As you might recall, President Obama nominated Dr. Vivek Murthy, a highly qualified and experienced medical professional, to the post of U.S. Surgeon General nearly a year ago. While his credentials make him a no-brainer for the job, Dr. Murthy's confirmation have been stalled by the usual partisan politics.
A Surgeon General nominee 'tied up in politics'
Dr. Murthy, a guy who probably knows many more things about health and medicine and stuff than you, has some thoughts about gun violence in this country: it is bad, and it is indeed a health care issue. This opinion put him in the sights (no pun intended) of Republicans and the NRA, who decided to block his nomination.
So now, in the midst of some serious public anxiety over the Ebola virus, America finds itself without a Surgeon General, whose job is to effectively and authoritatively communicate what the public needs to know in situations like this. Raise your hand if you would appreciate the leadership of someone like Dr. Murthy right now.
This online petition implores the Senate to stand up to the NRA and confirm Dr. Murthy as surgeon general now. As I write this, the petition has more than 70,000 signatures.
Tell the Senate: Stand up to the NRA and confirm Dr. Murthy as surgeon general now.
Recent polling indicates that the media's Ebola fear-mongering is working. A Harvard School of Public Health poll found that nearly 40% of Americans think there will be a large scale Ebola outbreak in the United States, and that more than 25% are afraid that they or someone in their immediate family will contract the virus sometime in the next year.
Meanwhile, the real risks are being ignored. Medical personnel who first encountered the only Ebola patient who has surfaced in the U.S. ignored safety protocols, potentially exposing hundreds of people to the disease. Despite having traveled recently from Liberia and exhibiting clear symptoms of the disease, he was sent home with antibiotics. Dr. Thomas Frieden, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called this incident a “teachable moment.” And the federal official that should be leading the charge to educate the American people and medical establishment to keep us all safe is NRA-blocked surgeon general nominee Dr. Vivek Murthy.
Given the corporate media's failure to responsibly educate the American people about the real risks associated with the Ebola virus -- and the fact that panicking will only make the situation worse -- it is more important than ever that we have a level-headed surgeon general in place who can calmly communicate with the American people.
Sign the petition: Tell the Senate to confirm Dr. Vivek Murthy as surgeon general.
For better or for worse, this Ebola scare has public health on the minds of the American people. Sign the petition and tell the Senate that the stalling needs to stop. Confirm Dr. Vivek Murthy as surgeon general.
More here: After Smearing Surgeon General Nominee, Fox Wonders Why There Isn't A Surgeon General To Deal With Ebola