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Gingrey during a committee hearing

John Phillip Gingrey, M.D., (born July 10 1942), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing the 11th District of Georgia. He was born in Augusta, Georgia, was educated at the Medical College of Georgia, and worked as an obstetrician and member of the Georgia State Senate before being elected to the U.S. House.

Congressional district

Georgia's 11th Congressional District covers much of northwest Georgia from Summerville, near the Tennessee border in the north, to Columbus along the western border with Alabama. In addition to rural and small-town mountain Georgia, the district encompasses much of Atlanta's white middle-class northwestern suburbs. Approximately 27 percent of the district population is rural and 72 percent is urban. Approximately 62 percent of the district's population is white and 28 percent is African-American. The Lockheed-Martin/Dobbins Air Reserve Complex in Marietta is included.

Views

Gingrey's reputation in the Georgia State Senate was that of a social conservative and a member of the Christian right. In the Georgia Senate he supported outlawing abortion and interpreted the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution as giving individual citizens rather than state militias a right to keep and use firearms. He also strongly supported the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, as well as the tax cuts of President George W. Bush.

Progressive Punch has rated Gingrey as the most conservative member of the House.

Medical ethics issues

Gingrey's approval of conditions at Guantanamo Bay may conflict with his ethical obligations as a physician. While the Guantanamo Bay prisoners are not Gingrey's patients, his endorsement of the methodologies used there conflicts with fundamental tenets of modern American and international medical ethics. In particular, patient confidentiality is disregarded by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, who have violated that norm by using confidential medical information to determine the physical and psychological weaknesses of prisoners in an effort to "break them." According to an article in the next issue of the respected medical journal The Lancet by Steven H. Miles, United States military doctors at Abu Ghraib helped to design the physical and psychological techniques of torture used by interrogators.

Reelection bid

Gingrey makes the most of his former medical practice in his election campaigns, and currently uses slogan "he delivers" in his reelection bid. Unfortunately, his one-single minded focus on conservative social issues and health care issues at at a time when the United States is bogged down in guerrilla wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan misses the mark. Despite the intensity of the 2004 general election campaign, indifference characterizes the public response of most constituents and even much of his Republican base. For example, his most recent appearance at Berry College Chapel-a 1000 seat venue-drew a crowd of only 30 students and faculty.

Campaign finance

As a national legislator Gingrey specializes to health industry issues of interest to physicians and insurance firms. These interests oppose the provision of universal health care, which is the norm in advanced industrials societies. Unsurprisingly Gingrey receives a large share of his political campaign contributions from conservative fellow physicians to finance his election campaigns. The American College of Radiology Association, Harbin Clinic, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and American College of Cardiology are among his largest contributors in the 2004 election cycle.

External link

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-[[Image:Gingrey.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Gingrey during a committee hearing]]
+[[Image:Gingrey.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Gingrey during a committee hearing]]
-'''John Phillip Gingrey, M.D.,''' (born [[July 10]] [[1942]]), an [[United States|American]] politician, has been a [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] since [[2003]], representing the 11th District of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].
+'''John Phillip Gingrey, M.D.,''' (born [[July 10]] [[1942]]), an [[United States|American]] politician, has been a [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] since [[2003]], representing the 11th District of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].  He was born in [[Augusta, Georgia]], was educated at the [[Medical College of Georgia]], and worked as an [[obstetrician]] and member of the [[Georgia State Senate]] before being elected to the U.S. House.
-==Biography==
-Gingrey was born in [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]], was educated at the [[Medical College of Georgia]], and worked as an [[obstetrician]] and member of the [[Georgia State Senate]] before being elected to the U.S. House.
 ==Congressional district==
@@ Line 11: / Line 9: @@
 ==Views==
-Gingrey's reputation in the [[Georgia State Senate]] was that of a [[social conservative]] and a member of the [[Christian right]]. In the Georgia Senate he supported outlawing [[abortion]] and interpreted the [[Second Amendment to the United States Constitution]] as giving individual [[citizen]]s rather than [[state militia]]s a right to keep and use [[firearm]]s. He also strongly supported the [[2003 Invasion of Iraq|2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq]], as well as the [[tax]] cuts of [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]]. He opposes the provision of universal national health care. He is also on record as approving the actions taken by President Bush in regards to the military prison at [[Guantanamo Bay]].
+Gingrey's reputation in the [[Georgia State Senate]] was that of a [[social conservative]] and a member of the [[Christian right]]. In the Georgia Senate he supported outlawing [[abortion]] and interpreted the [[Second Amendment to the United States Constitution]] as giving individual [[citizen]]s rather than [[state militia]]s a right to keep and use [[firearm]]s. He also strongly supported the [[2003 Invasion of Iraq|2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq]], as well as the [[tax]] cuts of [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]].
 [[Progressive Punch]] has rated Gingrey as the most conservative member of the House.
+==Medical ethics issues==
-==Re-election==
+Gingrey's approval of conditions at Guantanamo Bay may conflict with his ethical obligations as a physician.  While the Guantanamo Bay prisoners are not Gingrey's patients, his endorsement  of the methodologies used there conflicts with fundamental tenets of modern American and international medical ethics.  In particular, [[patient confidentiality]] is disregarded by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, who have violated that norm by using confidential medical information to determine the physical and psychological weaknesses of prisoners in an effort to "break them."  According to an article in the next issue of the respected medical journal [[The Lancet]] by Steven H. Miles, United States military doctors at Abu Ghraib helped to design the physical and psychological techniques of torture used by interrogators.
-Gingrey depends heavily on political contributions from fellow [[physician]]s to finance his [[election campaign]]s. The [[American College of Radiology Association]], [[Harbin Clinic]], [[American Academy of Ophthalmology]], and [[American College of Cardiology]] are among his largest contributors in the 2004 election cycle.
+==Reelection bid==
-Gingrey's likely Democratic Party challenger in the 2004 [[general election]] is [[attorney]] [[Rick Crawford]].
+Gingrey makes the most of his former medical practice in his election campaigns, and currently uses slogan "he delivers" in his reelection bid.  Unfortunately, his one-single minded focus on conservative social issues and health care issues at at a time when the United States is bogged down in guerrilla wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan misses the mark.  Despite the intensity of the 2004 general election campaign, indifference characterizes the public response of most constituents and even much of his Republican base.  For example, his most recent appearance at [[Berry College Chapel]]-a 1000 seat venue-drew a crowd of only 30 students and faculty.
+==Campaign finance==
+As a national legislator Gingrey specializes to health industry issues of interest to physicians and insurance firms.  These interests oppose the provision of universal health care, which is the norm in advanced industrials societies.  Unsurprisingly Gingrey receives a large share of his political campaign contributions from conservative fellow [[physician]]s to finance his [[election campaign]]s.  The [[American College of Radiology Association]], [[Harbin Clinic]], [[American Academy of Ophthalmology]], and [[American College of Cardiology]] are among his largest contributors in the 2004 election cycle.
+==Further reading==
+* Steven H. Miles. "Abu Ghraib: Its legacy for Military Medicine." ''[[The Lancet]]''.  Vol. 364, no. 9465, August 21, 2004.
+* Editorial. "How Complicit are Doctors in Abuses of Detainees?" ''[[The Lancet]]''.  Vol. 364, no. 9465, August 21, 2004.
+* Peter Slavin and Joe Stevens. "Detainee's Medical Files Shared: Guantanamo Interrogator's Access Criticized". ''[[Washington Post]]''. Thursday, June 10, 2004. Page A1.
 ==External link==
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 *[http://www.ppaction.org/ppvotes/person-vote.html?person_id=3924 Planned Parenthood rating]
 *[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00024760&cycle=2004 Campaign Finance]
+*[http://www.glphr.org/guantanamo/index.htm Leave No Child Behind in Guantanamo]
+*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3806713.stm Karpinski on BBC 4]
+*[http://www.rickcrawford.org/ Rick Crawford for Congress]
 *[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00024760&cycle=2004 Top Contributors]
+*[http://imc.gsm.com/demos/dddemo/consult/conf_acp.htm Medical Confidentiality]
+*[http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040820/1/3mk95.html ''Lancet'' article on U.S. Military Doctors Designing Torture]
 [[Category:Georgia politicians|Gingrey, Phil]]