$30 billion to fight AIDS in Africa

[lowlander]

WASHINGTON — President Bush urged Congress on Wednesday to authorize an additional $30 billion to fight AIDS in Africa over five years, doubling the current U.S. commitment.

The money would provide treatment for 2.5 million people under the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, Bush said.

Through March 31, the program has supported treatment for 1.1 million people in 15 countries, including more than 1 million in Africa, he said. The program's original five-year mandate, which called for spending $15 billion, expires in September 2008 and Bush asked Congress to renew it.

"When I took office, an HIV diagnosis in Africa's poorest communities was usually a death sentence. Parents watched their babies die needlessly because local clinics lacked effective treatments," the president said. "Once again, the generosity of the American people is one of the great untold stories of our time."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,276443,00.html

[GrocerySacker]

How about this: if that much money is going to be contributed to the HIV crises, put it into American research facilities to attempt to find a cure, then send the cure to Africa rather than dumping it into medications that only prolong the disease.

[PaulRevere]

30 billion for 2.5 million? That's US$12K each - more than the average African can expect to earn in his/her lifetime!

Where's the payback on this expense?
1. Some ephemeral good feeling that will last until the money is gone and they expect/demand more?
2. Corrupt African ruling cliques passing out a few free condoms and then stealing the rest to buy new German luxury cars, vacationing at their villas in southern France, and stuffing the rest in Swiss bank accounts?
3. Get a few American liberals and blacks to stop hating him for a few days?

[The_Elucidator]

3. Get a few American liberals and blacks to stop hating him for a few days?

He could find the cure for AIDS himself and they would still hate him!

[Lazarus]

In his latter years, Bush is trying to become the Democratic President the Left has always wanted...

Is there nothing this man wont do to get support for his illegal alien agenda? Is there no devil he wont do a deal with?

[lowlander]

How about this: if that much money is going to be contributed to the HIV crises, put it into American research facilities to attempt to find a cure, then send the cure to Africa rather than dumping it into medications that only prolong the disease.

Exactly what I thought. By putting the money into American research facilities to find a cure you could mass produce the meds for world wide use. Cheap, and it would make money too.

[Republican_Legion]

I thought there cannot be a cure for a VIRUS such as AIDS.
Can someone fill me in on when Viruses became curable ?
I know we can prevent them such as the Flu shots but cannot cure them.

[Rhino]

Yes, some viruses can be cured, but a vaccine is just as good. Well, almost. Viruses can't be killed with antibiotics, and most viruses have no known cure. Also, most viruses mutate very rapidly, so a cure for those would not work very long. As such, they don't try for such cures. Maybe some of this is what you heard.

[lowlander]

I thought there cannot be a cure for a VIRUS such as AIDS.
Can someone fill me in on when Viruses became curable ?
I know we can prevent them such as the Flu shots but cannot cure them.

Recently my uncle got diagnosed with a very rare bone cancer. Two years ago he would have died within two months, now they have treatment. Doctors give him atleast another ten years.

What I'm trying to say is that in time we humans will find a cure, if we want it enough ofcourse.

2005:
http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20050811/aids-cure-possible-study-suggests

[GrocerySacker]

Yes, some viruses can be cured, but a vaccine is just as good. Well, almost. Viruses can't be killed with antibiotics, and most viruses have no known cure. Also, most viruses mutate very rapidly, so a cure for those would not work very long. As such, they don't try for such cures. Maybe some of this is what you heard.

I didn't put much thought into my response. Yes, I'm aware that most HIV funding is spent on finding a vaccine rather than a cure.

[Beowulf]

Here I was thinking that we spend enough money on AIDS in Africa and what happens, we dump more on a country full of fighting warlords. W, I don't want my tax money going to Africa. I think some other countries need to step up for a change.:flame:

[DoctorDoom]

There is only one sure "cure" for AIDS: stop doing what transmits it. Standard protocol for any dangerous, incurable, easily-spread disease it to identify and isolate the carriers.

Fact: HIV is transmitted by willfull behavior, whether it is by dangerous, unhygenic sexual activity or intravenous drug abuse. And before someone chants that tedious mantra about blood transfusions, give thought to how the transfused blood came to be contaminated.

In most cases, AIDS is the consequence of rampant, promiscuous sexual activity, and the large majority of those cases are found in a specific class of people. I've had it up to my graying hairline with the incessant whining and screeching about spending billions of dollars on finding a cure for AIDS so that those people can continue their disgusting, medically disastrous behavior without consequence. The concept of a p-c disease is utter insanity.

If they want to continue with that suicidal "lifestyle", that's their choice. But let them not demand that my taxes be used to fund research into treatments and cures for diseases that they know bloody f'ing well are transmitted by what they do in beds and "bathhouses" and parks and restrooms.

Their choice is to invite those diseases by their immoral, self-gratifying activity. When they contract the diseases that are a consequence of their decisions, let them live with them ... and die from them. I am under no moral obligation to underwrite the results of perversion.

To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.
-- Thomas Jefferson

Doubtless Jefferson would amend that to "opinions and behavior" were he to see what's going on in our time.

Want to end the spread of AIDS? Stop the behavior that is spreading it. There is no other choice. When there are millions of modern-day Typhoid Marys out there, society has no mandate to listen to their complaints. The only rational response to them is, "You are a victim and a carrier of a contagious, lethal disease that is transmitted by your choice of activity. What you want to do is irrelevant."

And if they wail, "You can't tell ME what I can and can't do!" shoot the bastards. The world would be better off without them.

[DesertFox]

Most "AIDS" in Africa isn't AIDS at all, but some other -- ANY other -- disease. They don't get American money or clinics for malaria, or dengue, or yeller fever, or encephalitis, or whatever else; but they get anything they want if it's AIDS. So every headache, fever, stomach ache becomes AIDS.

This is a gigantic waste of $15b. GrocerySacker has the right idea. Luss finda cure or a vaccine and ship that over there. This here's just $15 thousand million stuck in the pockets of a continent full of corruptos, and not helping a single sicko.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I don't want my tax money going to . . . (name your location outside the United States of America).


I know we have been dubbed the world's keeper, but we had better stop sending our money to other locations when we so desperately need it here at home.

As Beo so astutely observed, when sending money to foreign countries/governments we have no say in HOW that money is distributed, used, or spent. Our money would be BETTER used in creating the cures, vaccines, whatever HERE and then working a deal to provide them outside our borders.

Makes me think of how our church handles charitable works -- we do NOT give money, but we provide assistance ... we go with the needy to purchase food goods, we send checks directly to electric/gas/phone companies, we help jobless by giving them jobs.

[DoctorDoom]

All the evidence we need that giving money is futile is provided by the infamous Katrina debacle.

WASHINGTON - In its rush to provide Katrina disaster aid, the Federal Emergency Management Agency wasted millions of dollars and overpaid for hotel rooms, including $438-a-day lodging in New York City, government investigators said Monday.

Reports released by the Government Accountability Office and the Homeland Security Department's office of inspector general detail a series of accounting flaws, fraud or mismanagement in their initial review of how $85 billion in federal aid is being spent.

The two audits found that up to 900,000 of the 2.5 million applicants who received aid under FEMA's emergency cash assistance program — which included the $2,000 debit cards given to evacuees — were based on duplicate or invalid Social Security numbers, or false addresses and names. The GAO audit was first reported by NBC News last Friday.

[snip]

The $2,000 debit cards issued to hurricane evacuees for emergency supplies were often used for purchases unrelated to disaster aid, including: adult entertainment, gambling, a $450 tattoo, a .45-caliber handgun for $1,300 and a diamond engagement ring for $1,100.Audits: Millions in Katrina aid wasted (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11326973/)

Aid in the form of money is seldom used wisely.

[BIGIRON]

Im starting to be ashamed I voted for this guy, and I have supported alot of his choices. But at this stage he is turning into a democrat, He doesn't know how to fight a war, he gives money away he starts huge new entitlement projects (free med for geezers) and he wants to sell the country to the wetbacks.
Im glad I gave up on this country a few months ago or I might be upset about this all but now I feel vindicated and I can see even more vindication down the road.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Im glad I gave up on this country a few months ago or I might be upset about this all but now I feel vindicated and I can see even more vindication down the road.

:flame: Winners NEVER quit, and quitters never win. If one doesn't make themselves part of the solution, they are most definitely part of the problem.

I will never give up on this country, unless (and/or until) I'm killed in defense of it.

[DesertFox]

I'll "give up on this country" rhetorically. The one I really do give up on Bush.

[The_Elucidator]

I'll "give up on this country" rhetorically. The one I really do give up on Bush.

I really do love this country; by far the greatest in the world EVER. And I'm with ya on W.

[DesertFox]

Agreed.

[Etaoin]

Agreed.

At least you learned one thing! Conservatives, by their inherent nature, are compassionate! "Compassionate" Conservatives are RINOS using the phrase to fool the gullible.

Will people NEVER learn that words have specific meanings? You got no more in G.W.Bush than he promised you in his campaign!

[UnkHiram]

At the risk of being called "Cold Hearted" let me be blunt. The United States Govt should NOT be spending money trying to cure AIDS. Period, end of discussion --------- Medical Research is NOT authorized by the Constitution. The FEDERAL GOVT should not be involved in funding anything in Africa, I am sick and tired of Elected Officials thinking the American Taxspender is the world's piggy bank.

[DesertFox]

Only someone really cold hearted and mean-spirited and ungenerous -- a conservative -- would be so blunt, Unk.





* snicker *

[UnkHiram]

Desert Fox

That's Me, but I usually keep it disguised