patrick.net

Remaining calm, downplaying the danger, and looking on the bright side is precisely why this outbreak of Ebola is bigger than all of the others combined. This beast has really had a chance to get out and stretch its legs. It has more history over the past 90 days than the 25 years preceding.

I cannot think of a better reason for a Federal government to exist than to prevent this type of disaster from unfolding here at home. It is about time someone genuinely lost his head and panicked over this. If we just keep telling ourselves that there is nothing to worry about, one of these days we are going to hear that an infected patient has been walking amongst us freely right here in America.

Oh...wait a minute...damn...nevermind.

Of course, there are always the people who KNOW they have been exposed who come here on purpose before displaying symptoms to get better guaranteed medical care.

Our medical system makes us an Ebola magnet, the transport system the vector conveyor belt.

If you show up with Ebola, you will be treated , no insurance required, just to keep you isolated.

These cases seem to be when people from Africa suddenly decide they want to visit "relatives".

So will Ebola be the new "anchor disease?" Immigrants rush over from Africa to squat and drop a fat squalling case of hemorrhagic fever?

bob2356 says

They didn't take it anywhere. Ebola isn't contagious until it's symptomatic. He didn't develop symptoms until the 24th. You could try reading up a little captain. Nah, that never will happen.

Then everything is fine, I guess you can fly 12 hours sitting so close to someone with developing Ebola, that you can taste that plaque globule stuck in the back of his throat in a wad of phlegm, and not worry about catching Ebola.

these are bitter people looking for payback who were denied voting rights by the black panthers in philly while Holder chortled in his cubicle...

Ceffer says

Of course, there are always the people who KNOW they have been exposed who come here on purpose before displaying symptoms

everybody is already treated regardless of disease...preObamacare...postObamacare...nothing's really changed except the nationwide gouging of medical premiums.

Ceffer says

If you show up with Ebola, you will be treated , no insurance required, just to keep you isolated.

Now they are saying this asshole was in contact with several kids, who are now being kept home from school under observation. Selfish prick to expose children to this monster!!!

SoftShell says

this is so easy to contain....21 day mandatory quarantine at DNC headquarters for anyone coming into the country who has visited africa within the past 30 days...

Case Closed.

Why don't we screen every passenger flying from West Africa? Why are we waiting until the symptoms develop?

I love how the headlines were "First case diagnosed in the US"

Yeah - in a visiting Liberian.

gsr says

Why don't we screen every passenger flying from West Africa? Why are we waiting until the symptoms develop?

Sure, you tell the airlines that and watch them scream bloody murder about restrictions on free market travel.

gsr says

Why don't we screen every passenger flying from West Africa? Why are we waiting until the symptoms develop?

That would slow down the loading and unloading process, making travel less convenient. This would hurt the bottom lines of airlines and other business for whom tourism is the life blood. They will raise prices, and pass the costs onto the consumer, and I'm not paying more for my airline ticket just to save American lives!

Since restrictions on carbon emissions are an unacceptable encroachment on free enterprise, even though they're intended to save millions of species, I don't see how restrictions on travel can be justified just to save a few lives here and there. Think of how many jobs it already costs when we ban businesses from putting mercury in food!

It seems that conservatives' first instinct is to look to government to protect them.

Sad.

Texas now #1 in ebola infections and executions!

HydroCabron says

It seems that conservatives' first instinct is to look to government to protect them.

Sad.

As a conservative, interested in conserving life, liberty, and prosperity, I beg to differ. A true conservative first takes care of their own family, prepares for contingencies, and prepares emergency gear and supplies. A true conservative doesn't ultimately trust government, so relies on themselves. However, conservatives THEN hope the government can handle the problem after all, and are usually in full support of reasonable government efforts to do so.
It's the liberals who are laid back and so utterly trusting in government that they neglect to do so much as educate themselves about a crisis before becoming swept up into it. Think, the difference between New Orleans residents who evacuated on time or got to high ground vs. the po' state dependents who ended up stuck on top of houses or bridges or inside the Superdome.

The difference between conservatives and liberals is this: liberals don't think that bad stuff can happen, and trust in government to control all such situations. Conservatives KNOW that bad things can happen, expect them to happen, and try to control the situation ahead of time.

HydroCabron says

That would slow down the loading and unloading process, making travel less convenient. This would hurt the bottom lines of airlines and other business for whom tourism is the life blood. They will raise prices, and pass the costs onto the consumer, and I'm not paying more for my airline ticket just to save American lives!

This is a true national security issue, unlike your dream of bombing all over the middle east.

And, this does not need to be done by the federal government. It can be done individually at airports.

HydroCabron says

Since restrictions on carbon emissions are an unacceptable encroachment on free enterprise, even though they're intended to save millions of species, I don't see how restrictions on travel can be justified just to save a few lives here and there. Think of how many jobs it already costs when we ban businesses from putting mercury in food!

You mix way too many things. Are you always high? Stick to the topic, and start a new thread on how your breathing will kill us all.

Vicente says

Sure, you tell the airlines that and watch them scream bloody murder about restrictions on free market travel.

Actually, many airlines have done this already.
I was not talking about banning flights. I was talking about mandatory screening.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/06/news/companies/airlines-ebola-africa/

Well at least the US case is in Texas.

They are always talking about seceding. Now's a good time to quarantine the state and give them a taste of border crossings.

Quigley says

However, conservatives THEN hope the government can handle the problem after all

Fascinating. Are you aware that you just described a philosophy which most conservatives see as Marxist?

And who pays the taxes to fund this government activity?

I am reliably informed that throwing money at a problem never solved anything. Those who pay the taxes to care for those who can't help themselves will just raise the price of their products, and I refuse to pay higher prices for my goods.

Vicente says

gsr says

Why don't we screen every passenger flying from West Africa? Why are we waiting until the symptoms develop?

Sure, you tell the airlines that and watch them scream bloody murder about restrictions on free market travel.

Surely a more useful government intervention than going after raw milk farmers and pot planters. You make these jokes but they actually play into the case that government over-regulates every little business posing no harm (due to crony capitalism) while they don't do jack shit on obvious health threats.

mell says

Surely a more useful government intervention than going after raw milk farmers and pot planters. You make these jokes but they actually play into the case that government over-regulates every little business posing no harm (due to crony capitalism) while they don't do jack shit on obvious health threats.

Yeah That!!!

HydroCabron says

And who pays the taxes to fund this government activity?

I am reliably informed that throwing money at a problem never solved anything. Those who pay the taxes to care for those who can't help themselves will just raise the price of their products, and I refuse to pay higher prices for my goods.

In the current system, the government has responsibilities. We can talk about how to make them more efficient by decentralizing and privatizing them. However, that does not mean those responsibilities do not exist.

HydroCabron says

I am reliably informed that throwing money at a problem never solved anything. Those who pay the taxes to care for those who can't help themselves will just raise the price of their products, and I refuse to pay higher prices for my goods.

Throwing OPM inefficiently without accountability does not solve anything.

How many people do you physically touch, enough to get a substantial portion of their body fluids on you, when you fly? How high of viral load do you think this Texan had this early in the infection?

There was some risk of transmission from this passenger, and sure, there may be one or two more cases, but this is going to stop cold in its tracks. This isn't West Africa, where we completely distrust our medical professionals and are touching dead bodies.

Why not bring in the Secret Service to shut this down?

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Guess why God is giving Texas the curse of Ebola?

Because Texas had first choice between ebola or bankers?

Clearly this is all Obama's fault! New right-wing slogan coming up: If you like your Ebola you can keep your Ebola.

gsr says

Vicente says

Sure, you tell the airlines that and watch them scream bloody murder about restrictions on free market travel.

Actually, many airlines have done this already.

I was not talking about banning flights. I was talking about mandatory screening.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/06/news/companies/airlines-ebola-africa/

Screening-shmeeing: the guy was screened at the airport and passed with flying colors, because his illness was still in incubation period. The only thing which would work is proper quarantine.

CaptainShuddup says

mell says

Surely a more useful government intervention than going after raw milk farmers and pot planters. You make these jokes but they actually play into the case that government over-regulates every little business posing no harm (due to crony capitalism) while they don't do jack shit on obvious health threats.

Yeah That!!!

Ok it is an "obvious health threat" what tools does the government bring to bear for this 1 case in Texas? Is it black helicopters and full bio-chem warfare suit time?

Rew says

CaptainShuddup says

mell says

Surely a more useful government intervention than going after raw milk farmers and pot planters. You make these jokes but they actually play into the case that government over-regulates every little business posing no harm (due to crony capitalism) while they don't do jack shit on obvious health threats.

Yeah That!!!

Ok it is an "obvious health threat" what tools does the government bring to bear for this 1 case in Texas? Is it black helicopters and full bio-chem warfare suit time?

They should have simply halted the direct flights from infected countries, funny enough like Trump suggested. He may be an asshole, but he was right on this one.

Trump is even surprised when he's right

I thought Rick Perry was tough on immigrants. And by tough, I mean spit on them while you're deporting them.

This is sure a dark mark on the Perry record. Why can't he close the state of Texas to immigrants?

Rew says

There was some risk of transmission from this passenger, and sure, there may be one or two more cases, but this is going to stop cold in its tracks. This isn't West Africa, where we completely distrust our medical professionals and are touching dead bodies.

On the other hand this thread proves that the transmission of being stupid seems to have no barriers at all.

bob2356 says

Rew says

There was some risk of transmission from this passenger, and sure, there may be one or two more cases, but this is going to stop cold in its tracks. This isn't West Africa, where we completely distrust our medical professionals and are touching dead bodies.

On the other hand this thread proves that the transmission of being stupid seems to have no barriers at all.

If only stupidity had a 70% mortality rate. One can dream.

Call it Crazy says

Rew says

This isn't West Africa,

Do you think there is anyone in West Africa that doesn't know what Ebola is and what the virus is capable of doing?? Do you think there are people there that are clueless to the illness and death it has been causing??

Yet, the virus is STILL spreading there exponentially.....

Why??

Read about what is going on in West Africa, and why this is the same garden variety ebola we have seen in the Congo/Central Africa since the 60s, yet this outbreak is much worse.

There are people in West Africa breaking into quarantined homes due to mistrust and ignorance. There are people drawing blood of the infected/recovered to use as cures on themselves, there are people blocking aid workers, breaking into medical care facilities, and basically being completely stupid. Add in close physical contact with the deceased as part of your burial rites and bang ...

Virus is the same, the people, their cultural norms, and how they are behaving is what is different. It's why I'm very confidant this strain of ebola (as it is right now) cannot do this to any first world country.

Call it Crazy says

bob2356 says

On the other hand this thread proves that the transmission of being stupid seems to have no barriers at all.

Yep, starting with the healthcare professionals at the hospital, when they asked the guy for his S.S. # and he told them he was from Liberia and didn't have one, and was showing symptoms of the flu...

But they didn't connect the dots....

So, they give him a Rx for antibiotics (which DON'T work on viruses) and send him out on the street...

Obamacare at it's finest hour!!

How can a post like this get a dislike? It is obvious that the health officials were incompetent, sending him back home. In fact they should lose their jobs for not connecting the dots like in every industry not part of the FIRE and healthcare sectors.

mell says

In fact they should lose their jobs for not connecting the dots like in every industry not part of the FIRE and healthcare sectors.

People all the way up to Washington, will either be fired or resign over this mark my word.

This case just showcases our vulnerability to Ebola and other horrid foreign diseases. We'll definately see more cases before this over, if not related to this case then from others.

There's just wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to many people on Wall street foaming at the mouth and creaming their jeans on all of the talk about Ebola stocks soaring.
Damn it, this is what we've got Obamacare for, to convert those Stocks could be's into the Nations biggest contributor to the GDP.

The Dow is going to 20,000 on this crisis. Better get your yearly deductible cap money ready now. They'll be spraying every American city with Ebola chemtrails, then blame Ottis Ottawatha a Zimbabwian Zionist.

Yet there is still air travel between the afflicted areas and other countries.

That is a strategic problem that would eliminate the opportunity for the other errors.

Rew says

How many people do you physically touch, enough to get a substantial portion of their body fluids on you, when you fly? How high of viral load do you think this Texan had this early in the infection?

There was some risk of transmission from this passenger, and sure, there may be one or two more cases, but this is going to stop cold in its tracks. This isn't West Africa, where we completely distrust our medical professionals and are touching dead bodies.

Bingo.

They can send the Navigators out to round up all of the contacts.
To haul them off and parade them in front of the death panels.

If you have Ebolacare you live if not you get deported.

Call it Crazy says

Want to take a guess what the cost of this special isolation medical care is going to run??

About a pittance of the cost that the hazmat team from Halliburton will charge, to decontaminate that Ambulance. They will have been able to buy 25 new Ambulances by time they are done spit shinning that sucker.

Rew says

It's why I'm very confidant this strain of ebola (as it is right now) cannot do this to any first world country.

Who there, don't start talking sense. That'd make you a SOCIALIST.