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Huckabee Wanted to Isolate AIDS Patients (in 1992)
Guardian Unlimited ^ | December 8, 2007 | ANDREW DeMILLO

Posted on 12/08/2007 7:34:01 AM PST by dano1

Mike Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could ``pose a dangerous public health risk.''

As a candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in 1992, Huckabee answered 229 questions submitted to him by The Associated Press. Besides a quarantine, Huckabee suggested that Hollywood celebrities fund AIDS research from their own pockets, rather than federal health agencies.

``If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague,'' Huckabee wrote.

(snip)

When asked about AIDS research in 1992, Huckabee complained that AIDS research received an unfair share of federal dollars when compared to cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

``In light of the extraordinary funds already being given for AIDS research, it does not seem that additional federal spending can be justified,'' Huckabee wrote. ``An alternative would be to request that multimillionaire celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor (,) Madonna and others who are pushing for more AIDS funding be encouraged to give out of their own personal treasuries increased amounts for AIDS research.''

(snip)

Since becoming a presidential candidate this year, Huckabee has supported increased federal funding for AIDS research through the National Institutes of Health.

(snip)

``What people do in the privacy of their own lives as adults is their business,'' Huckabee said. ``If they bring it into the public square and ask me as a taxpayer to support it or to endorse it, then it becomes a matter of public discussion and discourse.''

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1992; aids; bloodtrail; eradicatevector; goodidea; huckabee; huckster; publichealth
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To: dano1
Mike Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could ``pose a dangerous public health risk.''

I'm not a supporter of Huckabee, but if the World had listened to him then, we would only be reading about AIDs in history books!

21 posted on 12/08/2007 8:14:03 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (Real men don't vote Democrat.)
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To: dano1

aids is the first disease with civil rights attached to it.


22 posted on 12/08/2007 8:16:05 AM PST by television is just wrong (deport all illegal aliens NOW. Put all AMERICANS TO WORK FIRST. END Welfare)
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To: maine-iac7

Your statements resonant of the science of disease containment. I can’t believe how some people have bought the notion that quarantine of a lethal infectious disease that has killed and infected millions in this country is not a sound principle. More than 85% of AIDS has been in the homosexual group.


23 posted on 12/08/2007 8:17:42 AM PST by Neoliberalnot
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To: HotTubDave
------------------------------------------------------ I take it you are being sarcastic?
24 posted on 12/08/2007 8:25:52 AM PST by DogandPonyShow (America, the Light of the World.)
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To: Neoliberalnot
Quarantines are for communicable diseases. AIDS can be controlled without a quarantine simply through behavior modification (morality). Secondary transmission (blood products) cannot be completely controlled through a quarantine either, since the problem is usually with people who do not know they are infected yet. If you know you have AIDS you can know not to donate blood. Now there is a problem when homosexuals or IV drug users refuse to admit they are high risk and should never donate blood. But again, a quarantine doesn't solve that problem. Moral values solve that problem. Have the moral sense to not go into a plasma or blood donation facility and lie about your risky behaviors. Do not check the organ donation box on your driver's license if you are high risk. Etc. Apparently there isn't much love for others coming from that community.

Secondary cases are completely tied to primary -- behavior related -- transmissions. The innocent are saved if the guilty change their behaviors. The power is all in their hands.

Yes, AIDS is as controllable today as it was when there were fewer cases. The power is in the hands of people who live risky lifestyles. Unfortunately it is the rest of us who end up paying the price.

25 posted on 12/08/2007 8:26:03 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: Neoliberalnot

Flu can kill too—and is far more communicable than AIDS. If we adopted his philosophy, why wouldn’t we have to quarantine you everytime you had the flu until a doctor certifies that you are no longer contagious?


26 posted on 12/08/2007 8:26:58 AM PST by freespirited (I'm voting for the GOP nominee.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’ve found that it’s far easier and cheaper to refrain from sticking my thingymabob in them.


27 posted on 12/08/2007 8:27:12 AM PST by cripplecreek (Only one consistent conservative in this race and his name is Hunter.)
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To: unixfox
Anybody can say anything, it takes REAL courage to act upon it.

You know, you're right. Good point.

28 posted on 12/08/2007 8:28:57 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: dano1

Drudge has this as his Big Red Headline. I guess it’s supposed to shock everybody by how horrible that would have been.

It doesn’t work on me. The world lost so many wonderful people who would have been alive today had we treated AIDS like any other communicable epidemic. I’d like to be listening to Freddy Mercury’s new songs, etc. I agree with the Huckster on this one.


29 posted on 12/08/2007 8:38:10 AM PST by Yaelle
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To: cripplecreek
but the idea of isolating people because they have aids is just plain insane.

Now. But imagine if it had occurred at the start before we knew too much about the way HIV works. It would have saved so many lives.

30 posted on 12/08/2007 8:40:04 AM PST by Yaelle
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To: Yaelle
imagine if it had occurred at the start before we knew too much about the way HIV works. It would have saved so many lives.

Yeah I had the same thought. Unfortunately I'm not sure that would have worked either. There may have been thousands of people infected years before we ever saw the first cases.
31 posted on 12/08/2007 8:44:51 AM PST by cripplecreek (Only one consistent conservative in this race and his name is Hunter.)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past
Well the quarantine was not necessary...

Tell that to the millions who were infected after we knew we had a communicable disease on our hands, many of which have died.

32 posted on 12/08/2007 8:47:05 AM PST by DoughtyOne (California, where the death penalty is reserved for wholesome values. SB 777)
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To: Yaelle

Most Freepers would agree with with Huck’s views here, especially circa ‘92. What this story indicates is that his grace period with the MSM is over. I think they are starting to feel guilty for giving a non-pc social conservativs such good reviews charm wise. This is supposed to scare Dems into action and soften him up for the general.


33 posted on 12/08/2007 8:48:39 AM PST by Callahan
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To: dano1

Earlier this week El Rushbo stated that the lamestream media was trying to build Huckabee up only to tear him down because they loathe his religious principles. Once the polling data showed they had succeeded in boosting his ratings the attacks would begin.

Rush is right again.


34 posted on 12/08/2007 8:50:29 AM PST by 43north (I hope we are around long enough to become a layer in the rocks of the future.)
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To: DoughtyOne

Yeah. I don’t know if I am right or not, but I thought quarantines were used for other types of diseases. We never had quarantines for other sexually transmitted diseases, at least not that I know about.


35 posted on 12/08/2007 9:00:30 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: 43north

I just thought of the perfect triangulation for Huck: “I really only wanted to quarrantine illegals with AIDS” Adam & Steve have nothing to worry about and the immigration purists would approve. Ha.


36 posted on 12/08/2007 9:03:25 AM PST by Callahan
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To: dano1

The trashing has started. Leftists who don’t have a live have dug into records and found something to hang Huckabee on. They will never tell you that aids patients in Cuba are locked away!


37 posted on 12/08/2007 9:04:47 AM PST by Leftism is Mentally Deranged
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To: 43north

Uh, Rush got that idea from me and many other freepers. We’ve been saying that for weeks. I’ve been saying that about Rudy since he announced. The official word for MSM destruction is called ‘Deaned’.


38 posted on 12/08/2007 9:08:21 AM PST by rintense (Thompson/Hunter 2008!)
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To: DoughtyOne

If he said to quarantine in 1984, I could understand since we really didn’t know much about AIDS then. But 1992? Come on.


39 posted on 12/08/2007 9:10:19 AM PST by rintense (Thompson/Hunter 2008!)
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To: DoughtyOne
You may be right. A quarantine may have saved a lot of people. Here is some information on the history of the practice of quarantines.

I guess I was confusing airborne diseases with communicable diseases. Communicable disease includes anything contageous by a variety of means.

40 posted on 12/08/2007 9:13:07 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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