What Do You Really Mean, Newt?

Given the behavior of our elected officials, perhaps it's no surprise that there are more psychologists and psychiatrists per capita in Washington, D.C., than in any of the 50 states. But while there are plenty of shrinks near Capitol Hill, there still aren't very many on it.

Last November's elections did see two psychologists gunning for seats in the House of Representatives. Alas, Brian Baird, Ph.D., a psychologist at Pacific Lutheran University, lost his bid to represent a district in southwest Washington. But he went down swinging, falling short by a mere 890 votes. In Ohio, however, Democrat Ted Strickland, Ph.D., easily beat the Republican who'd defeated him in 1994, giving psychologists a foothold in Congress. Among Strickland's goals: making sure mental healthcare coverage achieves full equality with coverage for physical ailments.