A Tale Of Two Healthcare Emergencies: Reagan And AIDS; Obama And Ebola

A Tale Of Two Health Emergencies

by Mike Burns
October 20, 2014

There are two issues here. First, Reagan’s response to the AIDS epidemic was inadequate. A mystery illness was killing thousands and the President doesn’t address it? It’s in the news every night and the President doesn’t address it? His own good friend Rock Hudson dies from the disease and he doesn’t even say the word AIDS publicly until almost two years later? Let’s not fool ourselves. The lack of attention by Reagan and the rest of the country’s political elite was because of bigotry against the group of people that the disease primarily affected. If it had been killing suburban housewives from Peoria Illinois, he would have responded earlier.

"Ebola Presents A Trivial Threat To Americans' Health"

Pax On Both Houses

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/10/ebola-presents-trivial-threat-to.html

Second, has Obama’s response to the Ebola issue been good enough? He visited the CDC in Atlanta even before the problems started in Dallas. He has sent men and material to the countries most affected to try to stop the disease at the point of origin. He has listened to the experts, who know more about this issue than any politician, pundit or millionaire real estate developer, and followed their best advice. And he has done his best to keep the public informed and calm while the press has been driving the nation into a frenzy over a disease that, while deadly, is not a great risk of becoming a huge public health problem as long as proper protocols are maintained.

Oh, one more thing. He also passed Obamacare so that people who may be sick can actually go get the care they need so that they can get better and not infect others. Let’s be honest. If Ebola really does become a problem, would you rather be living in a country where the most vulnerable citizens can access the health care system fully, regardless of income or means, or a country where only those who can afford to pay get treatment?

About Mike Burns

For years I was a self described independent. I liked the idea that America was built on the powerful idea of compromise. Politics at its best was an exercise in give and take that at least tried to be respectful of both sides of an issue. However, since the rise of right wing talk radio and Fox News, this no longer seems possible. For me, it is time to fight back in my small way. The conservatives have had their way with the truth for too long without enough of us standing up and saying no more lies. Maybe this blog will make a small difference, maybe not. The main thing is that it will satisfy my need to speak out against conservative hate and hypocrisy. Mike Burns Google+