By Douglas V. Gibbs
A flu virus that can cause the death of thousands of people is nothing to take lightly. About 36,000 people die from the seasonal flu in the United States each year. The H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus has the same potential to cause death, though it is a milder flu than our usual annual seasonal flu, and proper precautions should still be taken to curb the potential of getting sick with this new flu. However, after about 1,000 deaths (that may be attributed to H1N1), President Barack Obama has declared the outbreak of H1N1 to be a National Emergency.
Why would the President of the United States declare a national emergency for a flu virus that has a mortality rate of less than 1%, and at a time when the number of deaths is only 1/36 of the average number of deaths from the more common seasonal flu each year?
The Democrats criticized the federal government's slow response time to Hurricane Katrina under George W. Bush's watch because they believe it is up to the federal government to come to the rescue whenever possible. Never mind that the governor of Louisiana had failed to declare a state of emergency, therefore not giving the federal government the authority to enter into a situation that was still under the state's authority (hence, the reason for the delay). And never mind the fact that the Mississippi Coast was also devastated, but rather than wait for federal help, under Republican leadership, the region pulled through and rebuilt on their own.
To prove that he is no Bush, Obama and gang has increased the hysteria surrounding the H1N1 virus so that it looks, feels, and smells as much of a national disaster as Katrina, though it isn't. Then, as the people go into panic mode under the threat of the National Emergency, Obama's federal government will save the day (or so they have planned) by acting quickly with the appropriate vaccine, and governmental measures to keep the people safe.
Then, after Obama's Katrina passes (in the warped mind of the Democrats), everyone will proclaim that Obama is no Bush, for he was able to stave off disaster with a quick federal response, and as a result, everyone will see how awesome government-run health care will be under the wonderful President Obama, who saved us from a pandemic disaster.
However good the plan looked on paper, it isn't exactly panning out well for Barack Obama in the real world.
In a Los Angeles Times article titled "Huge crowds turning out for swine flu vaccine," it turns out that the blessed vaccine is not available in the quantity the federal government had planned. California has received 1.7 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine, out of 20 million expected this season. The rest of the vaccine is not expected to be received until late November, or December, after the most critical period of the outbreak has passed.
In short, Obama's Katrina is a bust, just like his presidency.
Barack Obama was right about one thing, though. His performance regarding H1N1 will definitely affect the polls regarding his health care reform proposal. Half the nation believes (according to Rasmussen) that passing no health care reform bill this year would be better than passing the plan currently working its way through Congress, and only 39% believes the current effort is better than doing nothing.
Once people realize how Obama has failed again, this time regarding his H1N1 scheme, the support for his health care proposals will plummet, and the realization by the American People that Obama is a failed president will spread even more.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
Questions and Answers Regarding Estimating Deaths from Seasonal Influenza in the United States - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
H1N1 Deaths Reach Over 1,000 in U.S. - Fox News, Associated Press
Huge crowds turning out for swine flu vaccine - Los Angeles Times, L.A. Now
H1N1 flu has a mortality rate of less than 1% - University of Maryland Environmental Safety
49% Say No Health Care Reform Better Than Current Plan (this number is actually down 5% from August, possibly because some people are in fact responding to H1N1 as the Democrats had hoped) - Rasmussen Reports
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