"paul minot" is dead. Hail "candid psychiatrist"!

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday January 21, 2008 · 7:14 AM PST

2008/01/21 · 07:14

Just in case there's anybody out there that gives a damn, I'm changing my user name her at Daily Kos to "candid psychiatrist", which not coincidentally is the name of my website. The reason for this change is because I am setting out to write many more diaries focused on the corruption and general bullshit that is plaguing contemporary psychiatry. In addressing these issues I feel it is helpful to state my professional credentials in each of my posts, so people will know that I am speaking from the perspective of a whistle blower with inside information rather than, say, a disgruntled consumer. Having to do so in each of my diary titles has become cumbersome and a waste of effort, so I have concluded that I can best do so (and, what the hell, promote my website as well) by changing my user name.

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday January 11, 2008 · 1:11 PM PST

2008/01/11 · 13:11

First of all, let me state that I am a Board-certified psychiatrist with 22 years of postgraduate experience, working in a mainstream, medication-oriented practice for a hospital corporation—NOT some left-field wacko or pissed-off psychoanalyst. So I am a believer in psychiatry, at least in concept. But it’s high time for progressives, including those who may have seen benefits from psychiatric treatment for themselves or a loved one, and those compelled to defend us against the forces of neo-superstition, to face a harsh truth about contemporary psychiatry: the scientific underpinnings of biological psychiatry are for the most part bullshit, the product of bad science generated by the corrupted institutions of psychiatric research.

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday December 11, 2007 · 1:04 PM PST

2007/12/11 · 13:04

As a psychiatrist, it drives me nuts to see immoral and unethical behavior labeled "mental illness". It's a discredit to patients with legitimate mental disorders---and it lets those who make unethical and self-serving decisions to the detriment of society off the hook, by implying that they are in the thrall of some sort of pathological entity, rather than making a moral choice of their own accord.

The largely positive reception that Granny Doc's diary has received from many here upsets me, because it reaffirms for me the prevalence of one of the most disturbing trends in contemporary society--our tendency to view moral lapses as some sort of psychological disorder, rather than than, well, moral lapses. My years of practice in psychiatry has confirmed that in fact there is crazy, and there is evil--and they are not at all the same thing.

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday November 01, 2007 · 9:26 AM PDT

2007/11/01 · 09:26

Yesterday I posted this diary, in which I confronted the Democratic Party's entrenched ambiguity regarding the issue of illegal immigration. It's an issue that Democrats have been more than happy to avoid in the primary--until the last debate, when it became a brickbat with which Hillary's opponents could clobber her after she was unable to clarify her own position.

However, I'm betting there will be some blowback for making hay off this particular issue, because as I see it Hillary's problem is in fact the Democratic Party's problem--how to have a satisfactorily decisive stand on an issue that challenges our values, and divides our base.

Poll

93 votes Show Results

How much of a concern is a Democratic position on illegal immigration in 2008

93 votes Vote Now!

How much of a concern is a Democratic position on illegal immigration in 2008

No concern--accepting the status quo will be just fine for the 2008 election

8 votes

Not much--those who are worked up about it will likely vote Republican anyway, or sit out

19 votes

Some concern--some independents will vote Republican if a nativist is nominated

4 votes

Moderate concern--could very well be a decisive issue in the election

20 votes

Major concern--we will ignore this issue at our own peril

33 votes

I have no freaking idea

6 votes

Splunge!

3 votes

"Splunge", Hillary, and the Democrats immigration stance

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday October 31, 2007 · 8:36 AM PDT

2007/10/31 · 08:36

Look, I don't have any trouble with Edwards, Obama, et al trying to take Hillary down in the last debate. I had just about given up on anybody actually trying. And I acknowledge that they drew blood at the end of the debate, when they had Hillary falling all over herself trying to defend, yet distance herself from, the policies of her ally Eliot Spitzer. But something was bothering about the whole affair afterward, and then it struck me..."Splunge!"

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday October 18, 2007 · 7:59 AM PDT

2007/10/18 · 07:59

I have about had my fill of diaries and comments slagging Hillary as some sort of Great Deceiver and proxy Republican. This is the same sort of bullshit that was floating around in 2000, and gave rise to the Nader fiasco, and 8 years of Republican nightmare. Sure, Hillary has the taint of corporate corruption that Bill did, and every other successful Democratic politician has had as well--but to deny her potential value to our party, and our country, at this critical time in our history is just plain stupid--just like it was stupid in 2000.

I know this has all been said before, but I'm taking my shot at it, because I've finally come to the conclusion that Hillary, taken as a whole, is the best candidate for the job. I make my case after the fold.

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday July 25, 2007 · 11:12 PM PDT

2007/07/25 · 23:12

Some of us are still pinching ourselves to reassure ourselves that 2006 actually happened, and all of us are naturally looking forward to the 2008 elections. In the meantime the intransigence of BushCo and its toadies in Congress is giving us fits, as we try to get to the bottom of the Administration's rampant skullduggery.

The potential benefits of the investigatory processes for the 2008 elections are obvious. But on further consideration, the stubborn obstructionism of Repug Congresscritters may in fact lead to even more dramatic gains by Dems in the 2010 midterms.

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday June 12, 2007 · 6:26 AM PDT

2007/06/12 · 06:26

Like many of you, I come to DKos to get away from Paris Hilton and all the other tabloid obsessions of the MSM. However, the number of recent threads alluding to Miss Hilton led me to question the presumption of her political irrelevance—and after some thought, it came to me that her recent travails just might be the harbinger of a significant shift in the public zeitgeist. (Bear with me now....)

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday June 04, 2007 · 9:33 AM PDT

2007/06/04 · 09:33

Up to now I've shared the prevailing concerns about a prospective Hillary nomination—I certainly don't match up with her exactly on the issues, I've doubted her sincerity, and most of all I've doubted her ability to win in a general election. But last night’s debate performance has given me cause to reconsider the depth of my opposition to the likelihood of her nomination, as well as my support for some of her opponents.

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday March 26, 2007 · 12:39 PM PDT

2007/03/26 · 12:39

Proving that moderate Democrats are capable of just as ballsy as any left-winger, Rep. Jack Murtha declares himself ready to call Bush's bluff regarding his threat to veto the Iraq supplemental bill, as per this article on msnbc.com.

Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a top advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, made clear after Friday’s House vote that Democrats think they have the upper hand. He said the president might not even veto the House bill — despite Bush’s vow to do so.

"This money is desperately needed. Don’t think he has all the leverage," Murtha said, referring to Bush. "They need the money, so I’m not sure they’ll be willing to veto this bill."

Murtha implied that Bush’s veto threat wasn’t credible: "Has he said a few things that haven’t turned out be accurate before, huh?"

Even opponents of this bill should be able to grab some popcorn and enjoy themselves, when W starts to break a sweat, and wonders if he REALLY wants to be the one who is denying the troops necessary funds to complete their (i.e. his) mission.

Poll

36 votes Show Results

Entonces, quien es mas macho que Jack Murtha?

36 votes Vote Now!

Entonces, quien es mas macho que Jack Murtha?

Nadie!

36 votes

This Clarkie is jumping on the Obama Express (w/ poll)

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday March 07, 2007 · 7:00 AM PST

2007/03/07 · 07:00

Anyone out there who has read my posts on the 2008 election knows that I have been a persistent advocate for the candidacy of Wesley Clark. Like many of you I have been waiting for "the announcement" for months, and have maintained a hopeful attitude in the face of my own impatience, media apathy, and miserable poll numbers everywhere outside of the lefty blogosphere. In the meantime Edwards is exhibiting surprising strength among the traditional union base, and Obama is attracting media attention, impressive crowds, and lots of money--both appear sufficiently strong and qualified to be the "anti-Hillary" many of us have needed. Numerous large states are now clamoring to move up their primary dates to February, which makes the success of a dark horse candidacy increasingly doubtful. My impression now is that the best opportunity for a Clark candidacy has passed.

It is in this context that I am sharing with you both the rationale for my prior support of Clark, and for my embrace of Obama's candidacy now.

Poll

161 votes Show Results

Clarkies only please: If Wes is out, who will you support?

161 votes Vote Now!

Clarkies only please: If Wes is out, who will you support?

Hillary Clinton

5 votes

Barack Obama

86 votes

John Edwards

20 votes

Bill Richardson

9 votes

Joe Biden

0 votes

Dennis Kucinich

0 votes

Mike Gravel

0 votes

Haven't had enough frustration yet--will now hold out for Al Gore

15 votes

Might support a Republican instead

3 votes

Wes is running, will still win, and this poll is utter heresy

23 votes

The UHC lawsuit: An opportunity for John Edwards (w/ poll)

paul minot

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday February 16, 2007 · 7:42 AM PST

2007/02/16 · 07:42

Like many of you, I have been frustrated by the mainstream media's lack of coverage of the United Health Care lawsuit. Many of us see this as an opening to expose once and for all the endemic fraud and abuse of the health insurance racket, which has exploited and ripped off millions of Americans for decades with impunity. In the wake of the corrupt corporatism of the Bush Administration, the time is now ripe for this issue to come to the forefront of the political dialogue.

Poll

36 votes Show Results

Just how typical are the sort of abuses alleged in the UHC case?

36 votes Vote Now!

Just how typical are the sort of abuses alleged in the UHC case?

This is a unique case

0 votes

Fairly common

9 votes

Really common

5 votes

Business as usual

22 votes

Newer
Older

RSS

"paul minot" is dead. Hail "candid psychiatrist"!

Shrink Sez: Don't Drink Our Koolaid! (w/ Addendum)

Stop Calling EVIL a Mental Illness.

C'mon Kossacks--I DARE you to define the Democrats' position on immigration (w/ poll)

"Splunge", Hillary, and the Democrats immigration stance

Hillary: At worst, "the lesser of GOODS"

Prediction: 2010 will be a very good year!

Paris' World, Class Privilege, and the Political Moment

Re-regarding Hillary

Murtha ready to play chicken with Bush!

This Clarkie is jumping on the Obama Express (w/ poll)

The UHC lawsuit: An opportunity for John Edwards (w/ poll)