There’s been a tendency on the part of some of us ne’er-say-die types to hope that, once President Obama got past this economic crisis stuff (and forgetting about whatever giveaways he’s engaged in on the financial front), he’d be ready to think hard about this country’s real healthcare issues.
We’d learn that his letter during the summer of 2007, expressing support of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s war on raw milk was just an aberration, an example of an overzealous staffer handling his correspondence. When he focused on the real issues, we’d find out that his intelligence and thoughtfulness could lead to real change in such health care issues as:
The conflict between conventional and holistic care; the plague of chronic disease; the over-emphasis on reducing fat consumption; the shrill warnings about raw dairy and the coming crackdown on food-borne illness via ever-tougher regulations on small farms.
But in a new interview published in today’s New York Times, Obama provides the first true insight I’ve seen as to how he views the conventional healthcare system, from a patient perspective, and I’m afraid it aligns perfectly with the letter he wrote supporting the FDA and opposing raw dairy. It’s a very long interview, but here are the key two paragraphs:
“I have always said, though, that we should not overstate the degree to which consumers rather than doctors are going to be driving treatment, because, I just speak from my own experience, I’m a pretty-well-educated layperson when it comes to medical care; I know how to ask good questions of my doctor. But ultimately, he’s the guy with the medical degree. So, if he tells me, You know what, you’ve got such-and-such and you need to take such-and-such, I don’t go around arguing with him or go online to see if I can find a better opinion than his.
“And so, in that sense, there’s always going to be an asymmetry of information between patient and provider.”
“An asymmetry of information” is technocratese for “the professionals and bureaucrats know more about your health than you do, and don’t you ever forget it.”
I appreciate that part of his intent is to reassure physicians they won’t lose out in government-backed health care, but that isn’t really the issue he’s addressing. He’s telling us how he sees his role as a patient, and it’s the traditional role—tell me what to do doc– through and through.
I’ve admired Obama’s throughtfulness and level-headedness–he’s such a wonderful contrast to our previous president–but it’s clear this guy has never had to deal with a difficult medical problem of his own or in his family, that’s required him to reflect on the reality that most doctors know nothing about nutrition, and so disparage it and over-depend on pharmaceuticals and surgery. From his perspecitve as someone who’s always been healthy, what the docs say seems to be working.
Since he’s never had to question the system for himself, it’s going to be very difficult for him to understand why he should question it on behalf of others.
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Virginia farmer and teacher Joel Salatin stars in a new documentary due out later this month, entitled “Fresh”. According to its web site, the documentary “celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.” You can also see a trailer at the site, and obtain a schedule of screenings around the country.
Chameleons can alter color all they want….they still, at the end of the day, are ….lizards.
No David…won’t happen soon…but the more raw milk drinking elected officials we can elect…the better our chances will be in the long run….because once you’ve drank it, it’s hard to lie about it.
I think that Bill Maher is the best bet to ghet our message out.
He has been harping about personal responsibility and nutrition being the foundation of prevention….he has also said that modern medical doctors and their beloved drugs kill more far more than realized.
My next media goal is to get onto Bills show along with a smart doctor.
Guaranteed the FDA will not show up when invited and that will be the opening humor piece for Bill.
Any bets….
….we will get onto Bills show with in one year…thats my bet and pledge.
The message is simple…sterile, processed,preserved, pasteurized foods with antibiotics as the cherry on top…has created massive immune depression in America.
80% of what makes us human and strong is the biodiversity of bacteria in our bodies.
Raw Milk is the glass that holds it all…all the good bacteria and emzymes and good fats.
Then march the raw milk drinkers and their stories across the stage.
Raw milk would sweep America….Oprah would follow in a few days.
President Obama would have us as guests at the White House and we would be nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor. There would be cows right next to the organic garden at the White House.
Monsanto and Novartis CEO’s would start jumping out of tenth story windows as their stock values drop.
What a day….lets make it happen. I saw the seeds of this change on Saturday at the Fresno Farmers Market….this is going to happen.
Mark
So disappointing to read about Obama’s status quo position. I guess Milk Farmer summed it up just right. We still have some wallet power though. They will follow our money. Did you all see Cathy Raymond’s facebook blog? Pretty neat!
-Blair
David, can you imagine your condition had you NOT asked questions? I have always encouraged patients to write down questions and write down what is being explained to them and take responsibility for thier health. Only a fool would not ask questions or research what they are told. I hadn’t taken him for a fool in the past, the above words change my opinion.
I think many had hope that this country would change for the positive, and they are seeing it is just more of the same…..
Here in Pa. the spring rains have been timely the grass is fast growing dark green and the milk, cream and especially the butter is a golden deep yellow color and tastes SOOO good but TPTB [FDA CDC PDA] say we should never ever consume this for any reason.
Sorry they are missing out on this great stuff.
To even think of adding more drugs to drinking water leaves one speechless. what’s in the water that they haven’t told us about?
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfmay09/nf050409-3.htm
"For the first time in more than three decades, Social Security recipients will not get any increase in their benefits next year, federal forecasts show.
Most Medicare beneficiaries pay a monthly Part B premium of $96.40. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the basic premium will rise to $119 next year and $123 in 2011 for those who are not protected under federal law."
I feel for those on fixed incomes. Indeed, he is just more of the same old garbage….
Capitol Weekly: New Senate Food and Ag. Committee Not Following the Herd
http://www.capitolweeklynet/article.php?_c=xydwjoizdy1760&xid=xy5gwhkzgfxidk&done=xydwjoidz3760
Sylvia the raise for SS folks next year wont be wasted it can be applied the next round of "bailouts" for all other failed INCs in the welfare lines! So Main Street will be "saved" by the trickle effects.
( Couldn’t make that link work but found this one: http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=xyhhd5wvi6pk0g&xid=xy5gwhkzgfxldk&done=.xyhhd5wvi77k0g )
Funny -and scary – Soc Sec prediction… They still are owned by Big INCs – they just don’t want to appear so greedy now. Personal responsibility is the hardest thing to learn, and I guess the hardest to teach. I keep re-learning this. 🙂
I think of the grant money that came with the 2007 Farm Bill…inch by inch, we need to build credibility and respect with the scientific community. Once we get them to pay heed, legislators will re-consider. We can’t sit and stew about it, we need to systematically prove that raw milk is inherently better than processed milk, and push to change laws. (YAY Tennessee!!!! Shawn Dady worked many years for this! Kudos Shawn!)
That and consumer demand – remember just a few years ago, all fats were vilified. Now I see evidence of WAPF’s influence. Fast food chain Wendy’s is claiming they’re a better fast food chain than others. I see ‘essential Omega-3s’, ‘gluten-free’, ‘trans-fat free’, ‘good cholesterol’ ‘grass-fed’ and recently ‘no high-fructose corn syrup’ on food labels…. McDonald’s is pushing salads. Farmers Markets are hot hot hot!
These are real victories to celebrate. We are educating America, and as more open their eyes, and have the focus and attention to be able to read the small print on the back of the label, even more will add their voice for change.
Did Obama ever own a pet before, participate in 4-H, or tend a garden? I think people who grow up with Ma Nature make the connection fast, even if they’ve been sick for 40 years – all you have to do is shine the light. The others are pretty slow on shifting the paradigm.
Look at Flores’ field-worker background – a more expansive world tuned his guitar. Of course, money never got in his way – at least not so far – I hope.
-Blair
His statements show that he is extremely smart and a good student but still has much to learn about our world.
He has mastered his political world but his world does not challenge medicine or nutrition.
In his mind he has bigger fish to fry. Lets get to be a bigger fish and then he will learn about us also. Thats what the struggle is all about. It takes time, passion and courage.
You Teach… You teach …You Teach….
…the last words of Weston A Price.
That is exactly what we must do. Obama will listen if we teach enough to enough people.
Mark
Yes but that task is an obstacle that is a kin to what Galileo encountered when he stated the world was round. Preconceived mindsets that are held in place by gravity like forces are hard to dislodge even with the facts. The following articles are an example of the only direction it seems that the folks in white coats take. Its the GENES its the DNA.
Cows are grazers they naturally eat grass that whats scientific. Not convoluted nor hard to understand but it can not fit into CAFOs thats the problem.
NIH-Research Matters-Scientists Sequence Cow Genome
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/may2009/05042009cow.htm
Science Daily Agriculture and Food News
Cows Genetic Predisposition Affects Composition of Her Milk
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090428093232.htm