A GOP Senator Objects to Emergency Ebola Funding Because It 'Focuses on Africa'

[GBCW 397]

It “focuses on Africa, and largely ignores our own borders.” Those are the words Republican Senator David Vitter used this week, in a letter objecting to President Obama’s plan for fighting the Ebola epidemic.

I don’t think it’s the first time an Administration critic has used such a description. It certainly won’t be the last. And that’s troubling, because Africa is precisely where the focus should be.

...

As of October 8, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, there were more than 8000 reported cases of Ebola in Africa and nearly 4000 deaths. The toll will almost certainly rise quickly. Projections suggest that caseloads could get into the hundreds of thousands, or even over a million, by next year. The Secretary-General of the United Nations said on Thursday that the region needs twenty times the aid it’s getting in order to get the epidemic under control.

...

The interconnected world makes truly sealing borders difficult; the more the disease spreads through Africa, the more likely cases are likely to find their way to places outside the continent. Meanwhile, the World Bank said on Thursday that Ebola could inflict more than $32 billion of economic damage on West Africa by the end of next year. That’s bound to make the region even more vulnerable to future epidemics and more hospitable to civil unrest. Both problems have a way of affecting neighboring countries, and eventually the rest of the world.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119782/ebola-outbreak-vitter-objects-obama-plan-because-africa-focus

[JohnR! 5,495]

Another case of foot-in-mouth, but he has a pair, to say the least, in that he speaks the mind of the GOP, when he shows complete disregard for the suffering in Africa.

Edited October 10, 2014 by JohnR!

[GBCW 397]

Another case of foot-in-mouth, but he has a pair, to say the least, in that he speaks the mind of the GOP, when he shows complete disregard for the suffering in Africa.

Combatting Ebola in Africa is the smart play, even if American lives are the only lives one is concerned about.

[Karee 4,189]

Here's the entire quote for anyone that cares about the context. For the rest who simply see it as "Foot in mouth disease" carry on.

I believe there is sufficient evidence that passengers coming from these countries would qualify as a direct threat given their potential for carrying the disease. Instead of using powers given to him, the President is requesting $1 billion for a plan that has not been presented to members of Congress, focuses on Africa, and largely ignores our own borders.

Nevertheless, this drastic increase to more than $1 billion and the previous nearly $300 million already provided warrants full Congressional consideration, not simply a closed door briefing to the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees staff. Members of Congress continue to have specific questions related to the manner in which this $1 billion dollars will be used, and those should be addressed directly by the appropriate official.

[GBCW 397]

Destroy the hive.

The hive is in Africa. Dallas was just one stray bee.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Combatting Ebola in Africa is the smart play, even if American lives are the only lives one is concerned about.

If that's the smart thing to do, then the GOP must oppose it. They're known as the stupid party for a reason.

[Curmudgeon 227]

Combatting Ebola in Africa is the smart play, even if American lives are the only lives one is concerned about.

Tried that logic here already. Some people don't see it, I mean, why try to stop it at source before it spreads? Surely, it's better to throw loads of resources at trying to protect several thousand miles of border, not to mention legal entry, rather than helping those with the disease?