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Bush suddenly wakes up to threat of avian flu
Boston Globe ^ | October 11, 2005 | Thomas Oliphant

Posted on 10/13/2005 6:06:30 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants

IF PRESIDENT BUSH had been awake at the switch earlier this year -- instead of, for example, obsessing about Social Security privatization schemes -- the United States would probably not find itself near the end of an international line for influenza medicine.

As it is, his sudden realization that the potential of a public health disaster looms has set of an unseemly governmental scramble that mostly misses the point.

Even now, the Bush response to repeated wakeup calls betrays a weird fixation on one of the less central questions that would be raised by the outbreak of a significant epidemic of avian flu -- whether the armed forces would have to be used to quarantine an invaded part of the country.

The most important point is that a well-governed modern society requires a sound public health infrastructure that citizens can look to with confidence if communicable disease threatens.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: avian; bowtiedaddy; bushsfault; influenza
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Can you spot the bias?

Good! I knew you could.

1 posted on 10/13/2005 6:06:33 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Tom Oliphant had unfettered access to the West Wing in the Clinton years and he can't stand it.


2 posted on 10/13/2005 6:08:28 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Funny, I seem to remember it was the Clintoon admin that blocked legislation to protect vaccine mfgrs from frivolous lawsuits, and basically drove them all out of business, or out of the country.
3 posted on 10/13/2005 6:09:46 AM PDT by xcamel (No more RINOS - Not Now, Not Ever Again.)
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To: xcamel

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN! I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OLIPHANT!


4 posted on 10/13/2005 6:12:58 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
The most important point is that a well-governed modern society requires a sound public health infrastructure that citizens can look to with confidence...


5 posted on 10/13/2005 6:14:19 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The democRATS are near the tipping point.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

What we should be doing is finding a vaccine for chickens and turkeys. This avian flu is more likely to wipe out our poultry industry than to kill millions of Americans, and since the virus is most readily transmitted to humans by poultry, stopping chickens and turkeys from getting the virus is the most viable way to protect humans. Of course, they are worried that the virus will mutate so that it is more easily transmitted from human to human. But if the virus mutates, then the vaccine they are putting together now may not work.


6 posted on 10/13/2005 6:17:15 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Well Oliphant has a lot to fear, as to look at him he appears a hard sneeze away from physically collapsing.
7 posted on 10/13/2005 6:20:32 AM PDT by Shqipo (And so the great battle starts...)
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To: Brilliant

If this means I get to eat more steak, then I'm all for it!


8 posted on 10/13/2005 6:20:51 AM PDT by ItsOurTimeNow ("Heart of my own heart, whatever befall")
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To: Brilliant

How many chickens will be killed to find the vaccine and will PETA protest?


9 posted on 10/13/2005 6:25:52 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Oliphant. Consider the source.


10 posted on 10/13/2005 6:27:33 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: ItsOurTimeNow
...If this means I get to eat more steak, then I'm all for it! ...

Yeah, but with a Mad Cow outbreak we might end up eating Soylent Green.

11 posted on 10/13/2005 6:52:18 AM PDT by FReepaholic (If ignorance ain't bliss I don't know what is.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I wonder how those "safer bullets" are coming?


12 posted on 10/13/2005 6:53:17 AM PDT by dfwgator (Flower Mound, TX)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

What Oliphant is saying is, that yes, Bird Flu is, believe it or not, Bush' fault.


13 posted on 10/13/2005 7:06:29 AM PDT by Rennes Templar ("The future ain't what it used to be".........Yogi Berra)
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To: ItsOurTimeNow

What it means is that you won't be able to buy chicken or turkey, people who are in that industry will be laid off, and the price of beef, pork and fish will go thru the roof.

Hope you like spaghetti and vegetables.


14 posted on 10/13/2005 7:08:10 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Blood of Tyrants
A most curious title... "Bush suddenly wakes up to threat of avian flu".

How did Oliphant know, and when did he know it.

15 posted on 10/13/2005 7:11:31 AM PDT by Alia
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To: Blood of Tyrants
While Tamiflu is moderately effective for decreasing the symptoms, duration, and severity of Influenza A and B, it is not FDA approved for avian flu, as there is not sufficient data on whether it is effective. In fact, there is some early data from Asia that avian flu is resistant to Tamiflu. Before allocating $5 Billion to stockpile enough of the drug for 25% of the US population, there should be evidence that it is going to do some good. There was widespread panic exactly one year ago over flu shot availability, with accusations of government ineptitude and predictions of hundreds of thousands of deaths from a flu epidemic that never occurred. I think quarantine and "spot" treatment to contain outbreaks is a reasonable approach, while working to develop a vaccine that will be effective for the H5N1 virus.
16 posted on 10/13/2005 7:12:04 AM PDT by SC DOC
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To: Brilliant

I like squirrel. They're free!


17 posted on 10/13/2005 7:16:07 AM PDT by ItsOurTimeNow ("Heart of my own heart, whatever befall")
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To: Blood of Tyrants

oliphant@globe.com


18 posted on 10/13/2005 7:16:53 AM PDT by Walkingfeather
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To: ItsOurTimeNow

Do you use a .22?


19 posted on 10/13/2005 7:20:29 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Blood of Tyrants; All

“Bow-tie daddy, dontcha blow your top ...”

20 posted on 10/13/2005 7:21:44 AM PDT by dighton
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