An Ounce Of Prevention

The White House is taking the swine flu outbreak very seriously.

In an unusual Sunday briefing at the White House, administration officials said a “public health emergency” is being declared in the United States in order to mobilize maximum resources to combat fears of a global swine-flu pandemic.

The term "sounds more severe than it really is," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who called the measure "standard operating procedure," adding, “I wish we could call it a declaration of emergency preparedness.” The same measures, she said, were taken for the inauguration and in cases of flood and hurricane.

Acting CDC Director Richard Besser said that health officials have reported 20 U.S. cases across five states – California, Kansas, New York, Ohio, and Texas – and expect the numbers to rise as doctors perform more tests to detect the illness, and warned that "more severe" cases are likely to surface here.

While the disease, which appears to have originated in Mexico, has killed more than 80 there and infected over 1,300, there have been no fatal American infections so far.

The government said it will release 25 percent of its stockpiles of the flu-fighting drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. Texas governor Rick Perry had previously requested 37,430 doses of Tamiflu be sent to his state from the Strategic National Stockpile.

And while this emergency is certainly concerning, it's also a major reminder that playing politics with something like a national health emergency is abhorrent. It's important to note that political actions have real world consequences. Right now, we have no Health and Human Services Secretary during this health emergency. Nor do we have a Surgeon General. Why? Republicans and religious conservatives have blocked votes and held up procedures and continue to do so.

So think about that. We have a national health emergency as of today...and nearly 100 days into this administration, no HHS Secretary or Surgeon General to lead America's response to it. Mexico went to Canada first to diagnose swine flu, NOT the United States, because America's health emergency response is being held up by Republicans more worried about controlling the uterus rather than controlling a pandemic.

Why, the Wingers are outraged at Obama's inability to respond to this health crisis with no HHS Secretary or Surgeon General, and of course that leaves Janet Napolitano at Homeland Security who the Wingers want fired anyway. It's his Katrina moment! (You know, just like his last Katrina moment.) I'm sure the lack of cabinet heads has nothing to do with the speed of our response.

Which party is endangering the country again? Here's a hint, it's not the Democrats.

[UPDATE] DDay points out the blinding speed at which Texas Gov. Rick "The Federal Government Should Stick Strictly To Its Constitutional Duties, The Rest Is The Clear Dominion Of Individual States" Perry is once again asking for federal resources on the swine flu issue.

Hey, secessionists? Is asking the feds for Tamiflu in the Constitution? No? Well then, I guess you're on your own, right? But I thought the Federal government was evil and run by a fascist usurper that we must resist with our last ounce of blood?