I'm Blogger of the Year!

No really! The National Republican Congressional Committee just sent me a letter! All I have to do is give them $1,250 and I can pick up my award!

By the way, that's exactly what thousands of physicians have been doing over the last several years, according to ABC News:

To receive his award as "Physician of the Year," Dr. Rudolph Mueller learned he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. He also learned he wasn't the only "Physician of the Year."

"To actually buy your award and it's not from your peers or from your patients or from the community that you serve, it's really deceptive," said Mueller, author of "As Sick As It Gets: The Shocking Reality of America's Healthcare, A Diagnosis and Treatment Plan." "It's not being honest, it's just not right."

To see what the award process was all about, Mueller sent in his $1,250 contribution and ABC News paid for his travel to Washington for the scheduled events March 14-15, which included a tax-reform workshop as well as appearances by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and President Bush.

The Republicans, under the direction of DeLay, came up with the idea for the awards five years ago as a means of helping to raise funds for the congressional campaign efforts for their party.

A Republican congressional spokesman said DeLay stopped direct involvement in the program two years ago, but the majority leader was the guest speaker this year at the awards ceremony luncheon, giving a speech that included proposals well-tailored to the doctors' interests.

This is not really a DeLay story (he spoke at the conference, and he's no longer personally involved), but I thought it was interesting that ABC found a way to shoehorn DeLay into it.  This is why it's crucial that DeLay ISN'T run out of town on a rail... yet.  The Bugman goes with stories of Republican corruption like cotton and candy.  If we want to run a national Congressional campaign in '06, we have to put his face on it.

By the way, I thought THIS was the interesting part, and the most telling about Republicans' interest in stemming the health care crisis in America:

Mueller said most of the talk at the sessions was about marketing, lawyers and taxes, and that he was met with silence when trying to raise the issue of the lack of affordable health insurance.

"This is the real crisis," Mueller said he told the congressmen on one panel at the events. "Please, I am begging you."

The congressmen said nothing and quickly called for a question from another Physician of the Year, Mueller said.

Some of the other winners told Mueller that his $1,250 fee to the NRCC was a wise investment indeed. He should use the award as a marketing tool, they said, as an impressive honor he could tell patients. And on the Internet, ABC News found physicians across the country doing just that — listing NRCC's Physician of the Year among their honors and credentials.

If that doesn't say "Let Them Eat Cake," I don't know what does. Republicans have NO IDEAS for how to fix the health-care crisis in America. None. Why isn't THAT a commercial?