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Regina Benjamin Surgeon-General...a fat lady?
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Anonymous
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She might have underlying health issues (hypothyroidism, diabetes) that make it difficult for her to lose weight.
Let's wonder but not judge until we know more. |
Anonymous
| She is likely obese because she eats more calories than she expends. |
Anonymous
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Obesity is a medical problem in this country, but access to health care (especially for poor people) is aHuge problem.
What exactly has this doctor done to help people get health care in her area? Does she have ANY understanding of the issues faced by the poor, by those who are unemployed and have lost their health care? |
Anonymous
You're kidding, right? This is the reason why she was chosen for the surgeon general's position. She has a very deep understanding of the issues that poor people face in accessing health care. From 1994 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981955-3,00.html One can only cite the hopeful example of Regina Benjamin, a rural physician whose rather modest original goal was to help solve the local doctor shortage in poverty-stricken Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Practicing there for a while convinced her of the need to know something about business. While earning her M.B.A. at Tulane University, she unearthed an obscure federal rule that would provide government money to qualified rural health clinics. Suddenly, in addition to her medical chores in Bayou La Batre, she was performing a wider-ranging function as an adviser to other small, medically underserved towns looking to open facilities. This, in turn, led her to a seat on the Alabama Medical Association's governing board and the state public-health and medical examiners' boards. Let's look beyond her weight issues to see why Obama selected her. He selected her because of her tireless advocacy for access to preventative health care for the poor and underserved. |
Anonymous
| I have to say, she's got a great resume for tackling the issues of the uninsured. Right now that seems to be the priority. Hopefully, if people start receiving care, they will then get more preventative medicine like help with losing weight/obesity related diseases. |
Anonymous
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I have a serious problem discounting any one for a job because of their weight. I also question whether a man would be held to this standard. I realize that this is for a health care role. Just like I wouldn't exclude going to an overweight doctor, I certainly wouldn't exclude her...
Also, I suspect that many of our public officials engage in less than healthy behavior...I just think it is not a good road to go down.. |
Anonymous
| I think an obese man would generate the same comments. I don't care if Senator so-and-so is obese, but this is a different role. |
Anonymous
| I would have said the same thing if it were a man. Also she received a free education if she agreed to work in a rural area and nothing against that but it was also a smart business decision. |
Anonymous
Why? |
Anonymous
Because there is a need for family doctors/GPs in rural underserved parts of the country. She probably paid some for her Tulane MBA though. |
Anonymous
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"I have a serious problem discounting any one for a job because of their weight. I also question whether a man would be held to this standard. I realize that this is for a health care role. Just like I wouldn't exclude going to an overweight doctor, I certainly wouldn't exclude her... "
Would you be cool with a surgeon general who lit up a smoke at the podium while communicating the dangers of smoking?? Doubtful. I don't think anyone would care of an obese man or woman took any other position but obesity is a major health issue. |
Anonymous
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It would be terrible if she dies (like her father did) of high blood pressure and diabetes while she's the Surgeon General of the fattest nation on Earth.
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Anonymous
| Seriously?? Do you know how many of the past Surgeon Generals have been fat? ALL OF THEM! |
Anonymous
| They were not all fat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States |
Anonymous
I agree, exercise isn't it. It's eating. Monica Seles, for example, put on weight (40 pounds I think) even while working out 6 hours daily. |