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

reuters ^ | 1/28/2003 | Maggie Fox

[weikel]

More money being pissed away.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I thought it was interesting that, until he got to the part about Iraq, this was the part of the speech that the President was most intense and emotional about.

I'm sure Frist is on board. We'll see what happens.

[rabidralph]

I love it when the president's message catches his enemies off-guard and with their pants down (no pun intended). Yes, it's a big number, but now the rest of the nations that criticize the US will have to put in huge amounts of dough, too. Or do they expect the US to foot the entire bill for an epidemic that is not our fault?

[Chad Fairbanks]

How do you figure? Define 'pissed away'... because, it seems to me that Bush is thinking ahead - if we dont' stop the epidemic there NOW, we will have our own critical epidemic HERE because of it...

[Geezerette]

But we don't have that kind of money to throw around the world! WE NEED IT HERE AT HOME!!

g

[Gunslingr3]

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." - James Madison

He's buying votes, pure and simple...

[boomop1]

Keep the money out of the UN'S paws.

[TLBSHOW]

Money well spent. This we can agree. I hope education is included too. Another liberal talking point pulled from under their feet!

[freedumb2003]

<> My understanding is that it was brought here from Africa to begin with. You are 100% correct -- we didn't start the thing but it will reach us anyway if we don't take steps. 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.

[freedumb2003]

(oops -- missed the original quote)
>> there NOW, we will have our own critical epidemic HERE because of it... <<

My understanding is that it was brought here from Africa to begin with.

You are 100% correct -- we didn't start the thing but it will reach us anyway if we don't take steps. 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.

[weikel]

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. If AIDs doesn't knock down the African population famine or some other mechanism will( Kenya Nairobi and a few others are doing okay).

[waterstraat]

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.

[Wurlitzer]

No way! Not one more red cent should be given to anyone to alleviate a self inflicted condition. If the UN is so friggen wonderful, let them fund it (without our dollars) we do enough.

[TLBSHOW]

Cut taxs and the economy rebounds and there will be plenty of money to fund everything. The whole thing centers on getting these tax cuts. If we do not and the rats hold it up and up we will have major problems. Tax cuts must be top priority.

[rintense]

This was one of two things I was luke warm on in the speech last night.

[jriemer]

Keep the money out of the UN'S paws.

Who's to say we're not spending the money directly with a matching deduction in support in WHO and other UN activities to fund such an initiative? Think out of the box...

jriemer

[wimpycat]

Jesse Helms would be for it, if he were still in the Senate. If Jesse Helms is for it, I have no problem with it.

[mbynack]

Your point about it being constitutional is valid. There are a lot of good causes out there, but it doesn't give the government the right to donate my money to them.

[PhiKapMom]

I agree with you! Believe that Senator Bill Frist, M.D., who has gone to Africa and has seen how devastating this disease is to so many people that have gotten AIDs in Africa through no fault of their own. This epidemic could go around the world and strike more than the gay community.