This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Politicians Try to Make Ebola a Partisan Issue for the Upcoming Election … But BOTH Parties Dropped the Ball
The Dallas Morning News notes:
The political blame game over the deadly Ebola virus is in full swing just weeks before the November elections — with each side ignoring the facts.
In reality, both sides have dropped the ball.
Democrats
For example, Democrats are trying to blame Republicans for budget cuts to the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC has had its budget slashed.
But Huffington Post notes that Obama also pushed for CDC cuts. And McClatchy points out that both parties cut budgets for health.
Obama also largely ignored CDC’s recommendations for setting up Ebola centers around the world.
In addition, the health agencies have squandered money. For example, the Federalist notes:
A 2012 report on federal spending including the following nuggets about how NIH spends its supposedly tight funds:
- a $702,558 grant for the study of the impact of televisions and gas generators on villages in Vietnam.
- $175,587 to the University of Kentucky to study the impact of cocaine on the sex drive of Japanese quail.
- $55,382 to study hookah smoking in Jordan.
- $592,527 to study why chimpanzees throw objects.
Last year there were news reports about a $509,840 grant from NIH to pay for a study that will send text messages in “gay lingo” to meth-heads. There are many other shake-your-head examples of misguided spending that are easy to find.
The Daily Mail adds:
- The NIH budget included $2.4 million for a new condom design whose inventor is now being investigated for fraud [The article explains: " 'Origami Condom' creator Daniel Resnic is accused of spending NIH grant dollars on cosmetic surgery, a Playboy Mansion party and exotic trips, and using his friends as informal research subjects instead of holding a controlled human trial"]
- Another $939,000 taught scientists that male fruit flies prefer younger females
- $257,000 went to create a companion website for first lady Michelle Obama’s White House garden
- It cost $592,000 to determine that chimpanzees with the best poop-flinging skills are also the best communicators, and another $117,000 to learn that most chimps are right-handed
Indeed, some worry that the head of the Centers for Disease Control is more focused on stopping soda than deadly diseases.
This is very similar to all of the wasted defense spending.
Republicans
Republicans blame the Democratic president and his Democratic CDC director for their failure to stop Ebola. And they have been doing an absolutely horrible job.
However, private healthcare - championed by Republicans - has been an absolute train wreck in dealing with Ebola.
Additionally, managers of the private hospitals are gagging the nurses, so they can't say what's really going wrong. For example:
In a Washington Post story on October 12, about how many US hospitals seem not well prepared for Ebola infected patients, appeared this from Bonnie Castillo, director of Registered Nurse Response Network, part of the union, National Nurses United,
Castillo said the union has been trying to contact nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, where Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian man diagnosed with Ebola, died Wednesday.
‘That hospital has issued a directive to all hospital staff not to speak to press,’ Castillo said. ‘That is a grave concern because we need to hear from those front-line workers. We need to hear what happened there. … They have them on real lockdown. There is great fear. This hospital is not represented by a union. Our sense is they are afraid to speak out.’
The Los Angeles Times story included,
The Dallas nurses asked the union to read their statement so they could air complaints anonymously and without fear of losing their jobs, National Nurses United Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro said from Oakland.
***
The AP story of October 15 stated,
The Presbyterian nurses are not represented by Nurses United or any other union. DeMoro and Burger said the nurses claimed they had been warned by the hospital not to speak to reporters or they would be fired. ***
Covering up information vitally needed by health care professionals, other institutions, the government, etc to better manage a potentially fatal disease that is already epidemic in other countries appears completely unethical. Doing so to preserve the reputation of managers seems reprehensible. But the implication of the recent stories is that is what happened.
Moreover, health experts say that local governments have the ultimate authority to make decisions on handling Ebola and overseeing hospitals in their area. The CDC can set protocols – which are widely followed. But it is the local governments which have the power to actually issue orders.
Conservatives are against big government, and think that power should devolve to state and local governments. But so far – at least in dealing with Ebola – local governments like Dallas have done a horrible job.
Updates: STUDY: 3-Week Quarantine Period Not Long Enough...
Nurse May Have Had Symptoms While Flying
- advertisements -
Methinks the nurses were ordered to clam up to avoid throwing any fresh ammunition to the circling horde of land sharks. Occam's Razor rules.
and you are shilling for which agenda ???
"a few deaths" probably would not bother you if they were in your immediate family.
Enjoy the rest of your ignorance, Mommy
cdc had enough money to be focused on global warming and " gun violence" as a health matter..........
so, fuck that argument with a big rubber dick
+100....Misallocated resources.
Both parties?
This article says "private healthcare - championed by Republicans" has been a wreck. How does that make Republicans responsible? Because they like private healthcare? It's like saying I'm responsible for your heart disease because I like hamburgers.
Besides, the R's have zero power.
Exactly right. Additionally, the mayor of Dallas is a Democrat. How are the Republicans responsible for that?
The sad truth is that this nation does not have a "public health" infrastructure. Private insurance and JCAHO make sure that we don't have "public health" professionals or options. When I worked at Scripps in the ER/trauma unit, we used to talk "what if" scenarios all the time. Our consensus was that if we ever had a really bad infectious disease incident here that we would be woefully unprepared. As we are now. No surprise to me. Especially with dumbocrats and rethuglicans in charge. Damn them all!
So how's that Obama Care 2.3% Excise Tax on the sale price of Medical Devices working out for America? How much of the equipment research, development and sales has been put on the back burner since Dec 2012?
Sorry but it is not the fault of local governments and private hospitals that people with ebola are being allowed over here. Over 350 health care workers in Africa have become infected with the disease. There is no good way of dealing with it when they aren't even sure how it's spread.
This is 100% on the federal government. They need to stop issuing visas to people from the ebola epidemic areas. When someone walks into a hospital vomiting and shitting all over the place, the disease will spread. You can't have everyone in the hospital walking around in hazmat suits.
> When someone walks into a hospital vomiting and shitting all over the place, the disease will spread. <
Happens every day. These are the Patients who score a 1 or 2 on the Triage scale - "Straight to Resus".
The policy Worldwide is "Stabilise them first, THEN try to find out what the problem is". In the past commonsense and reasonable precautions did work. Nowadays, we're entering an entirely new area of "Caregiver Uncertainty", which does not bode well for the average VERY ill Patient, desperate for some degree of ED care.
I know we want to be sensitive and hospitable and welcoming to folks living in Ebola-ravaged nations, so how 'bout we just tell them "Of course you're welcome here in the USA! We're just gonna take your temperature. Twice a day for three weeks. With a rectal thermometer." Wonder if that would work....
http://www.liberianobserver.com/commentaries/ebola-breakout-coincided-un...
George
why would Smudge send the national guard to Africa?
I could name a few reasons.
Protect USSA valued interests in Liberia or elsewhere.
Grunts on the ground become infectees, thus survivors subjected to blood harvesting.
SitRep.
...and finally - it's for the children.
<--- Infectees
<--- Infectors
The secret to stopping Ebola is in the black box of Malaysia flight 370.
There it is - tied together the two biggest MSM mis-direction stories of the year.
If the CDC is incompetent or part of a conspiracy to oppress/harm people, why would slashing their budget affect their ability to do things that are beneficial to the people (like slow a virus)?
Well if you are losing your budget it points out a weakness. Either you are not seen as competent, Not Important, Not Powerful. Or it could just mean that the wind is blowing away from CDC.
But most likely it was an attempt by Budget Cutters to bring some change to the Bloated US Budget since the Gross Spending that Started in 2002.
Their budget increased from 2007 to today. What cut?
It was in the news.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/obama-cdc-funding_n_5990114.html
Just a drop in the Bucket.
Only Obama had the authority to stop unnecessary tourist travel from infected countries.
Obama dropped the ball. He screwed the pooch. He ran the flag up the pole and nobody saluted. He gambled with the lives of 300+ million Americans for some bizarro world sense of community organizer fairness that only the most dedicated Libtard could espouse.
Obama and Obama alone dropped the ball.
I am against big government. but for over a hundred years it has been recognized that the feds are involved with dealing with disease outbreaks. And for the past ten years Americans have been forced to spend tens of billions, and suffer tyrannical oppression in the name of security, yet the Potus will not order the vaunted DHS to give travelers from infected countries special screening. Since they are already groping people and doing underwear checks, why would there be any additional cost for this? And out of the tens of billions already commited to fighting the ephemerial GWoT, is the gov claiming they just don't have the funds for a bio-team to be on standby and ready to fly on a moments notice to any outbreak? so what exactly are their plans in the event of a WMD strike? Where did all that money go?
Cost cutting my ass. TENS of BILLIONS and we didn't have 5 lousy guys with hazmats suits to send to the initial outbreak site? I don't believe it. Mr Executive Order could have called up the Pentagon at 2AM and by 6AM a SOCOM team would have been enroute.
I smell a rat. Anyone remember the budget fight and the white house guidance memo to "make it hurt" the public when it came to cuts? As much as I scoff at big gov, I don't believe in incompetence of this magnitude. It can only be intentional.
QUICK, GET COPIES OF THE HARD DRIVES, TEXTS, AND EMAILS !!!!
A very good attack if indeed it is...
I understand Robobbob's statement. (Cost Cutting of this amount is a drop in the Bucket!)
But some people don't work well together. Maybe I'll let that point lay there for a while. But:
- Suppose the Military & Obama don't communicate well
- Suppose HHS, NIH, CDC don't have good contacts in WH
- Suppose US Intelligence Faction has Obama's Ear Mainly
- Suppose Big Banks own the Intel Faction that has Obama's Ear
- Suppose Obama is Married to his big Corporate Interest
Obama Doctrine: We'll Wait & See. Meaning he waits for orders and instruction from his Corporate/Intel Bosses
Wall Street's Washington Doctrine: We will put together the Private Sector Solutions just like Dick Cheney Did in 2001. You wait for us to see where the profits are and this will help the Economy and help White House Ratings
Comes down to: Too Much Influence in Washington, Too Much Money in Washington,... and Impeachable Incompetence and Moral Failings. Duopoly. Inverted Corporatism. Democide. Greed is a Killer.
"Hush money."
The question now is "is this just the fear of an Outbreak" or "is this the real deal?"
The only thing we know for certain is that the response has been as bad as it has been predictably bad.
And that one doctor flew back and waiting for him was a "miracle cure" I might add.
I think if the people have the power, then they would indict government executives for malfeasance and felony negligence.
Since we don't have power over the Federal Government we are forced to ask "Is this an Attack on the USA or Is this stupidity or poor leadership?"
--------------------------------------------------------
We know there is too much conflict of interest to have a good government... especially when we have Lobbying, Foreign Lobbying, Cozy Relationships with Foreign Powers, and big money in campaign fund raising... not to mention the free meals, free plane rides, free conferences, free training seminars.
SO we have a bad government with huge money to spend and receiving huge money. And the Military & MIC are all involved as well especially with regard to Wars and Military Operations.
----------------------------------------------------------
I don't think it is an Attack. And So far I think it is a poor attack if it was.
----------------------------------------------------------
I think it is 50-50 either way that the Disease is not as Virulent as stated. And 50-50 that it is stronger than Stated. We should have seen bigger infection numbers by now...
---------------------------------------------------------
Last month 3000 cases, today 4500 cases. This is less than the power of 2 infections per one case of Ebola.
---------------------------------------------------------
USA has a problem with 25% to 45% of people willing to do or say anything or stab anyone in the back to get ahead in their career. And some of these think they are just being hard workers or principled people. This is why we don't have Whistleblowers. This is a threat to our US Future.
---------------------------------------------------------
No I don't think it is an Attack. I think people are weak and driven maybe desperately to advance their career... even if they are inept and unskilled and uneducated THEY always find their way into Career Jobs in both the Public and Private Sector. This risks the Future of the USA and the US Constitution.
If you want to look at Fascism, the marriage between Government & Big Corporate Interests... part of this is a callousness toward people losing money, paying high health care costs, high Education Costs, High Loan Interest Rates, High Taxes, High housing costs, and killing families in foreign countries. Same goes for US Households & their loss of Good Paying Jobs, Loss of Health, Open Borders, and high cost of moving from a destroyed economy.
Check Table 5 of Monthly Treasury Report September 2013:
- DHS & FEMA get $60 Billion a year
- NIH gets $10 Billion a year
- We Spend $1.113 Trillion a year on MEDICARE/MEDICAID
- Catalog of Domestic Assistance funds Billion in Research
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Gross Outlay for 2013 = $6.617 Billion (A lot of Money People)
Where is this money going?
AND what about the rest of the Budget Spending on Spying, MIC? How much of it is hidden from us? Who gets this money?
AND why do Wall Street Banks get to Create unlimited amounts of Money... while we get .5% Interest on Savings Accounts and 1% on CDs
You want Revolution. Start investigations and demand Transparency. Is the FED Creating Secret Money too? How can there be $1.8 Quadrillion in Derivatives if it is not a fixed game hidden from the US Public who coincidentally are getting poorer and making less money each year.
----
Figure we spend $1 Trillion on Defense, Intelligence, Security, Spying, Department of State, Veterans, and International Assistance each year and in a time of peace. We don't have numbers for black budget stuff & funds in Domestic Assistance for DHS, Construction for foreign powers, and CIA Funds from their profits and secret enterprises.
-----
So $1 T for Military, $1 T for MEDICARE/MEDICAID, $1 T for Social Security.
------
Total—Department of Veterans Affairs Outlays 2013 = $143.6 Billion
Total—Department of Veterans Affairs Outlays 2000 = $50.1 Billion
Total—Department of Veterans Affairs Outlays 1998 = $45.6 Billion
------
Total—International Assistance Program Outlays 2013 = $48 Billion
Total—International Assistance Program Outlays 2000 = $25.7 Billion
Total—International Assistance Program Outlays 1998 = $26 Billion
-----
Total--Department of Homeland Security Outlays 2013 = $66.5 Billion
Total--Department of Homeland Security Outlays 2000 (FEMA) = $3.9 Billion
Total--Department of Homeland Security Outlays 1998 (FEMA) = $2.9 Billion
-----
Total—Department of Defense—Military Outlays 2013 = $609.4 Billion (Down from $650 B)
Total—Department of Defense—Military Outlays 2000 = $283 Billion
Total—Department of Defense—Military Outlays 1998 = $257.9 Billion
-----
So Does Even US Congress outside of the most Senior know where the money is going... This Transfer from Tax Payers to Secret or Corporate Welfare.
IRS, Total Outlays—Internal Revenue Service, under Treasury, 2013 = $103.3 Billion (Boom)
IRS, Total Outlays—Internal Revenue Service, under Treasury, 2000 = $38 Billion
IRS, Total Outlays—Internal Revenue Service, under Treasury, 1998 = $33.2 Billion (??? What? For what??)
----
IRS, Payment where earned income credit exceeds liability for tax Outlays 2013 = $57.5 Billion (?What?)
IRS, Payment where earned income credit exceeds liability for tax Outlays 2000 = $26 Billion
IRS, Payment where earned income credit exceeds liability for tax Outlays 1998 = $23.2 Billion
----
IRS, Payment Where Child Tax Credit Exceeds Liability for Tax Outlays 2013 = $21.6 Billion (?What?)
IRS, Payment Where Child Tax Credit Exceeds Liability for Tax Outlays 2000 = $806 Million (Million)
IRS, Payment Where Child Tax Credit Exceeds Liability for Tax Outlays 1998 = Zero.....
----
And What is this mystery?
----
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2013 = $65.8 Billion (what is happening here)
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2011 = $38 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2009 = $32.7 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2007 = $19.4 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2005 = $20.9 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2003 = $13.9 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2001 = $11.3 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 2000 = $8.3 Billion
Total--Tennessee Valley Authority Outlays 1998 = 9 Billion
-----
Inflation coupled with ever expanding government at all levels. Just a suggestion.
To the point of your post, George - this is NOT the fault of the repubs. This is most definitely in the lap of Obama and his administration. He's the executive. You guys still harp about Bush and Katrina like it happened yesterday. This is happening NOW and you can't bring yourself to admit your votes were wasted on the most unAmerican president ever.
This could be seen as an attack.
In fact it may very well be.
That's why we have a National Command Authority folks. Since Wall Street is following the President's every twitch right and they're all saying...
Well we have had government planners discussing all this stuff and more since the 1960s.
We have had Terror Attack Testing in US Cities way before 911 probably started at least by the 1970s after Munich Olympics and the Many Hijacked Planes. Terrorism was well known in Europe to NATO and our Military in the 1970s.
US has planned these Terror Responses with big money funding. The Cold War was hugely Expensive.
And you read Tom Clancy Novels and all the Terror Attacks he came up with Eventually come true.
Ebola is not new and was always cited as one with huge potential to devastate us.
----
- Criminal Negligence
- Federal Indictments instead of immunity
- We are paying huge training costs for DHS, FEMA, and an array of Federal and State Employees in Crisis & Security Training
- DHS is bloated, Confused with it's on Blindness to what it is doing, and has not returned benefits to justify it's budget
- But since 2001 all Federal Agencies are Bloated & Ineffective
" it is the nature of Government to withhold information that is known to be critical in response to a crisis." Think it was called "stove piping" after 9/11...where the FBI and CIA "weren't communicating." What we KNOW is true is that these two Agencies were not communicating with the President.
Gotta know what questions to ask if you're the Big Cheese...otherwise you really do get an October Surprise.
The rest of us are just statistics.
Good Points.
Can't fix things unless they are broken no? Same bi cameral chicken fights to manufacture the "need" to do something that all agree will need to be done...
Ebola Scary Monster will attack your children at any momment!
Hury take the vaccine we just rolled out -- oh yay!
Gee, why are so many falling ill from the Vax?
They'll lie to you about finance, politics, lost emails, fake shootings with crisis actors, false flags -- but let me tell ya they are truthful about Eee Bo Lah !
http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/ebo-lie-man-living-in-ghana-c...
"Enough with the propaganda fed to us by mainstream news. We have testimony coming directly from Ghana telling us that the outbreak is being created by Red Cross vaccinations."
Cruise ship denied port in Belize as US tries to evacuate Dallas nurse who handled Ebola sample
http://wtfrly.com/2014/10/17/cruise-ship-denied-port-belize-us-tries-to-...