In a last minute move before the end of the 2014 lame duck session, Senate Democrats confirmed President Obama's rabidly anti-Second Amendment surgeon general nominee, Dr. Vivek Murthy, late Monday night.
Murthy, a 36-year old physician, was approved 51-43 as the nation’s top doctor despite opposition from the GOP for his support of gun control and ObamaCare. Three Democrats voted against him, while Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill.) was the only Republican to vote in favor.
President Obama hailed the vote and said Murthy will “hit the ground running to make sure every American has the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe.”
Murthy's nomination has been sitting in the Senate for more than a year due to his controversial background and stance that gun control is a public health issue. Some background:
Dr. Vivek Hallegere Murthy is the president and founder of Doctors for America, which grew from the campaign organization that was called Doctors for Obama, started in 2008. The organization has advocated for a number of liberal initiatives, including strongly supporting the passage of Obamacare and Medicaid expansion.
The group has also been supportive of the Obama administration’s failed push for expanding gun control laws in 2013. It successfully fought a proposed Florida law that would have prevented doctors from including in a person’s medical file whether they are a gun owner. Doctors for America has referred to guns as a public health threat, and circulated a petition to pressure Congress to pass stricter gun laws.
Investors Business Daily reported on Murthy’s anti-gun tweets, including, “Tired of politicians playing politics w/ guns, putting lives at risk b/c they’re scared of NRA. Guns are a health care issue,” during the 2012 presidential elections, and in December 2012 in the immediate aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre: “NRA press conference disappointing but predictable — blame everything in the world except guns for the Newtown tragedy. #wakeup.”
Murthy's position that gun control is a public health issue is out of touch with the overwhelming majority of Americans. According to a poll conducted by NSSF and released last month, 84 percent believe violence committed with firearms is a criminal issue, not public health issue.
An overwhelming 84 percent of survey respondents said gun violence is a criminal justice issue, rather than a public health issue, such as viruses. An even higher 88 percent of respondents said they do not think the CDC should spend resources on studying the use of guns in crime rather than on studying viruses and disease. Some 71 percent of respondents said that the federal government should not classify gun violence as a public health issue in the manner of viruses and diseases.
Anti-Second Amendment groups like Michael Bloomberg's Moms Demand Action and Everytown are rejoicing over Murthy's confirmation.
VICTORY >> Senate confirms Dr. @Vivek_Murthy for Surgeon General!
Public health: 1
NRA: 0
#TopDocNow pic.twitter.com/jsoULLPFRp
— Everytown (@Everytown) December 15, 2014Before the 2014-midterm elections Democrats lined up to oppose Murthy, knowing a vote for him would be suicide, especially in red states.
Many have argued that regardless of Murthy's radical anti-Second Amendment views, we shouldn't be worried because the position of surgeon general has little power. They're wrong. Every government position under President Obama has power so long as the person in charge shares and carries out Obama's agenda.
"Vivek’s confirmation makes us better positioned to save lives around the world and protect the American people here at home,” Obama released in a statement Monday night.
Sounds a whole lot like, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."
Murthy was nominated for two main reasons: to defend Obamacare and to push gun control as a public health issue. He'll be given the full backing of the White House to do both.
I'll leave you with this:
Congrats @BarackObama on getting a Surgeon General who extols the health benefits of restricting 2nd Amdt rights. Happy #BillofRightsDay
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 16, 2014
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