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April 06, 2005

Dubious Honors

Hmmm, I wonder if any of the doctors I've seen over the last three days have been a National Repubican Congressional Committee Physician of the Year.

The good news reached the Jamestown, N.Y., office of Dr. Rudolph Mueller in a fax from a congressman in Washington. Mueller had been named 2004 Physician of the Year.

"My secretary came running in and said, 'Dr. Rudy, look at what you've won, you're Physician of the Year,' " said Mueller, an internist.

But to receive the award in person at a special two-day workshop in Washington last month, Mueller found out that he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. It was a disturbing discovery, he said.

Well, that's quite the honor then, isn't it? And Mueller wasn't alone; there were hundreds of other "Physicians of the Year," all carefully selected for their commitment to medicine and excellence in their respective fields wallets.

The Republicans, under the direction of [House Majority Leader] DeLay, came up with the idea for the awards five years ago as a means of helping to raise funds for the congressional campaign efforts for their party.

Hey, if you can't get them to support the party out of principle, get them to do it with a bribery scam. Classy!