Elisberg Industries
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Products
    • Books
    • Movies
  • About Elisberg Industries
    • Our Corporate Board
    • Information Overstock
    • Elisberg Industries Entertainment Information
    • Elisberg Statistical Center of American Research
    • Consultancy Service
  • Contact
    • How to Find Us
  • Kudos
  • Good Things to Know
    • The BOB Page
    • Sites You Might Actually Like
Decent Quality Since 1847

What's Up, Doc? No, Really.

5/18/2013

0 Comments

 
Taking a page from Arizona's "Papers, please" law that targets immigrants in an effort to, supposedly, crack down on illegal immigration, an Alabama law has now kicked in which requires that papers be presented as proof of U.S. citizenship.  It specifically goes after...physicians.

Because, rogue illegal physicians from outside the U.S. are apparently a big problem in Alabama.  Apparently, physicians from other countries who have entered the United States illegally flock to Alabama because it's so easy to blend in there.   Or maybe it's because they believe Alabama is the best place in America to live.  Or they were big football fans of Coach Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide.

You'd think that Alabama would love to have as many doctors as possible in the state, because the lab coats they were are usually white.

You'd also think that the most important documentation a physician would need for a Medical Licensing Board is a diploma from an accredited medical school.  And that everything after that is gravy.  And that things like, say, citizenship would fall under the exact same laws that, say, everyone follows.

You'd think all that, grasshopper, but no, in Alabama, when it comes to the ancient art of healing, there is a crafty ancient wisdom hidden to other men.  "Do you like tacos?" takes precedence over "What are the symptoms of arterial sclerosis?"

Roll Tide!!

To be fair, the law doesn't single out physicians, but rather anyone applying for a professional license in the state.  Because, apparently, professionals applying for licenses in Alabama is an even more widespread problem than just doctors.

Alabama actually passed a more harsh "Papers, please" law than Arizona in 2011, however most of the law was thrown out by the courts.  But some parts of H.B. 56 have remained active.  And the section that deals with physicians came into effect this year.  The Medical Examiner Board has already begun sending out letters to doctors.

I'm not sure if the law allows police to stop any suspicious person on the street in a lab coat and stethoscope who doesn't look like they're a legal doctor and ask for documentation.

How draconian was the initial law?  It prohibited undocumented immigrants from making business transactions in Alabama.  It's not clear whether this would have included illegal immigrants stopping at a gas station to fill up in an effort to have enough gas to get out of the state.

After much of the law was shot down, Alabama lawmakers rewrote it, out of concern that there was a perception that it had hurt business.  However, what could have ever given them that idea??

But at least some of the original law was preserved, and Alabama seems like it will be safe for the time being by those roaming packs of illegal immigrant physicians.  It seems such a wise use of state funds.

In unrelated news, a 2009 ranking (the most-recent I could find) of states whose citizens over the age of 25 have high school diplomas, Alabama ranks 46th. 

And yes, for those keeping track, that was a cheap shot.

Roll Tide!!!

What does seem clear in all of this, though, is that the primary rule of the Hippocratic Oath "First, Do No Harm" does not apply in Alabama to elected officials.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Elisberg Industries gets a commission if you click here before shopping on Amazon.
    Picture
    Follow @relisberg

    Author

    Robert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. 

    Elisberg is a two-time recipient of the Lucille Ball Award for comedy screenwriting. He's written for film, TV, the stage, and two best-selling novels, is a regular columnist for the Writers Guild of America and was for
    the Huffington Post.  Among his other writing, he has a long-time column on technology (which he sometimes understands), and co-wrote a book on world travel.  As a lyricist, he is a member of ASCAP, and has contributed to numerous publications.



    Picture
           Feedspot Badge of Honor

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Animals
    Audio
    Audio Land
    Books
    Business
    Chicago
    Consumer Product
    Education
    Email Interview
    Entertainment
    Environment
    Fine Art
    Food
    From The Management
    Health
    History
    Huffery
    Humor
    Internet
    Journalism
    Law
    Los Angeles
    Media
    Morning News Round Up
    Movies
    Music
    Musical
    Personal
    Photograph
    Piano Puzzler
    Politics
    Popular Culture
    Profiles
    Quote Of The Day
    Radio
    Religion
    Restaurants
    Science
    Sports
    Technology
    Tech Tip
    Theater
    The Writers Workbench
    Tidbits
    Travel
    Tv
    Twitter
    Video
    Videology
    Well Worth Reading
    Words-o-wisdom
    Writing

    RSS Feed

© Copyright Robert J. Elisberg 2022
Contact Us    About EI    Chicago Cubs
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Products
    • Books
    • Movies
  • About Elisberg Industries
    • Our Corporate Board
    • Information Overstock
    • Elisberg Industries Entertainment Information
    • Elisberg Statistical Center of American Research
    • Consultancy Service
  • Contact
    • How to Find Us
  • Kudos
  • Good Things to Know
    • The BOB Page
    • Sites You Might Actually Like