Swine Flu Hits Congress - Waxman Shows Symptoms
Policywanker Editorial
SWINE FLU = PIGS FLY
If we are to believe the hysteria as reported on the nightly news - we all better heavily dowse ourselves with anti-bacterial hand soap and scrub for 20 seconds.
Even President Obama was subjected to a "Symptoms Watch" News Alert... you know, just in case. After all, he was in Mexico and ate the taco salad.
In this slow news cycle atmosphere, who doesn't love a good Pandemic Scare? After all, the Republicans nixed Pandemic Preparedness Budget money, in favor of... I don't know, let's say Tax Reduction.
But let's take a little look back in time, to the last Swine Flu Pandemic Scare. In February of 1976, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare F. David Matthews, issued a prediction that a Swine Flu outbreak had come to our shores and would kill at least a million people.
Didn't happen.
What did happen was... then-president Ford got to look all presidenty and ready for re-election. He hosted a White House press conference with Jonas Salk, of heroic vaccine fame, to give street cred to the scare. Congress was muscled into relieving Big Drug companies from liability if the fast track Flu Vaccines did bad things instead of good. Lots of money went to Big Drug to save us.
So, bad things did happen. This Little Piggy got roast beef. And people died after receiving the vaccine.
And the Swine flew... went away. Replaced in prominence by Legionnaire's Disease, a much more exotic sounding and really deadly malady. Ford lost his edge on being an American saviour and went the way of the flu... chills and fever with fluids and plenty of rest.
So what can we learn here, students?
Beware the CAPITOL LETTERS in print and adverts. We are being sold something.
NEW! IMPROVED! SWINE FLU!
Step right up, get your masks here...
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Russell Simmons
Rebecca Traister
Arwyn
Randy Smith
Joan Walsh
Xanadu Xero
Salon.com
Comments
Just because the republican party has chosen to cut pandemic funding, doesn't mean pandemics will stop being a problem. Right winger: meet reality.
Me... a right-winger?
Closer to Debra Winger, but who's counting?
For the record: Swine Flu, or any disease outbreak, should be researched and determined if it's a true threat potential... BEFORE news orgs get wet and excited.
And you, coffee person - Do not use "scientific" and "scare" in the same sentence.
It makes you appear in need of decaf.
I much prefer "joker" status to "serious political commentator".
But, be not so smug as to think there is a big difference.
However, I can't wait until my new Swine Flu gets here from Amazon. It's gonna be rad.
However, much as I adore you, I think you have this one wrong. It really isn't the same as the 1976 thing. What we learned from that, from AIDS, and from the more recent SARS scare has been applied here, and information is much better researched and handled. I don't see evidence that this one WASN'T researched and determined to be a true threat potential, and the spokespeople I see on the news are far more credible that what you're implying. It's true that the media making this an all-singing, all-dancing, all-the-time Swine Flu Update world IS ridiculous. But I still think the outbreak is being handled better than any threat we've seen in our lifetimes.
Having said THAT, I also object to the use of the words "scientific" and "scare" in the same sentence. It makes one appear in need of ....reality.
And I like you so much better than "regular" political writers. If I knew how to round them all up in one room, I'd invite you to come and spray them with silly string.
Mine is to...
Shampoo, rinse, repeat.
To Pants: Bless you! I feel your love.
To Madame Tarp: We could get rich selling pink surgical masks with pig snouts printed on them. Hotcakes, I tell you!