Politics: March 2001 Archives

Ceci Connolly, writer for the Washington Post, asserted this weekend that it is "common sense" that Vice President Cheney should take some time off after his medical procedure last week.

Hm. I thought that in order to prescribe recovery treatment from such a procedure, you had to have an intricate knowledge of human anatomy in general and of the heart and circulatory system in particular; an in-depth understanding of current technologies; some understanding of the various relevant studies and recovery rates of other similar patients and procedures; complete knowledge of the specific patient's situation and medical history. I didn't realize this was something you could just know commonly.

This revelation could have a magnificent impact on the medical industry. No longer will doctors be required for much of their work. No longer will expensive grants need to be given, or bills be paid, for work we deem common sense; we could just get the blokes down at the local pub (the sober ones, I suppose) to give their common opinions, and that should be good enough.

That silly Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House, said he would defer to the Vice President's doctors when asked if Cheney was acting appropriately in his recovery. If he doesn't know Cheney should slow down without the help of some sawbones, he must be unfit for office, not even having basic common sense!