Do Something!

When you are young, you believe that if you find a problem, you should do something. As you mature, you realize that doing something often brings it own new set of unforeseen problems, and many times you don't actually solve the original one.

It is often this way in medicine, to the point that one of Docbrain's favorite lines is "No good deed goes unpunished."

While one can commend President Obama and the Congress for doing something (the Stimulus Bill), the question arises as to whether doing something is the right thing to do. Perhaps, doing nothing or something completely different would be better approaches. Much better approaches.

President Obama has already said that the package is not perfect. This, of course, will lead to doubts of its ability to be successful among the public, thereby decreasing its effectiveness in jump starting the economy. But that is not the main problem.

The problem is immaturity coupled with power. It is not the courage to intervene, but the courage to refrain from intervention except at the proper times that marks a truly great leader. If the stimulus package doesn't work, people will give Obama credit for "at least he tried". The problem is that the treatment may be for the wrong diagnosis, given at the wrong time, and given in the wrong way. One trillion dollars of debt will make the patient sicker, even if it makes those who prescribe it feel good that they have "done something".