GOP Cut 600 Million To CDC; Louie Gohmert Thinks The Answer To Ebola Is Ending Political Correctness

[KamaAina]

http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/19450/gop-cut-600-million-cdc-louie-gohmert-thinks-answer-ebola-ending-political-correctness

The GOP has cut about $600 million in funds for the Center for Disease Control since 2010, but Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) thinks the real disease is political correctness. The Republicans in Congress did however, ultimately approve $88 million in funding to fight the Ebola virus requested by the White House.

With regards to President Obama sending 3,000 troops to Africa to head off the Ebola virus the Congressman told Fox News that, “The military is not trained to go catch Ebola and die,” and that, “political correctness is going to get people killed in all of these areas.”

The President ordered the troops to help end the spread of the disease by opening 17 treatment facilities mostly concentrated in the impoverished country of Liberia. There the US military will lead a command center and international relief efforts training up to 500 Liberian health workers a week.

President Obama contends there is no imminent threat to America from Ebola and that any cases that arise could be isolated quickly, but Gohmert says the answer is to end travel between the US and African countries where the disease is prevalent. The rightwing media has even exploited the epidemic to suggest that “Ebola people” could be sneaking across the southern border even though the CDC says there is no evidence that is happening.

I don't believe I've ever seen the phrase "Louie Gohmert Thinks" before. Nor do I ever expect to see it again.

[muntrv]

1. So what about people who get the flu, Louie? Deport them?

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Only if they'e black, of course.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. The CDC will get a RAISE, actually.

Here:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will see an 8.2 percent budget increase for fiscal 2014, thanks to a $1.1 trillion spending bill announced by Congress Jan. 13.
This influx of cash will raise the CDC budget to $6.9 billion, which is $567 million more than it received in 2013.
This is more than the agency anticipated, because the president's fiscal year 2014 budget request for it was just $6.6 billion -- a decrease of $270 million from fiscal 2012.

Of the $6.9 billion, $1.3 billion was allocated to protect the United States from foreign and domestic threats, both intentional and naturally occurring. $255 million will go to support bio-defense efforts, and $160 million will be set aside for states to address their most pressing public health needs. The CDC will get $30 million for Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD), which will help identify potential disease outbreaks earlier and more accurately.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2014/01/17/cdc-wins-in-budget-deal.html?page=all

Anyone can read the CDC Budget summary here, free download:
http://assets.bizjournals.com/atlanta/pdf/cdc%20budget%20req%20sum%202014.pdf