White House stands up to gun lobby: Vivek Murthy to be surgeon general

[SecularMotion]

Source: First Post

In the face of strong opposition from the powerful gun lobby, the White House is standing by President Barack Obama's pick for surgeon general, Indian American Vivek Murthy, an ardent supporter of Obama's healthcare law.

However, it is 'recalibrating' approach as White House Press Secretary Jay Carney put it, to get Murthy, 36, confirmed as "America's doctor" by the Democratic controlled Senate following the defeat of Debo Adegbile, Obama's nominee for the nation's top civil rights post.

If and when confirmed, Murthy would be the first Indian American and the youngest person to become the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the US

"We expect him to get confirmed ultimately and be one of the country's most powerful messengers on health and wellness," Carney said rejecting media reports that the White House was abandoning Murthy's nomination with some Democrats balking under pressure from the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA).


Read more: http://www.firstpost.com/world/white-house-stands-up-to-gun-lobby-vivek-murthy-to-be-surgeon-general-1442211.html

[meanit]

1. Why does the NRA care who is Surgeon General ?

Maybe they want a Surgeon General that will say "bullets are good for you" or some nonsense like that?

[Lasher]

7. Murthy says, "Guns are a health care issue."

He wants to set aside physician–patient privilege to promote collection of gun ownership data. Last year he petitioned Congress to pass federal gun control legislation to ban semi-automatic firearms, restrict sale of ammunition, and enact mandatory firearm safety training and testing.

That's why the NRA cares. In his capacity as president of Doctors for America he has tried to frame the gun control debate as a public/mental health issue and it is logical to expect more of the same from him as Surgeon General.

[LanternWaste]

9. The NRA also cared when the CDC was on the verge of doing research...

The NRA also cared when the CDC was on the verge of doing research into national fire-arm violence in 1996, and lobbied the congressmen in their pockets to prevent the research from ever taking place.

NRA has an aversion of science it seems...

[meanit]

10. Sounds like the NRA just wants to shut Murthy up

Besides, La Pierre already tried to frame the gun control debate as a mental health issue after Sandy Hook. Even with his unintended endorsement of expanded background checks, the bill still failed.

I doubt a Surgeon General can do much better.

[ninjanurse]

2. Like saying tobacco causes cancer

George Bush's surgeon general, Richard Carmona, made a few mild comments about the dangers of tobacco on his way out of office and got totally flamed. Guns are the new tobacco, and unlike cancer sticks they don't take years to kill people.
Any doctor who speaks up against guns is doing their job of telling the truth-- but they can expect to be slandered and condemned by a political lobby more powerful than Big Tobacco. The US, after all, is a weapons exporter to the world.

[cosmicone]

3. the USSG has no real authority

to make policy or create/enforce regulations.

NRA's opposition is juvenile if not infantile. Almost like meat packers opposing a nominee because he/she is a vegetarian.

[Redfairen]

4. Who wants to lay odds...

...on the number of Dem senators who will tremble before the NRA and vote against Murthy? I think his confirmation is not quite so certain as the headline seems to imply.

[bullwinkle428]

5. Bingo - I read the headline, and said to myself "this deal is anything but done".

[amandabeech]

11. Democratic Senators running for re-election in red or purple states

will not slit their own political throats to vote for this nominee.

We could lose control of the Senate in 2014 if we don't work hard or are not lucky.

I appreciate Murthy's position, but I don't understand why Obama's political people want to push this vote now.

Surely, there are other highly qualified candidates whose backgrounds do not constitute political lightning rods.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

6. I hope I live long enough

to see "pressure from the NRA" as a non-starter.

[hack89]

8. There are too many Dem Senators opposed for this to happen

Too many Dem Senators from red states up for reelection this year.