Gun lobby out-jerks Tobia (GOP/NRA physician gun-gag law - FL)

[jpak]

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110320/COLUMNISTS0207/103200313/Matt-Reed-Gun-lobby-out-jerks-Tobia

I've done my share of painting state Rep. John Tobia, R-Melbourne, as a big fat jerk.

When local cities tried to steer more contracts to struggling Brevard County businesses, Tobia sponsored a bill to block it. When we asked him how the community-college professor suddenly found the money to pay cash for a waterfront condo, he told us to pound sand. The guy even called for immediate oil drilling near Florida beaches while the Deepwater Horizon slick gurgled through the Gulf.

But today, I must stand behind Tobia and his lonely, principled vote against a terrible bill, one that would ban doctors or their staffs from talking to patients about guns, imposing massive fines if they take notes. The bill passed, but the March 8 vote made Tobia a target of the famously strident gun lobby, which has royally out-jerked him.

"It sacrifices First Amendment rights without adding Second Amendment rights," said Tobia, who represents much of Melbourne, Palm Bay and the South Beaches. "It's big government."

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[PavePusher]

1. A doctor asking about my guns in a professional doctor/patient setting....

has nothing to do with the First Amendment.


But I'm sure you can point to it, amIright?

[rl6214]

14. I talk to my Drs and have gone out shooting with a couple

of them. These are not pediatricians but not all drs are anti gun.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[VoteProgressive]

3. I 100% agree a doctor should be able to tell people that guns....

In the home are dangerous. So are trampolines, which our doctor warned us about. When the gun lobby objects to this they look stupid!

[aikoaiko]

11. This laws and others like it would not prevent doctors from warning parents about the dangers of...

unsecured, loaded weapons.

[VoteProgressive]

12. What would it do then?

[GreenStormCloud]

13. He can tell all he wants. Just don't ask if you have guns...

...and decline to accept you as a patient if you do.

[frebrd]

4. What would concern me would be whether a doctor could........

require a patient to answer questions about guns as a condition of treatment.

I remember reading about such a situation recently, but can't remember where.

[VoteProgressive]

5. That would be wrong! Nt

[X_Digger]

7. Here's the article..

http://www.ocala.com/article/20100723/NEWS/100729867/1402/NEWS

It was a question Amber Ullman least expected Wednesday from her children's pediatrician.

Do you keep a gun in the house?

When the 26-year-old Summerfield woman refused the answer, the Ocala doctor finished her child's examination and told her she had 30 days to find a new pediatrician and that she wasn't welcome at Children's Health of Ocala anymore.

[frebrd]

9. Thanks for coming up with that. eom

[Hangingon]

10. I am also totally opposed to this "medical" information

being made a a Record. Is this information covered by HIPPA protections? What is to stop an anti zealot form disclosing my information.

[DWC]

6. Right to privacy

Lawyer - client privilege.

Confidentiality of the confessional.

Doctor - patient confidentiality.

Freedom of a spouse from prosecutory testimony.

All are basic tenants of our Free Society.

End of story.

Semper Fi.

[rl6214]

8. Jpak, you're back! I was worried about you, really

Haven't seen you in a week or so.

Glad to see you've got your shtick on again.

:rofl: