Dr. James Grimes wrote a labile letter to the editor in yesterday's St. Augustine Record, purrportign to speak for both God and the Constitution that we have no "right to health care." So much for blasphemy. As my friend Robin Nadeau pointed out, Jesus Christ healed the sick and raised the deadl Our Constitution in the general welfare clause provides for the power of Congress to protect Americans, including adopting national health care. So much for Dr. Grimes' power as a theologian and constitutional law scholar.
The doctors, patients hospitals, employers, Chamber of Commerce and other informed citizens of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (Cape Cod) support the Cape Care concept overwhelmingly, voting in eleven of thirteen Cape Cod towns last year for single payer health insurance at the county level. The Chamber of Commerce and other businesses on Cape Cod know that if health care is not a right, it hurts the economy and public heatlh. The inspired Cape Care idea overcomes all the objections to a national program and keeps decisionmaking and local control. The economy of scale for county-level single payer health insurance is 250,000: combining with other counties, or as new homes are built, St. Johns County can do it. Why wouldn't the richest county in Florida provide health insurance for the 20% who don't have it? My religious tradition teaches, "To whom much is given, much ie expected."
Dr. Grimves has not responded to a voicemail message about his pretenntious letter, pretending to speak for both God and our Founding Fathers. Dr. Grimes reminds me of the story about Boston in the olden days, a place where "the Lowells speak only to the Cabots and the Cabots speak only to God."
Here in St. Augustine, we have some doctors who act like businessmen, instead of healers, mocking efforts to keep insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies from killing any more patients and mocking medical malpractice accountability.
Dr. Grimes is not the first St. Augustine physician to write uninformed, unctuous, uncouth letters in the St. Augustine Record. He will not be the last.
For Dr. Grimes to abuse his "authority" to speak for God shows an effrontery that reminds me of the story about the lawyer at the pearly gates. The story goes that the lawyer questioned a white-coated, stethescope-wearing gentlemen who cut in line ahead of everyone waiting to get into Heaven. The lawyer questions St. Peter about the physician-line-cutter. The story goes that St. Peter replies, shrugging, "That's God. He just thinks he's a doctor."
Physician, health thyself. Dr. Grimes does not speak with authority, but with what my friend Ann calls "insect authority." He apparently enjoys lording his "knowledge" over people, when in truth he "knows not that he knows not that he knows not." By the way, how many times has Dr. Grimes' medical practice demanded upfront payment before seeing Medicare patients? If so, is this legal?
Also, driving east on the SR 312 bridge, look to your right -- that's Dr. Grimes' group orthopaedic practice, built horribly close to the beautiful marshes -- why so close -- is it because they and their developer have what H.L. Mencken would call "a positive libido for the ugly?" Do they care as little for patients as they do for our wetlands? What do you reckon?
Dr. Grimes' grimy etter (below) misses the point by a country mile. The fundamental point of medical ethics is patient autonomy. Patients in America believe health care should be a right. The termagants in the American Medical Association (like the National Association of Manufacturers) have fought every decent piece of legislation that protects Americans, including Medicare. These energumen may have money, but they have no class -- they ignore social justice issues to their peril.
Dr. Grimes is invited to call me at 471-7023 to arrange for an interview.
I'd love to sit through Michael Moore's movie, "SICKO" with Dr. Grimes and hear his rodomontade about God and the Constitution not protecting health care rights. If not, in the words of William F. Buckley, Jr., "why does baloney reject the grinder?"
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed Slavin
Box 3084
St. Augustine, FL 32085-3084
904-471-7023
894-471-9918 (fax)
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