The budget debate going on in Wisconsin is turning into a draconian struggle. Reportedly, 70,000 plus showed up at the Capitol building on Saturday to protest the so called "union busting" attempts of Governor Walker. On the other side, were a high number of supporters of the governor. A third group that also showed up that probably should have just stayed home.
Physicians attending the rally were signing false sick leave excuses for the protestors. To put is mildly, that is disgusting. Unfortunately, no one-- at least at this point-- knows the identity of these supposed "physicians," but if the Medical Board of Wisconsin gets their names, they may not have a license for long.
At least in North Carolina, physicians are not supposed to write prescriptions for patients with whom they have no relationship. In addition, writing an excuse for work for a person who you don't treat or examine is fraud. It doesn't say much about the value these "doctors" place on their professional obligations.
It might seem like a clever idea to give excuses these to union workers who are demonstrating for benefits and wages rights--especially if you are a liberal--but that violates any semblance of integrity of a physician's duties. If you are cheating the system on this one, what else will you cheat on: extra days off work after a minor operation; a different code for a procedure you have done; "upping" the code for an office visit to get a little more money? Is the value of an M.D. that you can use its power for political purposes?
If they want to serve societies' needs, how about care for the poor? They need it, and they are not breaking any law, they are just sick and poor. If these "doctors" are residents at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, they need a good lecture because they will not be there long, and there will be a space in the resident "on call" schedule-- it might not matter much, because they don't take that much call now anyway.
As for the protesters, what kind of message are they sending to their students? Cheat, and get it any way you can. Can these teachers believe their students now if they bring a doctor's excuse for missing class? I think not. They're all in the same boat, and it is sinking--that's "sinking" not stinking.
Finally, about the protesters, they are trying to circumvent the political process. I thought democracy was what people are dying for in the Middle East. The people have voted, and they have the right to have their way. Demonstrating to stop a specific vote is within the protesters rights, but sometimes you lose in a democracy, and that's the way it is. How many previous "agreements" will you now break because you didn't get your way? Go to the polls the next election; that's where your voice should be heard. Isn't that our system? Didn't your teacher teach you that?
Finally, I think unions have too much power especially in public service jobs. They have a tendency to become a voting block to keep the politicians in power, and politicians grant them benefits for those votes. Unfortunately, for the citizens of the state, the politician will most likely not be their when those benefits come due. Witness the pensions of unionized government workers, they are bankrupting Ohio, Illinois, California to name a few. It turns out that the voters of Wisconsin deserve the same rights of "collective bargaining" as the unions have, and that right was manifest on election day. It's called "get out and vote!"
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