We have all heard the phrase, “Vote early—and often.” I thought this quote was attributable to Richard J. Daley, Chicago’s mayor from 1955 to 1976, or to the notorious gangster, Al Capone. But, evidently, it was an earlier Chicago mayor, William Hale Thompson, who thus exhorted his supporters to bring in the vote.
As family physicians we are incredibly busy, and finding time to become informed voters can be challenging. There are good reasons to find the time, however. From funding for health professions training to support for community health centers to changes in Medicare financing-—much of what we are trained to do as family physicians stands to be influenced by the outcome of this election. So, with all due respect to Chicago—and party politics aside—let me highlight Eric Henley’s Practice Alert in this issue, summarizing the Presidential candidates’ healthcare positions.
While a bit more prosaic than the shenanigans of Tammany Hall, the last presidential election, you’ll remember, was decided by a handful of ballots. No matter your political persuasion or interest in health policy, the responsibility for electing presidents is partly yours. It does not belong solely to party loyalists or leaders. Please peruse Dr Henley’s article and remember to vote on November 2.
Who knows, your ballot might be the deciding one!
