Obama's swine flu 'emergency'
Was Obama wise to declare H1N1 a national emergency -- or is he just "covering his behind"?
The H1N1 vaccine: responding to President Obama's swine flu emergency.
(HO/Reuters/Corbis)
The White House is calling it a formality. For unconvinced right wing bloggers, it’s the first step in enacting martial law. Obama’s decision to declare the swine-flu outbreak a national emergency -- a move designed to expedite disaster plans should hospitals get overwhelmed -- has provoked feverish debate. Was the president’s declaration really necessary? (Watch coverage of Obama's H1N1 emergency declaration)
This isn’t just a formality: "The stakes just got raised with this proclamation," says James G. Hodge Jr., a health law and ethics professor at Arizona State University, quoted in The Washington Post. "Broader powers of the federal government are now authorized to respond to the emerging outbreak."
"Obama declares flu emergency to ease restrictions for hospitals"
It sounds hysterical, but it’s the right call: Sure, some are terming this "fear-mongering," says James Joyner in Outside the Beltway. "And it’s true that this is neither 'epidemic' nor an 'emergency' in any ordinary sense...," but, regrettably, these are the alarmist words a President must invoke "to bypass the bureaucratic rules preventing faster dissemination of the vaccine."
"Obama Declares Swine Flu Emergency"
This is Obama’s Katrina and he’s just pre-empting criticism: Given the drastic shortfalls of the vaccine, says Boston Herald editor Jules Crittenden in his personal blog, people are already calling swine flu Obama’s Katrina: "When you have a disaster looming, you need to look like you’re doing something ... And when it’s over, everyone is going to want to know whether the president did everything he could to limit the damage." Sorry, but this is called "covering your behind."
"A Teachable Moment"
It’s a wise move, even if it will trigger anxiety: Obama’s decision was a cautious step, says Brian Walsh in Time, "not unlike declaring an emergency before a hurricane hits landfall." But given the government’s spotty response to the crisis so far, I’m not reassured. National vaccine shortages and freshly worried parents are a "recipe for confusion and frustration."
"H1N1 National Emergency: Time for Concern, Not Panic"
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144 Comments
Posted by Ron, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:22 pm Now I'm just waiting for the rightwingnuts to pop a vein over this imagined conspiracy ...
Posted by Dan, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:30 pm Obama has foolishly overreacted to yet another situation with an overly wordy speech and an air of grandeur. His purpose for doing this? Appearing as though he's doing something about the problems of the nation...without actually having to lift a finger to do anything in particular. This has nothing to do with the Liberals or Conservatives, and everything to do with Obama being an unqualified idiot.
Posted by Neutral, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:39 pm I just checked the CDC website and the flu statistics for this year are normal in hospitalizations and deaths. Why are we spending this much effort on H1N1? Someone please educate me.
Posted by Mary, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:44 pm Why do these facts not alarm anyone?Broader powers of the federal government are now authorized to respond to the emerging outbreak.to bypass the bureaucratic rules preventing faster dissemination of the vaccine.FEMA now has emergency powers....remember those camps established across the US? Bypassing bureaucratic rules leads to executive mandates and abuse of civil liberties. Does the constitution still stand in a time of Emergency and what have we to rely on....A trusting government? NO, I WILL NOT TAKE A JAB!!!
Posted by daniel, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:45 pm thats so nuts its not evean funny.
Posted by Ben, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:45 pm Obviously Dan doesn't work in healthcare or been to a hospital in the last 6 mos.
Posted by Kate, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:46 pm Neutral, Seasonal flu season has not even started yet. There's not even statistics out for this year regarding flu. H1N1 has already surpassed yearly seasonal deaths.
Posted by NuttyMcNutGuy, Monday, October 26, 2009, 12:46 pm for those of you not familiar with the conspiracy theory nuts they have a website and it is beyond scary oathkeepers dot org
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