Does the Swine Flu emergency feel contrived to you or is this a true emergency?

The husband of a friend of a co-worker is dead; he contracted swine flue and developed secondary pneumonia.

Doesn't seem so contrived to her.

Now, does it rise to the level of the Golfer-In-Chief declaring a national emergency so he can grab more power?

Children and young adults dying? This is real and I hope that people will be alert enough to the warnings to get the shot, stay home if they are sick and help to stop the spread.

Jack...............

my next door neighbors nephew was KILLED in Afghanistan two years ago................

i think this war is more of a national emergency than the flu.............

hopefully Obama will get off his basketball playing ass and make a decision on this war...............

On the historic day when the majority leader in the Senate announces he is going along with this administration's attempts to move America closer to socialism, we contend with a swine flu question from the poll writers at WBT...where is the in depth coverage of what socialized medicine means to America...of how politician's unconstitutional power grabs for programs like Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security are already scheduled to bankrupt the country in just a few years and now we're adding....you guessed it...trillions more in debt....which will inevitably mean higher taxes and higher costs for those of us paying taxes...slowing economic growth as a result of a government that becomes so large as a percent of GDP that we can actually calculate the job losses that will stem from it...a decision that means the rationing of health care will come to America just as it has to other countries that have socialized medicine...a decision that means the innovation that has made us the envy of the world in medicine will begin to dissapate. So with this historic decision to have the government take over one sixth of the economy of the United States...a decision that many say will push us into the mediocrity of other socialized nations around the world...WBT asks about........swine flu.

Mark, it is called a war and sorry to say people on both sides die in a war. I support and admire the young men and women who serve our country, but they made the decision to join the profession. The flu and children dying is an emergency.

Its the flu. People die from the flu every year. This is like the old magician's trick, watch my right hand while the tricks are done with the left hand. We need to keep a close eye on that left hand because what it is doing is a lot worse than the flu.

Whenever someone dies of any disease it is a tragedy. What I don't know today is how many have died of some strain of flue annually.
It feels like another "the sky is falling" report from our government and their publicity department the so called news media.
There are 300,000,000 americans and too many die and get killed daily in wars, automobiles, heart/coronary disease, beatings, shootings, knives, etc, etc, etc, but then that's old hat for the snewz media.

I don't know a single person who has the flu! H1N1 or the seasonal flu, I don't know anyone that is ill from those two viruses to date. People, children included, die from illnesses every day. It is a fact of life. I am willing to bet $100 that there are many other illnesses that claim more children and adults every single day than has this "swine flu". But of course, if there is no crises, let us manufacture one.

One question, if a Republican was president and the swine flu vaccine was so slow in being manufactured and distributed would the media handle it differently? Katrina was all Bush's fault, the lack of an H1N1 vaccine is not Obama's fault? Wow, what a double standard we have here!

Senior citizen - the H1N1 flu is hitting children and young adults NOT us old people born before 1945. They think that we may have some immunity to it because of a strain of flu back i the 30's. The flu is not anyone's fault - it is a germ! Also the regular flu usually hits about January or February. This strain was active over the summer and has spread because it is different from other strains.
Geroge - I guess we should just let them all die - is that your answer?

We should continue talking about this major health crises that is striking America and the world! It is very important as children are dying every day. And if too many children die, how are they going to pay for this massive government debt that we are piling up every day?

My god, we need to start producing more children quickly! We need millions and millions of new children born and raised quickly to become taxpayers of this great nation. Raise the retirement age and lower the age that a young person can become gainfully employed full time. We need children on the workforce as quickly as possible. We are missing out on billions of tax dollars by not having children working in our factories and mines. Yes, children in coal mines means we wouldn't have to have strip mining that environmentalists hate so much and the tunnels would be so much smaller. They eat less, wear smaller clothes, use smaller tools, it is such a cost saving way to produce more. We must do everything possible to defeat this swine flu virus to protect our future workforce and our rapidly declining standard of living.

Children of the world, unite! Pick up your shovels, your axes, your wrenches, it is your duty to work for the state and your fellow man. From each of you we expect the best of your ability, and to each of you we shall furnish your needs!

And oh yes, let us also ignore the criminal acts by our former Governor Sleazy, uh, I mean Easley, that's just Democratic politics as usual. Nothing to see here, move along now.

over 36,000 people die each year in the u.s. from other strains of the flu.about 1,000 have died from the swine flu.although 1 death is too many,it hasn't even come close to the other strains.it seems like too much of a coincidence that this has become a national emergency just when there is the push for obummer-care.remember,never waste a crisis.

Jean, I have read and re-read George's comments. Nothing he has said even slightly inferred that we should let anyone die. But like all good liberals, you take what someone said and apply a completely new meaning to it. After all it's "for the children", right Jean?

Do you remember, in 2004, when flu vaccine was slow appear at the start of flu season? The Bush Administration was bashed daily by our liberal media, there were calls for Congressional hearings, and the demogogery was everywhere. What is the media reaction now? The compliant media plays along with the manufactured crisis because it supports Obama's desire to socialize healthcare. Few remember that the flu vaccine crisis can be traced back to Hillary Clinton and the first round to attempted Government takeover of healthcare. Hillary made Bill impose price limits on what the Government would pay for flu vaccine. Nobody could produce vaccine at her price level, and the vast majority of vaccine now comes from foreign sources. Our Government created the "crisis" and then it acts "boldly" to solve the "crisis." Isn't this wonderful? And our children are suffering because of this. What a shame, that our Governement officials so not stand up for their own responsibility in this.

I think it is overdone by the media. Yes it is flu, yes it is a new strain, yes it can kill - guess what the regular ordinary flu kills thousands around the world every year too.

I will have the vaccine because: a) I always get the regular flu vaccine, b) I travel in airplanes a lot (cannot escape exposure), c) I am a diabetic, d) we have a young child in the house

It is not a time for unwarranted worry or hysteria - just normal, ordinary precautions. The hype has gotten my elderly mother frighten and to what purpose?

Everyone take a deep breath, take or don't take the shot - and get about living the great life God has given you TODAY! Tomorrow will take care of itself.

Several families I know have had the swine flu go through each member. One family took four weeks to get over it all and lost all the income during that time. Maybe its not a national emergency but it was an emergency for them!

An administration taking advantage of our fears? No! Say it isn't so! Remember the ticking time bomb? Remember the WMDs? Remember the smoking gun that turns into a mushroom cloud? We should always question authority and find our own truths. I'm no epidemiologist, so I don't know if this is indeed an emergency. But, I will listen to my doctor and then figure out what to do.

Mark, more of us will be affected by the flu than by the war. More Americans will die because of the flu than will die because of the war. In my mind, that makes the flu more important.

Sue and Jean,

Yes it is a highly contagious strain. Yes children can die from it. Yes you should be concerned. But don't allow your worry to stop you from going about your daily lives. Don't let your worry be contagious. Worry makes you MORE susceptible to disease.

Get the shots when they are available and don't worry about it until they are.
Just wash your hands, gargle regularly with salt water and get on about your life.

I am concerned that the hype is making our children afraid and that is not a good thing.

FF, I find plenty of coverage on this great news for America. It's front page on every news organization's web site.

Two of my classmates at college have gotten the flu. I have decided not to participate for the rest of this week. It is going to be hard to catch up and I hope my grades don't suffer frm of it. I just can't seem to get past the fear. Guess the government is right. we should be quite concerned.

Oh. Did I mention that my courses are online?

Get real people and get on with your life!

Senior, I think Jean was just questioning George, asking him if he is suggesting doing nothing. Doing nothing, of course, has become the Republican solution to everything, because, oh yes, the market is so efficient at solving all problems. Well, most people are not fatalistic like that. Most people, me included, believe we can affect our future. Therefore, we try to improve our lives and those of others. That's what I heard in Jean's question.

Democrat6ic solutions to our problems has only exacerbated and compounded our problems. It is government's meddling that has increased our health costs, caused the mortgage crises, and resulted in the near economic chaos that we have today. Government now purports to be the solution to the problems it caused, and claims the economic recession is now over. The 15 million Americans out of work don't seem to think so. The stimulus package created 30,000 jobs and the White House recently said that you have seen almost all of the effects of the stimulus and in 2010 the stimulus package will have little if any effect. Almost a trillion taxpayer dollars down the drain.

Proposals by the Republicans are ignored by the Democrats and the mainstream media. The NBC Peacock turns out to be Obama'e pet bird. So it appears that the Republicans have no answers since the Obama media refuses to discuss them. With the White House now going after Fox news, the fourth estate is being reduced to boot licking reporters without a journalist in sight.

IM Dem,
Actually the market is fairly good at correcting mistakes, unless you force things on them like Clinton did with the fair lending BS...

Anyway, I think this declaration was strictly a policy/procedure move. It allows hospitals to handle flu patients differently and prevents the spread of the disease within the hospital. It allows hospitals to quarantine those persons considered infected and move them offsite.

Now this isn't Captain Tripps, but this one is pretty serious. It affects then young and healthy which isn't typical for the flu. Yes 36,000 died from the flu last year, but out of those 99% were elderly, already imuno comprimised, or very young children. No matter what you think, not all those deaths are preventable. The difference here is, it's not even flu season yet and we've had 1000 deaths. I know of 2, young 20 year olds in the ICU at a local hospital. Both of them athletes, both of them on breathing machines, one of them is on a heart lung machine. His blood is pumped out of his system, injected with oxygen and pumped back in. This flu is no joke folks. I thought it was just a bunch of government hubablu at first, but there are reports out of Europe that this h1n1 is causing severe lung damage in otherwise healthy young adults. It is VERY dangerous to pregnant women.

The issue in general is that h1n1 directly affects/attacks the lungs. It reduces your O2 saturation drastically in some cases. This is very bad for pregnant women or people with pre-existing breathing conditions. Please do not take this as a joke, wash your hands, cover your mouths if you cough, and if you are pregnant stay home.

Jean. You really need to return to school and learn how to read. I gave no solution because there is none. I am not responsible for these or anyone else's death and refuse to accept your attempt to make me responsible. Death is always tragic but like s**t always happens to us all sooner or later. Perhaps in your role as Goddess you can wave your wand and let those you chose live forever.

Senior, by "trillion taxpayer dollars down the drain" you must mean the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, right? Because, I sure as hell see no benefit. If that money had been spent on healthcare, education, infrastructure, basically anything but war, we would be far better off.

Dan S., I agree that the market is good at some things, like determining the price at the gas pump. But it fails when it comes to things like healthcare and the environment. In fact, it does not exist when it come to healthcare, because insurance companies are allowed to collude and manipulate the market. Similarly, it fails when it comes to pollution, because the polluters do not bear the cost of their harmful actions. So, the government has to step in and tax polluters to give them an incentive to pollute less. Why would they stop or reduce bad behavior if there are no negative consequences?

20% an falling, keep drinking that koolaid. we love it. even the drugster was drinking his on koolaid the other day and believed his own lies. just goes to show it takes and idiot to get idiots to follow. please keep palin, drugster, and beck and also lets do not leave out the fox leading the gop. there want be 10% left by election time. what a bunch of losers.

Pratt,
We're all drinking the Koolaid, just some of us are smart enough to know which one will kill us and which one will just make us sick.

IM Dem,
Healthcare: Government regulated, no anti monopoly laws, no competition across state lines. Now lets look at the drug companies and medical suppliers both of which have profit margins about 8%, now compare that to the 2.2% profit margins for insurance companies... Where's the problem? How is government sponsored insurance going to fix the cost of drugs and medical supplies? Oh that's right the Fed will just pay less for them, which means limited supply and government rationing of healthcare. However we're still not fixing the cost...

Pollution: India and China produce more pollution in a day than we do in a week. That's expected to be 1 day = 1 month by 2020. How are we going to do anything to cut into their output by taxing companies here and sending more manufacturing overseas? COB stated that the knee cap and trade bill will decrease global warming by a whopping .05 degrees C in 50 years. At the cost of TRILLIONS to taxpayers. Not companies, your a fool if you don't think they will pass that cost to you. It's a giant scam by the liberals to make tax money to pay for all this other stuff they want to pass. You can intact pollution controls without the extreme measures in that bill. It could also be implemented more gradually, but then Obama would fail to achieve his campaign promise of a balanced budget by 2012. Think before you speak.

Dem,
Any insurance claim I have ever gotten back a settlement on from BCBS has shown that they approve and actually pay less than the doctor has charged. I understand that the doctor belongs to the fold as an acceptor of the plan But how does the insurance company collude and manipulate? Just want to understand hw you figure they are in contrl of actual health care costs. That's the misinterpretation of this whole debate. This isn't health care reform it is health care INSURANCE reform. I wish they were trying to control the actual cost of health care like controling the BS law suits that doctors face all of the time and therefore pay out the wazzoo for insurance to protect themselves.

Right with ya Dan. Good comeback.

Jim, how is it that I get the same price quoted by BCBS, CIGNA, and UHC when I inquire about health insurance? Sure looks like collusion to me. You don't think that's an accident, do you?

No that's the state government regulating insurance prices. Just like with car insurance. Next question...

Dan S., I don't breath the air in India and China. My primary concern is about my health, not that of Indians and Chinese. Of course I do not expect my good health to be free, so I gladly pay for a cleaner environment. I am aware of my carbon footprint every day and modify my behavior to reduce it. It keeps me healthy, my family healthy, you healthy, and everyone else healthy. On top of that, it makes me feel good. All of those are positive things, and they cost money.

Regarding healthcare: The larger the organization doing the bargaining, the more leverage it has to negotiate lower prices. That's why single payer is such a good idea.

Jim, Dan, and all you other Republicans out there. You always say you could do this or could do that, and whatever you do would be a lot better than what President Obama proposes to do. Well, you had Congress for twelve years, and you had the WH for eight years, and what did you get done? NOTHING! So, don't tell us now that you want to do something. You are like kids who always promise to be good when it is too late. You had you chances, and now you get to watch for a while. I am confident you will get another chance in the future, and you can prove yourselves then. Doing nothing, however, is no longer an option.

Dan, that is not true. The NCDOI does not set the rates and force all insurers to charge the same premiums.

1) I am too, but not to the tune of a trillion dollars a year. Slow implementation of laws allows time for companies to develop cleaner solutions and put them into place. It gives them time to spread the cost of development across years and it won't cause the sudden out rush of manufacturing jobs like Obama's plan. Guess what happens when we lose another rash of jobs?? You think last years recession was bad...

2) Really? Ask Germany about there single payer system... 15% of every dollar earned goes to healthcare. And that system is bankrupt. Ask UK how they like their rationing. Check and see how many doctors we're going to have in 10 years if this is implemented. I'd bet it won't be more than we have now, likely it will be less. Which means.. OH WAIT.. rationing of healthcare. The government will decide who gets treated and who doesn't. Ask your wife/sister/mother if she's willing to accept a lower chance of surviving breast/ovarian cancer just to get on a single payer system. Here's the best part, ask your prematurely born daughter or son how they feel when they recieve NO treatment because they were born 2 days before the cutoff for care. Go look at UK papers, that's what's in your future for a single payer system. Funny none of those stories get reported by the main stream media. You think our government will run this thing any better than those countries? How's social security doing these days? Oh yeah bankrupt in 4 years. How about welfare.. already in the red... and last but not least Medicare.. again already in the red. Please, we'd have a better chance of successful and beneficial reform if my 2 year old took over.

IM Dem,
You assume I am a republican which is a stupid stupid thing to do. I believe in small government that operates within the ideology of the constitution.

I'm sorry your right NC doesn't set the rates, it sets the limits of how much you can charge.

BTW republicans are trying to do something, but the AP will not report on it and the rest of congress will not even consider their plan. Look up the Medical Rights and Reform act.

It's simple, I work hard to get where I am. NO ONE deserves that money unless I freely give it to them. I am not about to bend over and pay 50 or 60% in taxes like you do in Europe just so joe schmoe down the block has decided to not buy health care or is to lazy to get a job.

Dan, I did not say Republicans are not trying to do anything. I said they did not do anything when they had the power. Of course they are trying to do something now, but it's too late. They had their chance.

You are wrong about your money. Read the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, section 8.

Dan, you are wrong once again. Germany does not have single payer health care. But, I think they actually have a very good system, where the market comes into play for people who make above a certain income, but every citizen, regardless of income, has a minimum level of insurance.

IM DEM,

I am so glad to hear that you like the health care system in Germany. When are you moving there? Hopefully very soon!!!!!!

IKRYA45NNC, you assume I am not already there.