Want to Know THE Issue that Can Win This for John Kerry?

[DemBones DemBones]

It's the shortage of flu vaccine.


The vaccine shortage could have been prevented by the Bush* administration.

(The Blair government in Britain acted soon enough to replace the contaminated vaccine.)

The vaccine shortage has a huge impact on people in high-risk groups.

A major group affected is made up of senior citizens, who vote in huge numbers.

Other groups of Americans are also directly affected. Everyone will be affected if a flu epidemic or pandemic develops as a result of the vaccine shortage.


The anger is building and the anger can turn this election into a landslide for Kerry.


Everyone can help by learning a few talking points and getting this issue out there.


Learn talking points to explain why this issue is so important at this site:

http://winningargument.blogspot.com

You'll find there three brief talking points and a condensed argument, with links to sources for data.


Here's the condensed argument:

The Bush administration claims it was not told by British authorities until October 5 that the plant was going to be shut down. But that misses the central point. The administration was told about contamination problems at the plant on September 13. The British took that information and made alternative plans. The Bush administration did nothing. (FDA, Washington Post)


TODAY is the day to write Letters to the Editor and e-mail journalists.

Tomorrow morning, start trying to get through to C-SPAN's Washington Journal during call-in segments. Call other talk shows, too.

Keep making media contacts as the crisis develops, as the media show more and more photos of elderly and sick people waiting hours in line hoping to get a flu shot.


The anger is building and the anger can turn this election into a landslide for Kerry.

And every one of us can help develop this issue. The Kerry campaign is already airing campaign ads taking on the Bush* administration for their mismanagement of this potential health and economic crisis.

The anger is building and the anger can turn this election into a landslide for Kerry.

Will you help inform people?

[KlatooBNikto]

1. Another issue that they are afraid of is the Draft.That touches the young.

Between the old and the young I hope they get caught in a whipsaw.

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Remember that the very young are a high risk group for flu, too.

So are pregnant woman, who are typically young.

So are people with chronic illnesses, a group I belong to and a group that includes young people as well as the middle-aged and elderly.

All these elderly, very young, pregnant, or chronically ill Americans influence others, too, starting with their family and friends.

HUGE issue here!

[intheflow]

24. draft is touchy subject

b/c Dem brought it up b4 congress. Repugs can play that as a scare tactic w/o acknowledging the reason Dem brought is up was b/c the DoD website put out a shout for counties to start thinking about draft plans last spring.

[Inland]

2. Pisses ME off royally

finally get people to use an easily available preventative measure that probably saves billions in lost productivity and thousands of lives every year, and the government ignores years of warnings about supplies---faugh.

[tedoll78]

3. He already has a GREAT campaign commercial on this.

It began running a few days ago. It highlights how Bush is seeking help from Canada on the shortage while pointing-out the hypocrisy of not letting Canadian prescriptions into the country. It also mentions how the job of flu vaccination manufacturing was largely outsourced, and how the administration was warned of this possibility.

Good timing.. the Kerry camp is on the ball with this one.

[DemBones DemBones]

7. Yes, I mentioned it, but thanks for giving the great details.

It's an issue that should take on monumental significance very quickly because it could impact so many people.

[omshanti]

26. I'm 8 months pregnant and couldn't get a flu shot.

My ob-gyn (at a MAJOR hospital) and normal family medicine doctor both told me they have no supply, no idea when they will get vaccines in, and no idea how much they are going to get. And they told me that if they do get it, it will be given to other higher-risk groups (like chemo patients) before me.

I am not kidding - this is what the nurse told me to do "Wash your hands often, drink plenty of orange juice, avoid crowded places, and pray you don't get sick." This is what we have come to, huh?

This is AMERICA! We are not supposed to have these kinds of problems! I was already ranting and raving about this and the incompetence of the current administration, and was VERY GLAD to see the Kerry campaign seize the issue. I agree with you - it is a major issue that is very close to a lot of people, and it points out the inherent vulnerability and shortfalls of our healthcare system.

[KlatooBNikto]

4. I was reading Ron Suskind' s scary article in the NYT and he

mentions that Bush told a group of his biggest donors that privatization of Social Security is at the top of his agenda in his second term.This is another issue that our team needs to hammer on.
Flu Vaccine,Draft and Social Security.That is the ticket.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

27. That's THE issue: privatization (the 'P' word) will lose it for Bush

http://www.alternet.org/election04/20209

[popstalin]

5. An ederly woman died waiting in line

In California yesterday. Granted it wasn't because she had the flu but because she had to wait in line, she passed out, hit her head and died. That's good press (sad news but good K/E press).

http://www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=1505049

[Redleg]

6. And this is the second year in a row with shortages.

Bush and his free-market fuckface buddies didn't do a good goddamn to fix the problem.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. They were warned three years ago to get on the stick about this

but of course they had other priorities.

[shmendrick]

10. But we alrady have them

The Senior citizens in Florida are already voting for Kerry, and in large numbers.

How can we sway people who are already on our side?

[DemBones DemBones]

12. We don't have all of them. Plus, it's an issue that impacts

many voters who are not senior citizens. As I thought I explained in my original post.

I personally know many senior citizens who have been planning to vote for Bush*. My hope is that if they won't vote for Kerry, perhaps at least they'll stay home from the polls.

[shmendrick]

14. maybe they will

if they are too sick from the flu. ;)

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. This issue was part of Edward's stump speech today.

The irony is that in the debate, Bush said he couldn't allow seniors to buy their meds from Canada because they might not be safe. Then just a week later, we find out that all of our vaccine supply comes from just 2 manufacturers who are in foreign countries. Bush is just so busted on this issue.

[DemBones DemBones]

13. C'mon, damn it, this is important -- keep this kicked!

Lives depend upon it, not to mention the future of our country and thus the future of American civilization.

Think I'm kidding? Think about four more years of Bush*, with or without a global flu pandemic this winter.

Time to pull out all the stops to elect Kerry!

[Justice]

15. You are right, I saw a fox news piece today on the subject and they

were trying to help us "sort the misinformation" about the flu shot shortage -- that is when I realized that it has become a huge problem for *.

[DemBones DemBones]

19. Ah, so FAUX news wants to help us

become more misinformed, eh?

Well, the NY Times has a four-page article on the flue vaccine crisis:

http://tinyurl.com/5k9wg

but you can get the short version, the talking points at

http://winningargument.blogspot.com/

(Right now, it's their top story, but I expect there will be a new topic tomorrow. It's a great site that I just learned about this morning from DU's own Mr Scorpio.)

[XanaDUer]

16. Kick!

'Cause death from 'flu is *so* 19th century.

Thanks Bush, you freaking moron!

[Ima]

17. kick

:kick:

[sandnsea]

18. The free market failed

The flu vaccine is proof. If they can't handle flu vaccine, how can they handle bio attacks or any other crisis if they can't even get flu vaccines for our most vulnerable citizens?

[Blue Moon]

20. Correct!

Everyone knows that Bush controls the procduction of flu vaccine. Now he will pay the penalty!

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. He does? Wow. News to me.

:shrug: But he did drop the ball...now didn't he? Even YOU would have to agree with that...right? Or, in your way of thinking, perhaps *gasp* Kerry paid them off with Teresa's money!!!!!! OMG!!! OMG!!!! :hi:

[henslee]

21. Yes i will. This is a winning issue. Thanks.

[ellie]

23. Kicking this

[Auntie Bush]

25. Kerry talking about Flu shots on MSNBC now.