Interesting derivation and historical usage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb#Origin_of_the_phrase
My God Harken is dumbass. And why was he in Cuba in the first place, to learn to be a better communist?
If all areas of medicine is a public service, whether you are a doctor or a nurse or whatever, then are we willing to force people to become doctors and nurses? Why not, we want to force bakers to bake certain kinds of cakes, so why not force people to become medical professionals!
Harkin should be dangling by a hemp rope right now.