Tom Steyer. Michael Bloomberg. Ben Carson. Donald Trump. Now Dr. Oz. Yes, Dr. Mehmet Oz is not running for president, but nevertheless, he fits into this trend of celebrities deciding to enter national politics. Should celebrities and people who maybe do not have a background in law or politics run for office?
For those who are not aware, Dr. Mehmet Oz is a heart surgeon who is the host of his own television show, The Dr. Oz Show. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a supporter of holistic medicine as well as alternative medicinal practices.
Specifically, Oz is competing in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race as a Republican. He wrote this statement pertaining to his candidacy: "We have not managed our crises as effectively as past generations."During the pandemic, I learned that when you mix politics and medicine, you get politics instead of solutions. That's why I am running for the U.S. Senate: to help fix the problems and to help us heal."
Oz’s television show will temporarily cease programming in areas of Pennsylvania and New York, per Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. The logic behind this law is the fact that the candidate might have an unfair advantage over competitors in regards to airtime. For historical comparison, Ronald Reagan’s appearances on television outside of politics were halted, and certain stations did not show movies featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger when he ran for Governor of California.
Running as a Republican, some of his main priorities include “being tough on China,” “stopping illegal immigration,” and “lowering healthcare costs.” There are not many specifics yet, but for more clarification on his policy ideas, I would advise visiting his website (linked below).
Can we trust celebrities such as Dr. Oz to hold positions of political power? Or should more celebrities and famous figures take office? Comment below, and be sure visit the subscribe tab in order to receive every blog instantaneously.
-ThatPoliticalKid
Credits:
Biography.com:
Dr. Oz:
NPR:
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