that one of my dear friends is a rheumatology specialist M. D. and has been so for quite a few decades. He works in a small town in Iowa and was featured in the local newspaper on the front page because he prays with his clients and his patients before any major operation or any major work has to be done in his specialty. The article was favorable and not damaging in the least. He works quite a bit and whenever we have been out to visit him in his home in the country he is on call every third weekend and he is faithful not to consume any alcohol and to be ready at a moment's notice for a pager from one of the hospitals in town about either a current patient or a new patient. If it is a new patient he has to get up from whatever he's doing-either eating a meal with us or just plain enjoying a movie or talking and he asked to leave to go to the one of the hospitals which is about a 40 Minute Drive one way. He nearly died several years ago from something akin to heart attack and had to have major surgery because he had blocked arteries and something else I don't recall. But he is in great shape and exercises regularly and is back to what he likes to do best and that's to be with his wife, his kids, go horseback riding, or whatever other project that his new home requires. He is quite handy in just about anything and we always enjoy ourselves when we go visit them. I do not see in him behaving as a bloodthirsty doctor to make money to rip people off but I see a dedicated physician who stays on top of his profession constantly and is on the cutting edge of the latest medications and treatments revolving around his chosen specialty. I know that's only one doctor but I thought I'd give you a face and a piece of one doctor who is dedicated and who is not motivated simply by making a killing. He does not make a killing but he does make a good life and as far as I'm concerned he deserves it because of the amount of work he went through for many years including his residency while raising four kids with his wife. All it takes is a few bad apples within the crowd to make the rest of the apples look bad. Whenever I go to the grocery store to shop for food and fruit and vegetables I set aside the bad ones and keep looking for those good ones and I think that's what we need to do in healthcare so we can drive out the unethical doctors and allow just the ones that are ethical to remain. Socialized medicine is no answer and it's no panacea just look at Canada and all the other socialized countries that are so far in the red financially. In fact many Canadians come across the border into America to get major surgery and other types of care done and pay out of pocket rather than be put on a waiting list. I had open heart surgery for a single vein bypass in 2002. If I was a Canadian I might've had to wait much longer than I did and I might not have survived because a waiting list for those kinds of operations is very long. So much for socialized medicine is a farce and it will not work in our system of government and goods and services. But if we leave it to the Democrats we will be a socialist country in no time that's why we need to staunch the flow of Democrats heading into Washington, DC. And we need to put a serious candidate in the White House who will stand up better to the Democrats than President George Bush has. We need to throw out the notion of the new tone that Bush tried to promote only to be constantly stabbed in the back left and right by everyone on the left and including those from some of his party. I don't know what a Democratic president will do if he gets elected when he faces the likes of a conservative French President and a conservative German President and a conservative United Kingdom Prime Minister. There are many more conservatives in other countries who now agree with President George W. Bush that he was right to stop Saddam Hussein in his tracks and that Iraq was a hotbed for terrorist activity and we better stay the course. But I digress.

Thank you Ann Coulter for a wonderful column and for one that obviously took some deliberate thought and research which you're known for. I hope is known for a scathing indictment of those that profit from frivolous lawsuits or junk science like the Breck girl, John Edwards. God bless and keep up the great work and whatever you do, please do not let the Democrats find a way to muzzle you or to bring about this Fairness Doctrine for the radio. Because of his starts there then it will start with columnists and everything else.

Well said, joemg51. Most of the doctors I know fall into a similar category as your friend. On the same tone, many of the lawyers I know fall into the category of their stereotypes. Sad, really.

Jay Leno said something funny last night that is apropos. He was telling a story of a person who wanted to sue God. (If I recall the real story correctly, the person suing God was doing so to make a positive point.) The punch line of the joke was that God would probably loose the case as He did not have any lawyers in heaven.

Your quote “I don't know what a Democratic president will do if he gets elected” is refreshing as you stated “he” as opposed to “she”. But, I am sure that we all know what would happen IF a “Democrat” gets elected. Much like you outline.

As “Liberals” have redefined themselves as “Progressives” I think we ought do the same for the “Democrats.” (Sorry, redundant.) “Democrats” from this day forward will be described by me and I hope all good Americans as “Socialists.”

God Bless and God Speed
John

Superb. As a retired MD I was one of many who worked 7 days a week, 14 hours/d, on call 24 hours/day, and loved my work. I averaged 150 to 200 thousand with $30 to $40 thousand in unpaid fees, every year. I am not unique but kept to my med school application promise of wanting to help people. The dr. who adjusts his fees to maximize insurance payments does not get my respect. I am absolutely jealous of Ann"s weekly perceptive and humorous columns.

nrhdkk:

"The dr. who adjusts his fees to maximize insurance payments does not get my respect."

Exactly. He was a good eye doctor but I lost all respect for him when I saw what he was doing. After switching jobs a few times (sometimes eye care was covered, sometimes it wasn't), I never told him again when I did have insurance - I submitted the claims myself.

And that is what Hillary and all of these other lawyer politicians DO NOT understand. Yes, it's a few doctors (and all chiropractors).

But, it's ALL of the ambulance chasing lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits that is causing "health care to be broken".

And, in my humble opinion, health care in the America isn't broken - we have the best in the world. What's broken is the insurance system, frivolous lawsuits, lawyer politicians and illegal immigration - all taking their toll on health care and on America.

(PS: OJ is only one felony away from filling out his punch-card to be Senator from Massachusetts!)

Okay, John...I know you have missed me...this little missive got me right in the heart...JUST what we need in the bay state, one more @!#$%! He'd fit right in, though, wouldn't he!

Thanks, Ann - please don't ever run for office or do anything that would take you from your columns! What would we do without your wise insight and superb way of communicating to the masses!!

For a short time early in my working career, I worked for a top legal firm. I learned very quickly that there is one, and only one, reason for a lawyer to fight for client. That is to WIN over the other lawyer...they don't give one hoot or a holler about the client...whether guilty or innocent, deserving or not...it is all about THEMSELVES! Making a name for themselves - beating the other lawyer - earning bragging rights at the local club.

And as long as I am on this subject, I might add that perhaps we ought to have a rule that no lawyers can run for public office. That ought to clean up the halls of Congress real quick-like!

Sorry, Cape! Present company excepted when maligning the Bay State! You are the exception that proves the rule.

I was away as well for a bit. Had to go to the Left Coast and did my very best not to get any Liberal, er, Socialist on me. Tho, did discover a fantastic Merlot that, alas, not available out of Northern California. Such is life.

(Anywho, OJ gets spung from the cooler, goes to the Black Jack table with Al $harpton and immediately is dealt "The Race Card." You wait and see...)

God Bless and God Speed
John

Sorry, Cape! Present company excepted when maligning the Bay State! You are the exception that proves the rule.

I was away as well for a bit. Had to go to the Left Coast and did my very best not to get any Liberal, er, Socialist on me. Tho, did discover a fantastic Merlot that, alas, not available out of Northern California. Such is life.

(Anywho, OJ gets spung from the cooler, goes to the Black Jack table with Al $harpton and immediately is dealt "The Race Card." You wait and see...)

God Bless and God Speed
John

Forgiven! and I most certainly agree that by the time the trial date gets here, everyone will have "race carded" it to pieces! Probably to the extent that there will be no trial.

I think he was so cocky after realizing he could not be tried again re: Nicole & Ron, even after losing the civil suit, that he may just be sweating a bit under the collar along about now - sure hope so!

I don't really agree with this article and I'm in the health profession.

True: Med, Chiro, Optometry and Dental school take far more education than law school.

True: There are many bottom feeding trial lawyers out there.

False: Doctors are more altruistic than lawyers.

Many docs are in the field for 2 reasons: Social prestige and money. I review cases for insurance companies and I can say from first hand experience that money is the biggest driver of what procedures, particularly surgeries, are performed. Foreign docs are by far the worst.

The docs that are the least greedy tend to be primary care such as Family practice, Pediatrics and Internal medicine. The worst are surgeons or any doc that can perform and expensive and profitable "procedure".

It goes without saying that any doc or lawyer that offers free services to those who cannot pay is trully altruistic.

John...had the same thing happen to me on vacation re: special wines - hope you enjoyed them while you could! I've always wanted to tour the California wine country...guess I'll just have to be satisfied with the NY vineyards (pretty special themselves!) for now.

Ann . . . you were a Dead head? Yikes!

Anyway,the column is terrific. Glad you carefully noted that there is no "charitable" organization called "Lawyers Without Borders."

But if you think about it, the exact point you are making with this piece is that we do indeed have a class of legal professionals in this country who operate as if they ought to be known as lawyers without borders!

And, John,

Please think about the logic of this comment of yours:

"As usual, Ann hits it out of the park, much like A-Rod as the Yanks close in and ultimately overtake the dreaded Red Sawx. (If you are a fan of sports or not, you can not possibly root for any state's team who are represented by a Kennedy and a Kerry.)"

So . . . you could root for a State's team that is represented by a Clinton and a Schumer?

Perhaps like Macbeth, "the expedition of [your] violent love [for the Yankees] outran the pauser, reason."

Ann, love your column... as usual.

I am a doctor, and here's how the story goes...

You work your ass off in high school to be at the top of your class, missing out on some of the fun so you can get the grades. And you spend time doing extracurricular things (sports, clubs, charity); not that they aren't great things & you want to help others out, too; but if you DON'T do the extra things, most medical schools won't even look at your application, no matter what your grades (some schools have 10-20 applicants for each slot).
Then you get into college, take all the right classes, again have all the right extracurricular activities, and also put time in now volunteering at the local hospital or clinic, and finish in the top of your class AGAIN.
If you're lucky and have just the mix of grades, personality and "social appeal," you get to spend ANOTHER four or so years slaving through classes, spending untolled hours reading, studying and trailing behind other "doctors" just a few years ahead of you.
And again, if you're at the top of your class and cross your fingers just right and at the right moment, you get the chance to spend ANOTHER 4-7 years in a specialty residency, working 80-110 hours a week (yeah, I know someone officially limited residents' hours, but unofficially it doesn't work that way) and STILL reading and studying... if anything, HARDER now, sacrificing MORE time that could be spent with friends or family (if you've had time to START one).
All this only to be $150-250,000 in debt(some of us don't have rich daddys) and just STARTING to have any kind of real income at the age of 31(sometimes up to 35 even if you took no time off or get held up at any time during the process). Also having to pay malpractice insurance(even never having been sued, my malpractice premiums have gone up over 400% since I started),disability insurance, life insurance AND still have money left to invest so that I might have SOMETHING to retire with, at this rate probably around the age of 70.

I've been practicing medicine for 12 years now. I pay as much as I can toward my student loans, but I estimate I still have 3-4 years left to pay on them. My income has steadily gone down so that I make approximately 50% of the income I made my second year out of residency. All the while working long hours & missing alot of quality time with my family... still. Our family vacations are spent wherever I can arrange a medical conference so that I can at least deduct MY part of the expenses. And the FAMILY vacation is spent with me sitting in a classroom all day, and my wife chasing the kids around a beach or water park or something.

All that being said, I never could imagine doing anything else with my career. And I love dealing with people -- doing my part to make sure they are happy and safe throughout whatever procedure they're having & after. But with everything crushing down on YOUR nation's caregivers (doctors, nurses and others), I've started looking into other options... other things that I could do with my life to pay the bills and provide for my family.
And, contrary to Samoyed's less than rosy portrait of this country's physicians, I got into the business because I thought that it would be a good way to help people. No, the lifestyle is NOT horrible, and I couldn't follow Mother Teresa's example... sorry. But the truth is that most physicians are smart enough and hard-working enough that they could have been successful at whatever career they attempted, but they usually go for medicine -- at least in some small part -- for altruistic reasons.

And no, Ann, sorry! I WON'T become a lawyer -- not even if one bites me on the neck!!!

sorry I went so long!

Trochilus wrote:
“And, John,

Please think about the logic of this comment of yours:

‘As usual, Ann hits it out of the park, much like A-Rod as the Yanks close in and ultimately overtake the dreaded Red Sawx. (If you are a fan of sports or not, you can not possibly root for any state's team who are represented by a Kennedy and a Kerry.)’”

Yeahbut…

No, you are correct, I have no excuse. Ergo: Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa.

If there is any mitigating circumstance to my transgression I offer: I am in complete denial, as neither of those Socialist Solons share my standing on any viewpoint they, therefore, do not represent me. Perhaps I did, in fact, get some liberal (read: socialist) on me when I was on the Left Coast. Hence, the “do as I say, not as I do” aspect of their ideology.

(I am not going to sink so low as to complain that while Clinton and Schumer are as useful as an anvil to a drowning man, at least they were never implicated in a murderer or made virulent anti-American statements in Congress.)

(Wait, lemme re-read that last bit again.)

(Hmmm... Never mind. You are still correct.)

CAPE: The wine in question was an incredible Merlot (98% merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, if I recall) produced by Berghold Winery in Lodi California. A fantastic bottle for under $20. Very reminiscent of a Stags Leap.

God Bless and God Speed
John

John...wine sounds devine!

PS Glad troch took care of straightening you out re: our respective "choice" of senatorial representation! Neither of us has any bragging rights, I'm sorry to say! But you can still root for the home team :-) Getting close!

ReaganGasMan-is not far off the mark. I come from an earlier time, so it only took me 8 years after med school to pay off debts. After high school, I spent 12 years in training and then served two years in military service. Burdened with debt and a growing family I got a job for $11,500/year. Family borrowing kept us going, just barely. Will single payer national health service pick up all those costs? The only way it can is by strict rationing (waiting lists up to 2 years, restricted drug formularies and avoidance of specialty care.) You end up with a two tier system.

Cape:

I guess you are right! At least I have a great congessman in Pete King.

As far as baseball, argh! After 14 innings to lose last night is a little tough to take especially with B'town winning.

I think it is a vast left-wing conspiracy, ya know!

At least Arsenal is winning! GO GUNNERS!

God Bless and God Speed
John

Thanks, Ann.

As a kidney transplant recipient, I can tell you how overworked and underpaid these doctors are. Their staffs can make or break them. That's another story, i.e., unions here. Doctors keep some real long hours every day. They have saved my life only G-d knows how many times.

As for what you did in college and law school, you know that "Confession is good for the soul." I must also confess that I would like to see some of those photos of your college indiscretions. I would certainly appreciate home movies of your dancing.....

As I said, "Confession is good for the soul."

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