THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW

A DEMAND FOR THE HEALTH AND TAX RECORDS OF ALL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES


DISCLAIMER: In this public statement we are not taking a political position. This is a non-partisan demand for medical and tax information from all presidential candidates.


A functional democracy requires an informed public. Can the American public truly make the best decision about who their next Commander and Chief should be when they don't have all the facts?

We believe that the public has a right to see both the medical records and tax return of their potential future president.

What medical information do we think candidates should give out? At the very least, they should release a record of past medications, family medical history, heart rate, respiratory rate, EKG, cholesterol level, and the results of screenings for terminal illnesses and mentally impairing conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer's. The dates of all these exams should also be listed, and we would request that these exams be done by an independent team of doctors in order to avoid bias, (not the candidate's personal/family physician).

In fact, in 2008, a high-profile panel of doctors recommended that presidential and vice-presidential candidates be required to undergo a health exam by an independent team of doctors from the American College of Physicians. Dr. Connie Mariano, who has served as a White House physician for George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, was even on that committee (CNN). So this is an idea that has support.

In terms of Hillary Clinton's situation, we think it imperative that the public know how much Coumadin she is taking and how often her blood is tested. [explain that coumadin is dangerous.]

In terms of Donald Trump, we would urge him to release a copy of his tax return to the public, and the sooner the better. Presidential candidates have been releasing their tax returns to the public since the early 1970s. And this is information that a majority of voters (67 percent) wish to see. Many voters want to see a president's tax return because they believe it shows where the candidate invests their money. [sep section]

According to recent polls, 59 percent of American voters also want to see the medical records of their presidential candidates. So if voters can see a president's tax return, why not their medical records as well? If anything, basic medical records may be even more important, because they reveal whether a candidate is even physically and mentally fit to lead. We're not saying that the candidate needs to be a prime physical specimen of health, or an Olympic athlete. Of course candidates in their 60s and 70s are going to have some health issues. But medical records are important because they reveal whether the candidate is even capable of performing their job.

Now in 2015, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump released signed notes from their doctors saying they were healthy enough to run for president.

In July 2015, Hillary released a signed letter from her long time physician Dr. Lisa Bardack, who has been examining her since she became a U.S. senator in 2001. The letter said the following:

'Mrs. Clinton is a healthy female with hypothyroidism and season allergies, on long-term anticoagulation,' the letter read. 

'She participates in a healthy lifestyle and has had a full medical evaluation, which reveals no evidence of additional medical issues or cardiovascular disease. Her cancer screening evaluations are all negative,' it continued. 

'She is in excellent physical condition and fit to serve as President of the United States,'

(Read the July 2015 letter from Hillary's doctor here)

Trump's letter was released five months later. In it, his personal physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, says the following:

His (Donald Trump's) physical strength and stamina are extraordinary

If elected, Mr Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.

(Read the December 2015 letter from Donald Trump's doctor here)

However, the public requires much more detailed information than this (at the very least, some of the requirements that we outlined above). And once again, it would be good to get this information from an unbiased source.

So it is time for an informed public and informed democracy. Americans deserve to see the truth about their future leader. After all, this is going to be the person putting judges on the Supreme Court. This is going to be the person presiding over America's nuclear launch codes. The job of Commander and Chief is only getting more demanding, and America deserves a candidate who can actually do the job.