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The Republican fetish with starving government has helped land West Africa in an Ebola crisis. The director of the National Institutes of Health made that clear when he told Huffington Post that steep budget cuts by Congress has set back the institute's work on both prevention and treatment for the disease and that if it hadn't been for a decade's worth of cuts, "we probably would have had a vaccine in time for this that would've gone through clinical trials and would have been ready."
It's not just the NIH that's suffered, and it's not just in Africa where the cuts are harming people. The Center for Disease Control's emergency preparedness budget has been nearly cut in half in just the past seven years. That means preparation at home. That means that local health departments in this country don't have the fundingor the staffthey need to do the necessary preparation and training to deal with any epidemic. Judy Stone, MD is an infectious disease specialist, details the cuts at Scientific American.
The CDCs discretionary funding was cut by $585 million during [2010-14]. Shockingly, annual funding for the CDCs public health preparedness and response efforts were $1 billion lower for 2013 fiscal year than for 2002. These funding decreases have resulted in more than 45,700 job losses at state and local health departments since 2008. Again, it is not just the Ebola that is a looming threat. We need to worry about vaccine-preventable but neglected infections like influenza, measles, and whooping cough; the serious emerging viral infections in the US like Enterovirus-D68, chikungunya and dengue, as well as overseas MERS and bird flus, and natural disasters.
Just let that sink in a bit. $1 billion less for infectious disease control in 2013 than in 2002. The problems in the Texas hospital that led to one of the nursing staff contracting the disease could potentially have been prevented if the local public health infrastructure had the funding and the staff it needs to deal with a serious health public health threat. Meanwhile, Republicans will continue to screech that it's all Obama's fault and will do everything they can to terrify Americans about the (highly unlikely) Ebola epidemic at home.
SOURCE: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/13/1336299/-Republican-budget-cutting-nearly-halved-CDC-s-emergency-preparedness-since-2006
malaise
(269,186 posts)+1,000
riqster
(13,986 posts)2naSalit
(86,802 posts)A serious talking point when the mindless whiners start in during any conversation.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)and recommended!
Let's not forget the Grover Norquist factor. We cannot wage two wars with many corporations paying no taxes and wealthy Americans like Mittens paying around 10%. Revenue, we must increase revenue.
These cuts to the CDC illustrate that we cannot reasonably cut our way to a balanced budget.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)The other day (right after ebola hit the media in a major way), I saw a Mini Van with a bumper sticker saying: "It's not Right vs. Left ... It's Big Government vs. YOU!"
I tried my best to catch up the vehicle so that I could ask: "What part of 'Big Government' do you oppose? The CDC? NIH? ... What?"
Triana
(22,666 posts)Which makes the next point: Actually, it's Big Corporations (which control the gov't and the media and the healthcare "system" vs. YOU
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Once, in a, particularly mischievous, discussion, where a rightwing pundit repeating, tea-party supporting, "accidental" racist, friend (who survived on food stamps until he was taken into his father's electrical contracting firm ... whose revenues are directly traceable to government contracts) was riling against the evils of "Big Government", I asked: "Can you think of a time where you, or anyone you know, were in need and private business provided you a helping hand? Because I can point to any number of people that got a hand from the government when they needed it. That IS what government is supposed to do, right?"
He stopped talking about government (and went on a rant about Nancy Pelosi) because he knew, I knew about his food stamp experience.
ffr
(22,672 posts)Maybe picture it next to some biological warfare gear. You know, picture association.
heaven05
(18,124 posts)to republican LIES. But how many won't hear about it from MSM. I would guess a lot won't.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)sarcasm
ErikJ
(6,335 posts)The Perfect Storm.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)into disease and other health problems, meant to protect us. (Note, other pols did step up to block most of that attempt.)
Speaking of factors, though, this is a quote from someone chatting on americanbiotechnologist.com around that time: "May 14, 2013 at 10:05 am
The situation is bleak indeed. Ive been in higher ed/biomedical research for 12 years and have never witnessed such malaise. Institutions are withering, research labs are closing, established mentors are retiring, young scientists are unable to acquire funding despite mounting pressure from center administrators, skilled scientists and associates are leaving the field all together and emerging science students are choosing alternative paths. Equipment is aging and salaries have not kept up with inflation during the past decade. Attendance at national meetings is half the previous year and late breaking science is already in print. Who would choose a career in science with such an uninterested public?"
We were very interested, and confident and hopeful, before the shift to the far right that began in the 1980s. Thank goodness other advanced nations didn't follow us into this hole we're still digging.
"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward." FDR (via someone right here on DU and exceptions as always for enlightened cons)
That is indeed worrying and depressing!
Scuba
(53,475 posts)... about our collective health or we care about maximizing profits for insurance, drug and other medical industry corporations while keeping taxes low on the wealthy. These are the choices we make.
I think the national Democratic Party is remiss for not making our collective health a major plank in the Party's platform. It should start with Medicare for All, including dental, optical, hearing aids and mental health services. Add to that paid sick time, better oversight of the healthcare industry, better preparedness for disasters (including epidemics), and better training for our healthcare professionals.
And yes, we can afford it.