Which is pretty much my response to American Medical Association president William Plested, who spoke recently to a civic group about what he thinks is ailing American healthcare.

Is it obesity? No.
Is it the aging of the giant Baby Boom generation?
Is it a shortage of nurses?

No.

It's the legal system and the fact that people can actually--gasp--sue their physicians if they do a poor job and cause more problems than they help.

Now, I admit this has become an overly litigious society, and everyone's answer to everything is "sue the bas..uh...bad guys."

But to blame every healthcare system ailment and, by association, every health problem society faces, to physicians' fear of lawsuits seems a bit over the top.

And, yes, part of my gripe with Dr. Spongebill Squarehead, pictured above, is that he said the result of all these lawsuits-in-the-making is that "we're going to pay for this with a generation of fatso's with every disease you can imagine."

Gasp. Not FATSO'S!!

Sheesh. Maybe I will sue the bas...bombastic boxhead.