On Tuesday, to quote The New York Times, “President Bush announced… that he would ask Congress for $7.1 billion to prepare the nation for the possibility of a worldwide outbreak of deadly flu.” Here’s how he put it: “Our country has been given fair warning of this danger to our homeland and time to prepare. It’s my responsibility as the president to take measures now to protect the American people… A flu pandemic would have global consequences, so no nation can afford to ignore this threat, and every nation has responsibilities to detect and stop its spread.”
Senator Frist, a hack and possibly a crook, referred to Bush’s “bold and decisive leadership,” but this was clearly an attempt by the president to look presidential and to change the subject yet again after a particularly disastrous period of his generally disastrous presidency — if Alito can’t completely flatten Katrina, Plamegate, Iraq, and dreadfully low approval ratings, maybe manufacturing a massive threat will (and if it can’t be terrorism, why not some mysterious virus?). Plus, he’s already known as a big spender — what’s $7.1 billion more?
I’ve previously written about (the alleged pandemic of) avian flu here and here (and the dog flu here). Avian flu is real. Is the threat? Maybe. And maybe it will ultimately become a pandemic. But doesn’t this over-reaction have the stink of desperation and manipulation about it?
I’ve got more on avian flu and the questionable science behind the current panic here.