Swine Flu Outbreak

[droski]

bet i can get some nice rates on flights to mexico

 

[lawgator1]

bet i can get some nice rates on flights to mexico

Yeah, but you might find the return trip a little lengthy.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

We all know this is the first step to the mark of the beast. If you want to be cured of the swine flu, you will have to take the mark!

 

[HawaiiVol]

and to top it all off, Acapulco gets hit by a 6.0 earthquake

 

[MG1968]

well, it's becoming apparent that LG's paranoia was pointed in the wrong direction.

ABC's Consistent on Flu Threats: Blame the Republicans | NewsBusters.org

When bird flu was the threat a few years ago, ABC blamed the Bush administration for being too late. Now when swine flu is the subject of scary headlines, ABC has begun by letting President Obama blame the Bush administration – and Republicans back to Reagan.

 

[lawgator1]

"NewsBusters." Now there's a neutral source.

 

[utvolpj]

"NewsBusters." Now there's a neutral source.

kind of like wikipedia, you have to read the sources

 

[OrangeEmpire]

"NewsBusters." Now there's a neutral source.

If only Olbermann and Maddow broke it...

 

[IPorange]

well, it's becoming apparent that LG's paranoia was pointed in the wrong direction.

ABC's Consistent on Flu Threats: Blame the Republicans | NewsBusters.org

That's pretty silly. This sort of thing is inevitable. We are due for another 1918 Spanish flu sort of thing, and are asking for it when you consider how interconnected the globe has become. You can't prevent this stuff, you can only plan for it and deal with it as it occurs. We actually are fairly well prepared when you consider the antiviral strategic stockpile we have already begun to tap into, multiple agencies involved in informing and advising the public, etc. Look at how well the world handled SARS.

As far as bird flu, it is hard to deal with something that doesn't even exist in a human-to-human form yet. When the virus makes that leap (similar to how this one apparently has), then we can deal with it. You can't fight what isn't there.

 

[vols4sure]

I just know how this thing is going to get twisted and become a vehicle for things it should NOT be a vehicle for. Its coming, guaranteed.

You were right for once lawgator.

Obama on Swine Flu Outbreak: Pitches for More Investment into Science Research - Political Punch

“I’m getting regular updates on the situation from the responsible agencies, and the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Centers for Disease Control will be offering regular updates to the American people so that they know what steps are being taken and what steps they may need to take,” Obama said today, “But one thing is clear – our capacity to deal with a public health challenge of this sort rests heavily on the work of our scientific and medical community. And this is one more example of why we cannot allow our nation to fall behind.”

President Obama’s remarks – which were previously scheduled before the outbreak of the swine flu – focused on the necessary investments into science and research, and faulted not only the Bush administration for the plunging levels of science funding as a portion of the GDP, but farther back to the Reagan years as well.

 

[WA_Vol]

That's pretty silly. This sort of thing is inevitable. We are due for another 1918 Spanish flu sort of thing, and are asking for it when you consider how interconnected the globe has become.

That would be catostrophic.

 

[IPorange]

You were right for once lawgator.

Obama on Swine Flu Outbreak: Pitches for More Investment into Science Research - Political Punch

“I’m getting regular updates on the situation from the responsible agencies, and the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Centers for Disease Control will be offering regular updates to the American people so that they know what steps are being taken and what steps they may need to take,” Obama said today, “But one thing is clear – our capacity to deal with a public health challenge of this sort rests heavily on the work of our scientific and medical community. And this is one more example of why we cannot allow our nation to fall behind.”

President Obama’s remarks – which were previously scheduled before the outbreak of the swine flu – focused on the necessary investments into science and research, and faulted not only the Bush administration for the plunging levels of science funding as a portion of the GDP, but farther back to the Reagan years as well.

He doesn't understand that if he allowed the private economy to be more profitable, more funding would flow into this sort of research. This in turn would yield greater potential tax revenue. It's like he has a backwards understanding of economics. His way of doing things creates a negative feedback loop that leads only to more recession. Ask FDR.

 

[vols4sure]

He doesn't understand that if he allowed the private economy to be more profitable, more funding would flow into this sort of research. This in turn would yield greater potential tax revenue. It's like he has a backwards understanding of economics. His way of doing things creates a negative feedback loop that leads only to more recession. Ask FDR.

Exactly.

If the govt. is providing the funding, all the researchers will care about is doing whatever it takes to keep their funding.

 

[MG1968]

"NewsBusters." Now there's a neutral source.

I'm sorry it wasn't your hero Olbermann, who's show is extremely well researched and would never knowingly lie to his viewers.

besides, I figured you'd appreciate the fact that it points to an ABC article that shows Obama is actually blaming republicans.

 

[lawgator1]

You were right for once lawgator.

Obama on Swine Flu Outbreak: Pitches for More Investment into Science Research - Political Punch

“I’m getting regular updates on the situation from the responsible agencies, and the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Centers for Disease Control will be offering regular updates to the American people so that they know what steps are being taken and what steps they may need to take,” Obama said today, “But one thing is clear – our capacity to deal with a public health challenge of this sort rests heavily on the work of our scientific and medical community. And this is one more example of why we cannot allow our nation to fall behind.”

President Obama’s remarks – which were previously scheduled before the outbreak of the swine flu – focused on the necessary investments into science and research, and faulted not only the Bush administration for the plunging levels of science funding as a portion of the GDP, but farther back to the Reagan years as well.

He doesn't understand that if he allowed the private economy to be more profitable, more funding would flow into this sort of research. This in turn would yield greater potential tax revenue. It's like he has a backwards understanding of economics. His way of doing things creates a negative feedback loop that leads only to more recession. Ask FDR.

I'm sorry it wasn't your hero Olbermann, who's show is extremely well researched and would never knowingly lie to his viewers.

besides, I figured you'd appreciate the fact that it points to an ABC article that shows Obama is actually blaming republicans.

Government funding for research to be prepared for a once-a-century pandemic is not as frivolous as you three would seem to think. Without government funding for such projects, me doubts a ton of private secotr interest, since they have to wait around and wait for a problem that does not exist.

You guys would go nuts if the federal government ignored the need to prepare the military to defend against a surprise attack from an unknown and unforeseeable source. Indded, post 9/11, many Republican critics blamed Clinton for having cut the military so much that we were not ready to respond.

Preparation for sudden diseases like this are even less likely to be well funded or focused on by the private secotr precisely because they are so rare. And yet, of course, they are much more deadly in the short-run.

So is makes perfect sense to point to this flu as an example of why the government needs to fund scientific research just as it makes perfect sense to point to 9/11 as evidence of the need to have well trained and equipped special forces or rapid-response military.

Honestly, if the Republicans think they are going to get mileage out of being dismissive of this issue, they are even more out of touch than I gave them credit for.

 

[MG1968]

I'll refer back to my post about your car being as fast as your hyperbole.

 

[vols4sure]

Government funding for research to be prepared for a once-a-century pandemic is not as frivolous as you three would seem to think. Without government funding for such projects, me doubts a ton of private secotr interest, since they have to wait around and wait for a problem that does not exist.

Spin spin spin goes the gator.

How again would more funding for research by the government have made us more prepared than the private sector for "the once a century pandemic" that did not exist yet. Like you predicted, this thing got twisted to fit personal agenda.

Your example wasn't very good by the way. There is a private pharmaceutical sector (and some stocks shot up today because of the swine flu). There is no private intelligence organization that can replace the ill prepared one that Clinton left.

 

[gsvol]

well, it's becoming apparent that LG's paranoia was pointed in the wrong direction.

ABC's Consistent on Flu Threats: Blame the Republicans | NewsBusters.org

The media trashed out Gerald Ford for not overreacting to an outbreak of swine flu. Some things never change.

You were right for once lawgator.

Obama on Swine Flu Outbreak: Pitches for More Investment into Science Research - Political Punch

“I’m getting regular updates on the situation from the responsible agencies, and the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Centers for Disease Control will be offering regular updates to the American people so that they know what steps are being taken and what steps they may need to take,” Obama said today, “But one thing is clear – our capacity to deal with a public health challenge of this sort rests heavily on the work of our scientific and medical community. And this is one more example of why we cannot allow our nation to fall behind.”

President Obama’s remarks – which were previously scheduled before the outbreak of the swine flu – focused on the necessary investments into science and research, and faulted not only the Bush administration for the plunging levels of science funding as a portion of the GDP, but farther back to the Reagan years as well.

Just curious, but does Mexico have socialized medicine? Seriously, I would like to know.

The World Bank just loaned them $200 million to deal with the flu epidemic.

As they have said before, never let a crisis go to waste.

Just listened to Obama on the radio, and he is giving a big spiel on how we don't properly fund science. Looks like it is time for a science bailout.

 

[allvol123]

Government funding for research to be prepared for a once-a-century pandemic is not as frivolous as you three would seem to think. Without government funding for such projects, me doubts a ton of private secotr interest, since they have to wait around and wait for a problem that does not exist.


Honestly, if the Republicans think they are going to get mileage out of being dismissive of this issue, they are even more out of touch than I gave them credit for.

It is a type of flu. If you get it, you'll need some Tamiflu or something similar. Who created that, industry or government?

We've already seen that Obama definitely wants mileage out of it.

 

[vader]

H1N1 Swine Flu - Google Maps

Interesting little Google maps thingy. My 8 year old is freaking out a little. I am going to have to stop letting her watch the news with me in the morning.

 

[rjd970]

He doesn't understand that if he allowed the private economy to be more profitable, more funding would flow into this sort of research. This in turn would yield greater potential tax revenue. It's like he has a backwards understanding of economics. His way of doing things creates a negative feedback loop that leads only to more recession. Ask FDR.

Not sure of the context in which Obama was talking, but I do think government has a place in scientific research funding. At least with some of the more advanced R&D, the ROI would be too far out to generate the required capital to start the venture, and government subsidies used to "kick start" investment and R&D work can be useful in this regard. Nothing wrong with government accelerating research if investment capital isn't available now for it.

 

[IPorange]

lawgator, I actually don't like wasteful spending in the defense budget, either.

And I am not saying some government funding isn't bad for this thing, per se. But he has been proposing and pushing for government funding for everything under the sun, well past our country's means to pay for it. That is creating not a once-a-century possible disaster, but rather an inevitable one. I can tell he is a well-intentioned man who is doing what he thinks is best. But I can also tell he has some questionable advisors and an unrealistic agenda.

Reminds me of the previous president, a lot.

 

[IPorange]

H1N1 Swine Flu - Google Maps

Interesting little Google maps thingy. My 8 year old is freaking out a little. I am going to have to stop letting her watch the news with me in the morning.

Tell her about SARS and the bird flu fiascos, and how those mostly just blew over. This sort of thing crops up from time to time, but it doesn't mean its the end of the world. The sun will rise tomorrow. There are far nastier bugs in the world.

 

[IPorange]

I am surprised no one has mentioned this, but watch for things to get bad along our southern border if this swine flu thing gets big (or even just the scare of it gets big). We won't be able to hold back hundreds of thousands of people running for their lives across the border if this turns into a panic down there.

 

[vols4sure]

Not sure of the context in which Obama was talking, but I do think government has a place in scientific research funding. At least with some of the more advanced R&D, the ROI would be too far out to generate the required capital to start the venture, and government subsidies used to "kick start" investment and R&D work can be useful in this regard. Nothing wrong with government accelerating research if investment capital isn't available now for it.

But do you believe that he should be using the swine flu as a way of criticizing Bush and republicans for a lack of funding?

I agree that govt has a place in some scientific research funding (how much is debatable), but I don't think you can try to push fault onto Bush for the ability to respond to the virus.