Too Much Pork In Stimulus?

[Guest JohnDenver]

"GOP Stripped Flu Pandemic Preparedness From Stimulus"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/27/g...c_n_191732.html

[keith]

Shhhh....it is all part of a diabolical right-wing extremist plan. Everybody knows that. First, secretly in the dark of night pull all the federal "stimulus" funding for pandemic preparedness (since the right-wing conspirators had fore knowledge that one was coming you see). Besides, no one is really going to read the stimulus package anyway. Then, lay low and wait. After a couple of months, arrange for Obama to take a trip to Mexico to shake hands with patient zero. Then he'll bring this new weaponized strain of the influenza virus back to the U.S. It all fits.

Keith

[UNTflyer]

Facts, ain't they a bitch?

"The fiscal 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act working its way through Congress this week allocates only $76 million for pandemic influenza preparedness funding for the Health and Human Services Department, though the Bush administration requested a budget of $870 million for it."

December 19, 2007 (when Democrats already controlled Congress)

I find it odd that when Bush asked for less money, the Democrats wouldn't give it to him, but when Obama wanted more money, it's a liberal Republicans' fault. BTW, I agree with Susan Collins when she said: "Does it belong in this bill? Should we have $870 million in this bill No, we should not."

She's right, it didn't belong in the stimulus bill.

[hickoryhouse]

That is an interesting point, how is something like this STIMULUS?

[Guest JohnDenver]

That is an interesting point, how is something like this STIMULUS?

Maybe because this media whirlwind of fear is the anti-stimulus?

I am face palming all day long with the FUD being throw about.

Dunno.

[UNTflyer]

$900 million appropriated 6 weeks ago would have done nothing to stop this, but $800 million 15 months ago might have, although I seriously doubt it. In an age where you can travel around the world on an airplane in 48 hours, what can we do to stop these things?

This is the kind of posturing in politics that really annoys me.

[GreenBat]

This is the kind of posturing in politics that really annoys me.

Agree 100 percent.

[Guest JohnDenver]

As do I. I completely agree. I thought the whole PORK and SWINE talk was funny times.

I am very annoyed at this whole swine flu thing... Media, politics and economy in the FEAR Triad..

[FirefightnRick]

Facts, ain't they a bitch?

LOL! That's great!

By the way, can we NOW close the borders? Seems like a good time for it to me?

Rick

[FirefightnRick]

Swine flu: nothing new

The fact of the matter is, swine flu has been hopping from pigs to humans for decades, sometimes causing disease, sometimes not. According to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control, 76% of swine exhibitors at a 1988 county fair had antibodies in their bloodstream indicating a prior swine flu infection, even though the exhibitors showed no signs of illness. There was also an outbreak of swine flu among military recruits in Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1976, causing severe illness in 13 soldiers and one death. With this current swine flu outbreak, we simply don’t know what to expect. There’s been no reliable pattern. Some people have gotten mildly ill, and some have died. Some have probably been transiently infected and didn’t even notice.

.

.

As of this writing, 80 people in Mexico have succumbed to swine flu. By comparison, the CDC estimates that 36,000 people in the United States die each year of influenza-related illnesses. And in spite of this, we in the medical community still have a hard time convincing people to get their flu shots.

Rick

Edited April 28, 2009 by FirefightnRick

[UNTflyer]

By the way, can we NOW close the borders? Seems like a good time for it to me?

Apparently not:

Napolitano: Closing border not the answer to flu

"You would close the border if you thought you could contain the spread of disease, but the disease already is in a number of states within the United States."

Edited April 28, 2009 by UNTflyer

[untbowler]

The silverback gorilla does not want to hurt relations with future voters and US citizens by closing the borders and access to American Health Facilities.