Eternal vigilance is indeed the price we must always be prepared to pay to preserve, protect and secure our Freedom.
Today, on this solemn day, We again remember, pay tribute to and salute our fallen heroes of 9/11.
Let us never forget, Let our resolve never weaken.
Please take a moment today in the midst of your duties, chores and responsibilities and pause to remember.

Best Wishes,
Dr. Greg Rabidoux

First, by way of fair disclosure, I am an advocate for a comprehensive reform of our current Healthcare System. As the President again reminded us all tonight the current system, while very profitable for the large private companies in the business of healthcare,continues to fail millions upon millions of Americans. The fact that our system is broken continues to be a huge part of our continuing deficit. This fact coupled with the overwhelming waste, fraud, abuse and everyday systemic inefficiencies within our existing healthcare approach cries out for real and meaningful change. Here in Tennessee, nearly 900,000 Tennesseans are uninsured,millions more under-insured and far too many of our citizens, especially in more rural and farming areas often go without quality care because of both the cost and the relative inaccessibility of doctors and choices where they (the patients) live and work.
For those who say that anyone who really needs medical attention can get it,simply by visiting their local ER clinic, I would say that is the height of inefficiency, cost and abuse of a dysfunctional system. Also, sadly, by the time many folks realize the need to go to the ER their condition may also have deteriorated to the point where what may have been prevented with simple,ordinary check-ups and care, went unnoticed or uncared for due to so many being uninsured at all. This is simply unacceptable.
My view is this-We do need to reform our healthcare system in a way that we can ensure that ensures that all Americans have at least some basic affordable,choice when it comes to healthcare. I do not advocate nor do I believe that our Government should “take over” the entire healthcare industry but I do think it is naive and uninformed to expect that private, for-profit giants will not continue to seek out and improve their bottom-line, profit margins at the expense of the health of my family, my friends, my neighbors and my community.Folks, that is what companies do, they are not evil for doing that but that doesn’t mean we can’t create some more healthy competition that ultimately better serves the health of our nation.
While opponents of any real reform continue to cling to a notion that a market-driven “magic hand” will ensure the system works in a quality and affordable way, my suspicion is that these same folks are simply protecting the hand that feeds them-in this case the large healthcare giants who have much to gain if the system stays the way it is or is simply given some token”window dressing” alterations. While reform must be smart and sensible, doing nothing will only add to our deficit.
I also certainly agree with the point the President made regarding the need to not forget what the main objective is right now-It is not to be ideologically rigid or extreme over any vehicle or mechanism that helps reform and repair our healthcare system at the expense of killing meaningful reform now! Whether one is for a public choice option completely, some type of non-profit co-operative or a range of other proposals on the table, the larger point may just be-Let’s simply make a decision based on the most practical and best way to ensure we reach the whole goal of reform. For me that is get our fellow Americans insured, reduce these skyrocketing costs and keep them under control, ensure quality and affordable care, including preventive care, preserve choice, and let’s stop allowing opponents to distort the issue or employ the politics of fear in the hopes that this issue will just go away. Wrong. The opportunity to make needed reform may be defeated but the need to better care for millions of Americans will not just go away. And the consequences will continue to be far-reaching and tragic. In both human and economic costs.
A final point or two for now. I applaud the President for directly addressing some of the specific distortions and misinformation that has been being fed to so many people for far too long over these past summer months as this debate heated up even more than the outside temperature. He referred to some of these distortions like “Death Panels” and the allegations that illegal immigrants will be allowed to freely abuse the system, how federal dollars will fund abortions and how any reform is all part of some master plan to bring about socialism as “bogus claims” meant to kill of healthcare reform.The Presidental also referred to such misinformation as “cynical and irresponsible…a lie, plain and simple.”
In this same spirit, I call upon my opponent Congressman Marsha Blackburn to make the choice to no longer engage in such distortions and misinformation as well. I call upon her to stop her practice of characterizing parts of the plan as “Death Panels” and to stop spreading fear and division within our community when she says that illegal immigrants are to blame for the high costs of healthcare when she knows this to not be the case. The issue of healthcare is far too important to engage in such partisan nonsense and as the President asked, let’s have the bickering end and get down to the business at hand.
Enough with the extremist politics. Instead, Let’s try some Moderation and Reason for a Change!

Best Wishes,
Dr. Greg Rabidoux