The Republicans are spinning vitriol implying that the study results are fraudulent, that they are a subterfuge for imposing government controls on health care.  The vacillating Obama administration has typically baked off, stating that women should make the decision to take yearly mammograms  before age 50 with their doctors.

Clearly, the study by the USPTF indicates that taking such frequent mammograms may be dangerous to women's health, because of the cumulative effect of x-ray exposure over time.  If the overuse of such mammograms yields little true positive results, and is potentially a carcinogenic danger itself, then, medical ethnics assert that they must be discontinued. In a similar manner, self examinations before age 50 yield few positive results, and may cause extreme anxiety in patients who believe they may have breast cancer, only to find out after a painful biopsy that this is simply not the case. 

What is politically interesting about this issue is the new strategy that is being tried out by the republicans.  They will slander anyone, discount any idea, or even impute deception on scientists in order to elicit a "gut" response from their dwindling base. In defending their wealthy contributors, they deny that a scientific study is valid.  They override science and are willing to place women in danger so that they continue to go to their medical specialists to get unnecessary treatments, at a very high cost.

Once again, Republicans like California's Carly Fiorina are cooking the juices of the right wing base so that any ethical modifications to the for-profit medical system in the USA will be prevented in the future. Obviously, this change is opposed by their medical specialist clients who want to continue in their lavish life styles at the expense of the medical insurance, be it public or private, that we all must pay for. 

When are the People of the USA going to figure out that all Republicans are beholden to their wealthy clientele, that they defend business interests before all others, that they are in Congress to perform as agents of their privileged contributors?  They have no interest in helping the People, other than to con them into marking the right box at election time

This mammography debate is a preamble to the same vitriolic strategy in the future.  An aware People can not be deceived by these sell outs.  We must talk to our family and friends, coworkers and neighbors to let them know about the tragic realities that this caste of political merchants has wrought on our nation.

Atlanta, GA
Fri, 20 Nov 2009