Re: [UC] Debates Ahead
Dr. Pierce teeters on the edge of making a diagnosis, but his remarks Bush should immediately be given the advantage of a considered professional diagnosis,... suggest that he means to offer a professional opinion, rather than a diagnosis. Elliot On 08 Sep 2004, at 12:53, John Ellingsworth wrote: It seems terribly unprofessional for a doctor to make a diagnosis through a letter to the editor, even with the disclaimer of accountability. A more plausible theory is that Carl Rove said George, THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK! [ http://news.google.com/news?hl=enlr=ie=UTF -8tab=wnscoring=dq=%22carl+rove%22btnG=Search+News ] On Wed, 8 Sep 2004, Suzanne Minnis wrote: These letters were in the current (October) issue of the Atlantic. sue When George Meets John ames Fallows's description of John Kerry's debating skills (When George Meets John, July/August Atlantic) was interesting, but what was most remarkable was Fallows's documentation of President Bush's mostly overlooked changes over the past decade-specifically, the striking decline in his sentence-by-sentence speaking skills. Fallows points to speculations that there must be some organic basis for the President's peculiar mode of speech-a learning disability, a reading problem, dyslexia or some other disorder, but correctly concludes, The main problem with these theories is that through his forties Bush was perfectly articulate. I, too, felt that something organic was wrong with President Bush, most probably dyslexia. But I was unaware of what Fallows pointed out so clearly: that Bush's problems have been developing slowly, and that just a decade ago he was an articulate debater, artful indeed in steering questions and challenges to his desired subjects, who did not pause before forcing out big words, as he so often does now, or invent mangled new ones. Consider, in contrast, the present: the informal QAs he has tried to avoid, Bush's recent faltering performances, his unfortunate puzzled-chimp expression when trying to answer questions, his stalling, defensive pose when put on the spot, speaking more slowly and less gracefully. Not being a professional medical researcher and clinician, Fallows cannot be faulted for not putting two and two together. But he was 100 percent correct in suggesting that Bush's problem cannot be a learning disability, a reading problem, [or] dyslexia, because patients with those problems have always had them. Slowly developing cognitive deficits, as demonstrated so clearly by the President, can represent only one diagnosis, and that is presenile dementia! Presenile dementia is best described to nonmedical persons as a fairly typical Alzheimer's situation that develops significantly earlier in life, well before what is usually considered old age. It runs about the same course as typical senile dementias, such as classical Alzheimer's-to incapacitation and, eventually, death, as with President Ronald Reagan, but at a relatively earlier age. President Bush's mangled words are a demonstration of what physicians call confabulation, and are almost specific to the dia! gnosis of a true dementia. Bush should immediately be given the advantage of a considered professional diagnosis, and started on drugs that offer the possibility of retarding the slow but inexorable course of the disease. Joseph M. Price, M.D. Carsonville, Mich. he whole of James Fallows's article on Bush and Kerry's debate styles was interesting, but one comment jumped out at me: [Bush] has rarely been interested in the details of any policy matter, believing that he 'has people' who can master the subject for him. What further proof is needed that Bush's policy decisions are based on whatever his people choose to tell him? Naturally they will tell him whatever (and only whatever) supports their own agendas. Although, as Mary Beth Rogers says in the Fallows article, his ability to stick to his message and repeat it might be remarkable, it implies to me that he doesn't know enough to answer questions that go beyond the text he has been given by his people. I suspect that his widely noted lack of eloquence is due to his understandable insecurity. If the ideas he is expressing are not his ideas, based on his own knowledge and decision-making, then he can only repeat by rote what he has rehearsed. Bush's lack of interest in details gives unprecedented power to his advisers (read puppeteers)-in this case the extremists of the military/industrial/religious-right coalition who are currently running the White House, the country, and, if they have their way, the world. We need an independent thinker in the Oval Office. Anne Carpenter Fair Haven, N.J. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You are receiving this because you are subscribed
RE: [UC] Debates Ahead
Did you all hear the bit he said that was replayed on the Leno show? The part about OB/Gyns? If not, I'll try to find a link. In the context of discussing how doctors are getting sued too often, and how good docs can't afford to practice, he said, OB/GYNs are being preventing from practicing their LOVE on women all over the country... I can't believe he said that. ELISABETH DUBIN Hillier ARCHITECTURE One South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3502 | T 215 636- | F 215 636-9989 | hillier.com -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Elliot M. Stern Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 3:58 PM To: University City List Subject: Re: [UC] Debates Ahead Dr. Pierce teeters on the edge of making a diagnosis, but his remarks Bush should immediately be given the advantage of a considered professional diagnosis,... suggest that he means to offer a professional opinion, rather than a diagnosis. Elliot On 08 Sep 2004, at 12:53, John Ellingsworth wrote: It seems terribly unprofessional for a doctor to make a diagnosis through a letter to the editor, even with the disclaimer of accountability. A more plausible theory is that Carl Rove said George, THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK! [ http://news.google.com/news?hl=enlr=ie=UTF -8tab=wnscoring=dq=%22carl+rove%22btnG=Search+News ] On Wed, 8 Sep 2004, Suzanne Minnis wrote: These letters were in the current (October) issue of the Atlantic. sue When George Meets John ames Fallows's description of John Kerry's debating skills (When George Meets John, July/August Atlantic) was interesting, but what was most remarkable was Fallows's documentation of President Bush's mostly overlooked changes over the past decade-specifically, the striking decline in his sentence-by-sentence speaking skills. Fallows points to speculations that there must be some organic basis for the President's peculiar mode of speech-a learning disability, a reading problem, dyslexia or some other disorder, but correctly concludes, The main problem with these theories is that through his forties Bush was perfectly articulate. I, too, felt that something organic was wrong with President Bush, most probably dyslexia. But I was unaware of what Fallows pointed out so clearly: that Bush's problems have been developing slowly, and that just a decade ago he was an articulate debater, artful indeed in steering questions and challenges to his desired subjects, who did not pause before forcing out big words, as he so often does now, or invent mangled new ones. Consider, in contrast, the present: the informal QAs he has tried to avoid, Bush's recent faltering performances, his unfortunate puzzled-chimp expression when trying to answer questions, his stalling, defensive pose when put on the spot, speaking more slowly and less gracefully. Not being a professional medical researcher and clinician, Fallows cannot be faulted for not putting two and two together. But he was 100 percent correct in suggesting that Bush's problem cannot be a learning disability, a reading problem, [or] dyslexia, because patients with those problems have always had them. Slowly developing cognitive deficits, as demonstrated so clearly by the President, can represent only one diagnosis, and that is presenile dementia! Presenile dementia is best described to nonmedical persons as a fairly typical Alzheimer's situation that develops significantly earlier in life, well before what is usually considered old age. It runs about the same course as typical senile dementias, such as classical Alzheimer's-to incapacitation and, eventually, death, as with President Ronald Reagan, but at a relatively earlier age. President Bush's mangled words are a demonstration of what physicians call confabulation, and are almost specific to the dia! gnosis of a true dementia. Bush should immediately be given the advantage of a considered professional diagnosis, and started on drugs that offer the possibility of retarding the slow but inexorable course of the disease. Joseph M. Price, M.D. Carsonville, Mich. he whole of James Fallows's article on Bush and Kerry's debate styles was interesting, but one comment jumped out at me: [Bush] has rarely been interested in the details of any policy matter, believing that he 'has people' who can master the subject for him. What further proof is needed that Bush's policy decisions are based on whatever his people choose to tell him? Naturally they will tell him whatever (and only whatever) supports their own agendas. Although, as Mary Beth Rogers says in the Fallows article, his ability to stick to his message and repeat it might be remarkable, it implies to me that he doesn't know enough to answer questions that go beyond the text he has been given by his people. I suspect that his widely noted lack of eloquence is due to his understandable insecurity
