# Shame on Jack Conway for his criticism of Rand Paul **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 15, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226 "2010-06-15T00:24:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/21 "2010-06-15T17:45:38Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > Except that Page One Kentucky [has been on it since April](http://pageonekentucky.com/2010/04/30/does-rand-paul-have-something-to-hide/). It’s hard to believe that it’s taken this long for the mainstream sources to catch on; P1K is hardly obscure. Duly noted. > [@Boyo J](#): > > And according to Really Not All The Bright’s link in post #16, the person writing the editorial claims that the new body does in fact have some kind of test, so it is not an empty shell. I’m unimpressed by that editorial’s offhand reference to an online test administered by Paul’s organization. As noted, NBO doesn’t have a website, it’s standards aren’t published, and its officers (ie, Paul’s wife & father-in-law, can’t answer questions about it. The seven people Gerth contacted about the NBO’s certification refused to discuss what was involved. (The only seven people he could find, you’ll recall.) Also, Paul’s comment to the WaPo just says that a group of younger ophthalmologists agreed that everyone should get re-certified regularly. That doesn’t mean that Paul’s group is actually doing so, or what their process or standards are. I think you were right the first time, Boyo Jim. I think this is just a power play to try and weasel out of the re-certification fees by pressuring the older docs rather than a principled objection. And even if I buy the objection (I can see both sides) I still think it’s pretty fishy to make up your own certification board consisting of you, your wife & her dad, give yourself a ‘test’, and then announce that you qualified. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/22 "2010-06-15T18:25:12Z")
If you Google “National Board of Opthamology”, do do find a few doctors’ practices websites listing it among their certifications, but you have to go 3 or 4 pages in. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/23 "2010-06-15T18:44:05Z")
Sorry, but if the “National Board” won’t tell me who\* its own\* laureates are… ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/24 "2010-06-15T19:31:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Sorry, but if the “National Board” won’t tell me who\* its own\* laureates are… Yea, you’d think that the point of joining such a board would be to have your name on a public list of doctors that have been vetted by said organization. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/25 "2010-06-15T19:55:45Z")
As others have said, he does not need to be certified by the actual ABMS board to practice as an ophthalmologist, but most hospitals would require him to be before giving him privileges (unless, ironically, he grandfathered in). There’s nothing stopping him from calling himself “board-certified”, but it pushes some limits, IMO. Of course, the libertarians would tell us that this is how all professional regulation should work–competing voluntary organizations that build reputations and are as open about their standards as they want to be, which people can regard or disregard at their will. In this case, it would work exactly as intended–I would not see Dr. Paul as a patient, nor would I refer my patients to him. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/26 "2010-06-15T20:01:06Z")
Ugh, I can’t keep any of these guys straight anymore. Can we please just combine Rand Paul, Ron Paul, and RuPaul into one person and be done with it? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/27 "2010-06-15T20:02:21Z")
They’re all equally qualified to practice eye medicine or hold public office, apparently… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/28 "2010-06-15T20:14:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > They’re all equally qualified to practice eye medicine or hold public office, apparently… But there’s Ron Popiel. And the Two Ronnies. And the Ronettes. And Ron Jeremy. Any of which are better suited to public than the Paul people. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/29 "2010-06-15T20:32:28Z")
Don’t forget [Billy Paul](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfr6jmJOGA8). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/30 "2010-06-15T20:59:38Z")
You got to give him credit for living up to his principles. Libertarians seem to operate under caveat emptor - if someone psuedo-certified by his board hurts a patient, they could just say the patient should have researched his qualifications better - and so it is the patient’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/31 "2010-06-15T21:12:38Z")
I want to take this opportunity toDopers to join my “National Judean Opthamologist Front”. All you need to do is send me $50 for annual certification along with the answer to the following question (which isn’t **TWO** hard): How many eyes does a normal healthy human being have? Once recieved you will recieve an email with your certification and a chance to win a free iPad! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/32 "2010-06-15T21:22:40Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I want to take this opportunity toDopers to join my “National Judean Opthamologist Front”. All you need to do is send me $50 for annual certification along with the answer to the following question (which isn’t **TWO** hard): > > How many eyes does a normal healthy human being have? > > Once recieved you will recieve an email with your certification and a chance to win a free iPad! I prefer the National Opthalmologist Front of Judea, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/33 "2010-06-15T21:24:17Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I prefer the National Opthalmologist Front of Judea, actually. Splitter! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/34 "2010-06-15T21:27:26Z")
The National Front of Judean Opthamology is giving away a Big Daddy deep fryer, and doesn’t discriminate against the differently sighted, like a couple other groups I _could_ mention. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/35 "2010-06-15T21:41:08Z")
I thought WE were The National Front of Judean Opthamology! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/36 "2010-06-16T00:23:17Z")
What’s the American Board of Ophthalmology\* ever done for us? _Note the spelling_\*, people. \*\*I was surprised too. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/37 "2010-06-16T00:34:22Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > Don’t forget [Billy Paul](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfr6jmJOGA8). I’m voting for Les Paul. Or less Paul - that would be fine too. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/38 "2010-06-16T00:43:27Z")
One vote for Mrs. Paul. Free fish sticks for all new association members. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/39 "2010-06-16T01:15:33Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What’s the American Board of Ophthalmology\* ever done for us? > > _Note the spelling_\*, people. > > \*\*I was surprised too. I had to go to an ophthalmologist after I went to Rome and couldn’t see any of the aqueducts. ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226/40 "2010-06-16T01:17:43Z")
FWIW, ophthalmology is the NRA of medical specialties. They are extremely active politically, give money to politicians in their favor at a high rate and mount active campaigns against those they oppose. The reason is because they’re always fighting to keep the optometrists in check. So they are very big on challenging anything an optometrist does except figure out a prescription for glasses as practicing medicine without a license. Don’t mess with ophthalmogists. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-jack-conway-for-his-criticism-of-rand-paul/543226.md?page=3)