From Wikipedia:

"...During the Pyrrhic War in 280 BC at Heaclea and in 279 BC in
Asculum, the army of King Pyrrhus of Epirus suffered irreplaceable
casualties in defeating the Romans. After the latter battle, Plutarch
relates in a report by Dionysius:

The armies separated; and, it is said, Pyrrhus replied to one that
gave him joy of his victory that one more such victory would utterly
undo him. For he had lost a great part of the forces he brought with
him, and almost all his particular friends and principal commanders;
there were no others there to make recruits, and he found the
confederates in Italy backward.

On the other hand, as from a fountain continually flowing out of the
city, the Roman camp was quickly and plentifully filled up with fresh
men, not at all abating in courage for the loss they sustained, but
even from their very anger gaining new force and resolution to go on
with the war.

In both of Pyrrhus's victories, the Romans lost more men than Pyrrhus
did. However, the Romans had a much larger supply of men from which
to draw soldiers, so their losses did less damage to their war effort
than Pyrrhus's losses did to his.

While most closely associated with a military battle, a Pyrrhic
victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor."

From an AMA news release:

<< "The AMA celebrates Wednesday's action by the U.S. Senate to pass
the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008"
(H.R. 6331) by a veto-proof majority of 69-30.

The AMA especially appreciates the_ heroic _efforts of Sen. Edward
Kennedy, D-Mass., who made this critical vote his first after his
surgery in early June. Eighteen Republican senators joined Senate
Democrats to make this a truly bipartisan process." >>

My own comments:

Unfortunately, I suspect that the "Medicare Victory" currently being
celebrated by the AMA- currently singing praises to one of the prime
legislative supporters of socialized medicine in the United States,
will prove to be a very costly Pyrrhic victory to doctors.

As the below article points out, "...Besides Hillary Clinton, no
other politician in America has devoted as much of his political
career to the enslavement of physicians..."

"Ted Kennedy vs. Universal Healthcare: A Double Irony?"

full article here:

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=5201

In light of this fact, I would like to express my dissenting opinion
that pumping tax-payer money to "temporarily shore up" a financially
failing, government-controlled and government-financed medical system
is no more than a cyncial political ploy and temporary band-aid
designed to win over the affection and votes of physicians.

Come November, if physicians, physicians-in-training and other health
care professionals elect to sell their votes and their principles for
short-term economic expediency and political gain to the highest
bidder -and facilitate the political transcendence of a Democratic
party which is whole-heartedly devoted to universal health care
(...aka socialized medicine... )in taking control of both the
executive and legislative branche s of government,
it is my opinion that every US doctor can bet their student loans,
practice, and professional future that a "permanent fix" will soon be
forthcoming."

Evan Madianos,MD


For more info see:

FIRM Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine.
www.WeStandFirm.org
E-mail: FIRM@...

Americans for Free Choice in Medicine
www.afcm.com
email: mail@...


-------------- Original message --------------
From: AMA eVoice <evoice@...>

eVoice® Alert

July 10, 2008

Senate votes to stop Medicare physician payment cuts

The AMA celebrates Wednesday's action by the U.S. Senate to pass
the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008"
(H.R. 6331) by a veto-proof majority of 69-30. The AMA especially
appreciates the heroic efforts of Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who
made this critical vote his first after his surgery in early June.
Eighteen Republican senators joined Senate Democrats to make this a
truly bipartisan process.

The legislation would replace a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare
physician payments that took effect July 1 with a 0.5 percent update
extension through Dec. 31 and provide a 1.1 percent update for 2009.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 6331 two weeks ago by
an overwhelming, veto-proof majority of 355-59.

Now the AMA calls on President George W. Bush to sign H.R. 6331 to
protect access to health care for seniors, the disabled and military
families.

"We urge President Bush to hear and heed the voices of seniors, the
disabled and military families—and sign the bill into law for the
health of America," AMA President-elect J. James Rohack, MD, said.