AIDS Activists Push Congress for Funding

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051109/ap_on_sc/congress_aids;_ylt=AleZm1P0_rQ2lbjt.NCrekis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3czJjNGZoBHNlYwM3NTE- ^

[kcvl]

AIDS Activists Push Congress for Funding

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Tue Nov 8, 7:49 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of AIDS activists from around the country converged Tuesday on the Capitol to push Congress to reauthorize a law funding treatments for the disease.

"I feel like people have kind of forgotten about HIV because people are not dropping dead as frequently as they used to," Darren Wells, 36, of Providence, R.I., said at an outdoor rally organized by a new coalition, the Campaign to End AIDS. "The perception that it's over is not accurate."

The Campaign to End AIDS organized caravans of activists who arrived in Washington by bus and on foot over the weekend. They spent the last several days holding marches and rallies, including a protest outside the White House on Monday. Two dozen activists were arrested after staging a "die-in" and ignoring orders from Park Police to get off the sidewalk.

On Tuesday, the activists waved flags from dozens of different states at a rally before fanning out to visit lawmakers.

On the agenda: pushing members of Congress to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, which funds care and support services for people with HIV who lack health insurance and other resources.

The law, which was funded at $2 billion last year, expired in September. The House and Senate are expected to take up reauthorization bills next year.

Some lawmakers were encouraging. "It's life or death for a lot of people in this country," Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., said at a rally. "It's a global issue."

The government issued a report earlier this year saying that more than 1 million Americans are believed to be living with HIV/AIDS. In 2003, an estimated 18,000 people died from AIDS.

[bmwcyle]

Throw more money at a lifestyle. Oh boy.

[Skooz]

Here's a real preventative for AIDS and it won't cost a dime:

Stop having butt sex.

End of problem.

[oh8eleven]

Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., said at a rally. "It's a global issue."
Let "the world" fork over some dough. My pockets have been picked clean.

[Skooz]

Exaclty.

That's what I tell politicians and others who want to raise taxes: Whatever funding or fiscal problems the government is having, it is not because I am not paying enough taxes.

[Just mythoughts]

Well now that "sodomy" has been given the status of a civil right, I suppose that does require US to fund the results.

[mtbopfuyn]

End of problem.

Beat me to it.

[pageonetoo]

... The average annual cost of caring for an individual in the "advanced stages" of AIDS is $34,000 in the United States...

Your tax dollars at work!

[Condor51]

What's the problem? All they have to do is move to Africa.

Remember, that's where Dubya threw $15 BILLION dollars of our money to treat it.

[Lancer_N3502A]

AHHH go pack fudge.

[IronJack]

"I feel like people have kind of forgotten about HIV because people are not dropping dead as frequently as they used to"

That's too bad.

[Dark Knight]

AIDs is a political disease. It is not even one of the top five killer diseases, yet rates higher government funding. It is not as much of a scourge as influenza and pneumonia.

AIDS is not in the top ten causes of death, but gets more funding. It's not rational.

DK

[poobear]

Federal AIDS Funding Fuels AIDS Epidemic
Washington, DC - On Sunday afternoon (June 3), hundreds of homosexual AIDS activist groups will descend upon Washington, DC to demand cheaper AIDS drugs, taxpayer-funded AIDS programs overseas, and more federal funding of AIDS educational programs.

"This coalition is demanding more money for AIDS education, yet it never advocates discouraging the main cause of AIDS infection: homosexual sex," said Andrea Lafferty, Executive Director of Traditional Values Coalition today. "In fact, our research has shown that federal AIDS programs actually encourage the sexual behavior that spreads AIDS infections."

(Snip)
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=33

Just thought you'd like to know what they are spending the existing money on.

[kstewskis]

"I feel like people have kind of forgotten about HIV because people are not dropping dead as frequently as they used to," Darren Wells, 36, of Providence, R.I.,

And he's whining?? He thinks that the billions of $$ that has gone into AIDS already hasn't contributed to that?

[txroadhawg]

"Washington, DC - On Sunday afternoon (June 3), hundreds of homosexual AIDS activist groups will descend upon Washington, DC to demand cheaper AIDS drugs, taxpayer-funded AIDS programs overseas, and more federal funding of AIDS educational programs."

To be followed by the nights festivities of singing show tunes, an inspirational talk by Liza Menelli and the ceremonial uncorking of the barrel of Wesson oil.

[poobear]

"To be followed by the nights festivities of singing show tunes, an inspirational talk by Liza Menelli and the ceremonial uncorking of the barrel of Wesson oil."

...not to mention the tribute to Babs along with several female impersonators. Oh what a night it will beeee!