Bush Asks for $15 Billion to Fight AIDS in Africa (It's unprecedented and will save lives)

reuters ^ | 1/28/2003 | Maggie Fox

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Besides, we don't want Africa to be "helped" by the Islamofascists who will indoctrinate their hate of the USA. We don't want Africa to become another Middle East.

My libertarian streak is uncomfortable with this. My compassionate one is for it. My practical side had the thought that it's one thing to recruit suicide terrorists from among healthy people... It would be easier to get someone who already has death hanging over their head (and is in early enough of a stage that they're not particularly weakened).

[Chad Fairbanks]

People who get transfusions brought it on themselves? How do you figure?

[biblewonk]

My wife and I were pretty happy with everything he said until this came up. Then we were less thrilled.

[Chad Fairbanks]

OOps... I meant not transfusions, but what about rape victims? Abused children? Did THEY all bring it on themselves too? Were they ASKING for it? Use your head, man...

[PhiKapMom]

Think out of the box...

Just wanted to see that repeated because that's what Freepers need to do on here from time to time!

[Chad Fairbanks]

I don't necesarily like it, but I can see the necessity...

[wimpycat]

When there is an epidemic, I don't think of it in terms of politics. What is it, 30 million stricken with AIDS in Africa? They don't have the money or the medicine to treat these people. They certainly don't have the wherewithal to prevent it---except in one of those countries, I think it may be Uganda. They outlawed extra-marital sex a few years back and their AIDs rate has dropped significantly. Trying to stop or contain an epidemic is humane.

[weikel]

I agree the tax cuts will increase revenue. But Republicans should not be spending money in socialistic ways in other countries, even with the increased revenue we're still in deficit territory until the economy recovers. Every deficit contributes to the overall debt which hangs over the budget every year with the interest payments. As far as im concerned there are a few legitimate uses of government money

1) Killing or imprisoning bad people or enemy foreigners( and nessacary support spending for this like buying weapons etc), as well as securing sertain essential things from them.
2) Building infrastructure thats not easily privatizable
3) Maintaining the court system

and thats about it. Buying aids drugs for people who will just hate us for it anyway doesn't qualify. No Republican should be for this kind of spending, I'd understand on a cynical level if this was going to buy any votes from the Dems but it ain't. Its just a stupid waste of money.

[cynicom]

Lets see now, we are borrowing a billion a day to finance the government, so we give away 15 billion into the dark hole of Africa, so where is that money coming from???? Makes sense to me, borrow money to give away on a lost cause.

[weikel]

I said with the exception of those born with it or who got transfusions.

[Pearls Before Swine]

More money being pissed away.

Sad, but true. Aside from the money, overuse of these drugs in an evironment where they will not be reliably taken, and where HIV engendering sexual practices are rampant ensures that they will lose their effectiveness all the more quickly. So, its not just money, it is the devaluation of the medicines.

Now, combine this with profit disincentives for medical companies, and you have a surefire recipe for a declining quality of available medicines.

[weikel]

Oh and btw most of this is gonna be stolen by the local African thug in charge anyway.

[sinkspur]

Sorry I don't shoot up and im not gay and to my chagrin am not a serial womanizer. I don't ever see myself getting aids and those that do, with the exceptions of those who were born with it or got transfusions brought it on themselves.

You're a selfish child.

That's why the Founding Fathers required a President to be at least 35.

So he'd have a modicum of maturity.

[Kevin Curry]

In an odd, indirect, but unusually effective way, this "pulls the sting" on Bush's very public denunciation of affirmative action. Democrat demogogues have been trying desperately to paint Bush out to be the sworn enemy of blacks, and he counters by offering to provide life-saving medicine to millions predominantly black sufferers of a terrible, terrible disease.

[Joe Hadenuf]

This 15 billion dollars is not going to get him any more republican votes, and it will not put potential republican voters back to work. It is a total waste on a disease that is totally preventable.

Why can't Africa educate it's own people and fight this? I agree, this disease is completely preventable. Why are they taking my money for this?

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Well, I'm thinking of it like this.... I don't think it's something government should do in theory, but as (1) it's something I would willingly give charity to and (2) I think there is a national security aspect to it, I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

[AppyPappy]

And the Democrats respond by saying that $15B is an insult and proves Bush doesn't care. They ask for $35B.

[spunkets]

"AIDs in Africa through no fault of their own."

Although it's culturally accepted in Africa to have multiple partners, it is still aquired from having sex. If they don't address that fact and change the cultural practices, they'll just be setting up another black hole that swallows money.

[nina0113]

Did anybody else notice who the camera cut to while he ws talking about this? A Ugandan AIDS expert (name forgotten). Uganda is the only country in Africa which has managed to cut its AIDS rate, which it did by spreading the message that promiscuity promotes AIDS, and monogamy prevents it.

If they put this guy in charge of the whole shebang - just give him a sack of cash & say "Do in the rest of the continent what you did in Uganda" - he might solve the problem once and for all. If he can get A WHOLE COUNTRY to practice responsible sexual behavior, he's a genius.

[Joe Hadenuf]

You're a selfish child.

You called the poster this name, but you failed to address his post. And he is absolutley correct.