Jedi Council Forums - President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS

Jedi Council Forums » JC Community » The Senate Floor »

Locked Topic | Read Only Topic | Previous Active Topic | Next Active Topic

Author	Topic: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
Ender_Sai Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '01	Date Posted: 5/30/07 3:42pm Subject: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Story President George W Bush has asked the US Congress to set aside $30bn (£15bn) over five years for the global fight against HIV/Aids. He said the sum would double the current US commitment and provide treatment for 2.5 million people. Mr Bush said the funding would also be aimed at preventing more than 12 million new infections. The president said his wife Laura would visit Africa next month as part of the US campaign against Aids. "When I took office, an HIV diagnosis in Africa's poorest communities was usually a death sentence," Mr Bush said. "Once again, the generosity of the American people is one of the great untold stories of our time." In 2003, the US Government approved a $15bn package over five years to fight the spread of Aids. The US Congress stipulated that a proportion of those funds must be spent on encouraging abstinence-until-marriage programmes. Increases everywhere United Nations agencies say about 40 million people worldwide are infected with Aids or HIV. Almost three-quarters of deaths from Aids last year occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, and two-thirds of those living with HIV are found there. The number living with the virus has increased everywhere, with the most striking increases in East Asia and Central Asia/Eastern Europe. On Wednesday the World Health Organization urged affected countries to carry out HIV tests on everyone attending health centres unless they "opt out". It said 200 million people could benefit from the policy. Currently 80% of people infected with HIV in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa do not know they have it. <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42340000/gif/_42340074_aids_hiv_gra3416.gif"> It's a mixed bag, this package. On the one hand, there is nobody capable of leading on this front like America; Mr Bush is right, though perhaps a bit inappropriate, in talking of the generosity of the American people. (Inappropriate in that when you are talking about the deaths of so many from AIDS, patting yourself on the back really undermines the selflessness of the gesture. It's like giving $1000 to charity and saying, "I just gave a thousand bucks to charity!") However, Congress stipulating that this funding ought go towards abstinence only sex-education, which is clearly not a winning strategy, is disturbing. The Catholic Church has been promoting abstinence as a viable contraception method for decades in Africa, and whilst theoretically correct in terms of being a preventative measure, people clearly aren't listening there. If you look at the graph, however, it's starting; the contrast between Africa and the rest of the world for AIDS/HIV positive rates is stark. So my question is - and this will get into broader issues of foreign aid later on - when faced with a clear need for action such as this, is tacking on an abstinence requirement political or prudent? Is the US doing enough, too much, or nowhere near enough? Could others do more? E_S -----signature----- In this truth he knew himself to be. From sinking sands he stepped into light's embrace.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
KnightWriter Title: Administrator Emeritus Registered: Nov '01	Date Posted: 5/30/07 3:49pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS - Date Edited: 5/30/07 3:51pm (1 edits total) Edited By: KnightWriter
	He would do better in ditching the moronic abstinence-only sex education in the United States. Take care of that at home before turning abroad. And ditch anything that prevents condom distribution in those countries. However, Congress stipulating that this funding ought go towards abstinence only sex-education, which is clearly not a winning strategy, is disturbing. The Catholic Church has been promoting abstinence as a viable contraception method for decades in Africa, and whilst theoretically correct in terms of being a preventative measure, people clearly aren't listening there. Man, I didn't even read that before posting, and there it is, precisely what I said. Anything that isn't condom-based along with a lot of education is a strategy for failure and throwing money away. -----signature----- Omar: "Can you fix this, Joe?" clock bangs on table Prop Joe: "What's the problem?" Omar: "Run out of time."
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
VadersLaMent Registered: Apr '02	Date Posted: 5/30/07 3:52pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Oh look, an abstinence only program disguised as an anti Aids program. Kinda like the faith based initiative thing that was actually just a vote getter. -----signature----- Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic--Arthur C. Clarke Any sufficiently advanced extraterrestrial intelligence is indistinguishable from God--Michael Shermer I am a sexy, shoeless GOD OF WAR!
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Ender_Sai Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '01	Date Posted: 5/30/07 3:56pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Not entirely, VLM: "The US Congress stipulated that a proportion of those funds must be spent on encouraging abstinence-until-marriage programmes." This isn't about abstince; it's about fighting aids and even if it's a large portion - like 33% - that leaves US$10bn to fight AIDS. Is that really a bad thing, per se? E_S -----signature----- In this truth he knew himself to be. From sinking sands he stepped into light's embrace.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
MASTERPRENN Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 5/30/07 3:57pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	But if we don't teach teh Abstinence only, our morals will be ERRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOODDDDDEEEEEDDDD!!! I mean really, first we tell our kids it's fine to have sex, and then we tell them that being gay is not a choice? What's next, Pelosi as President and her Secret Police, made up of Osama and his cronies? Jeez. -----signature----- "When you see me, what do you see? I see a big bushy beard and hair." - Stephen Colbert/Cornel West
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Ender_Sai Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '01	Date Posted: 5/30/07 4:00pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Guys This is to talk about world responses to AIDs, now that Mr Bush has offered a solid package to fighting the virus. It's not a Bush bash. Honestly, has nobody any opinions on if this package is enough, not enough, or too much? Anyone? Hellloooooooo? E_S -----signature----- In this truth he knew himself to be. From sinking sands he stepped into light's embrace.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Surfer_With_A_Badge Registered: May '07	Date Posted: 5/30/07 4:03pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Why not just tell the Africans to fund their own programs instead of relying on the West to fund it? -----signature----- Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true. If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It's not tragic to die doing what you love.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
MASTERPRENN Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 5/30/07 4:03pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Meh, it seems okay. I agree, that the U.S. should be leading such efforts, and I'm happy that they're at least doing something. But really, I think that there could be many more effective (and yes, expensive) programs put together, that would have a farther reaching effect. -----signature----- "When you see me, what do you see? I see a big bushy beard and hair." - Stephen Colbert/Cornel West
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
SuperWatto Registered: Sep '00	Date Posted: 5/30/07 4:06pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Seems like E_S is warming up to Bush, just when the rest of the world is buying Bush Countdown Clocks. I know what it is, E_S: pity on the underdog! -----signature----- TRACK THAT TRACK http://trackthattrack.blogspot.com frustrating you with sound
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Obi-Zahn Kenobi Registered: Aug '99	Date Posted: 5/30/07 4:23pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	SuperWatto posted: Seems like E_S is warming up to Bush, just when the rest of the world is buying Bush Countdown Clocks. I know what it is, E_S: pity on the underdog! So electing Sarkozy and keeping the Labour Party in power means, what, that France and the UK hate Bush? They should put their money where their mouth is. -----signature----- christus moriebat christus resurrexit christus aderit iterum
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Ender_Sai Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '01	Date Posted: 5/30/07 4:40pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Actually Watto, I've been quietly pointing out Mr Bush's vast improvements on foreign policy since he won re-election in 2004. The neocons lost their chief architect of dischord and violence, Dr Wolfowitz, and Mr Bush's foreign policy stopped being intractable, dogmatic and further at odds with the real world as we know it. This is the just the most recent in a string of policies which make sensible amounts of, well, sense. Whilst the US isn't giving as much as a percentage of it's GDP as some other aid donor states, the end result is that the US contribution will go much, much further. Like many of you, I have equal parts doubt and concern about the inclusion of politically motivated "morality". So - could it be better? E_S -----signature----- In this truth he knew himself to be. From sinking sands he stepped into light's embrace.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
anidanami124 Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 5/30/07 8:21pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS - Date Edited: 5/30/07 8:35pm (2 edits total) Edited By: anidanami124
	Ender_Sai posted: Guys This is to talk about world responses to AIDs, now that Mr Bush has offered a solid package to fighting the virus. It's not a Bush bash. Honestly, has nobody any opinions on if this package is enough, not enough, or too much? Anyone? Hellloooooooo? E_S Well it's not like we have not been fighting it. I think the problem is not how much money. Becuase we could take a put in 10 trillion and we would still be no where near finding a cure. It's one of those things where I wonder if we ever will find a cure for it. So - could it be better? Could it maybe. But for something like AIDS it always for me comes back to will ever find that cure. One day I hope we will and this is a good start for the US and Bush. Until then we just have to be careful (and no it's not about having sex and not having sex). It's about knowning the risks. Becuase HIV/AIDS can be passed through the blood, sex, etc we need to be more careful and ask about and make sure it can not be spread(ei) more then it already has. I have to say this is a good topice that E_S brought. is tacking on an abstinence requirement political or prudent The one thing we have to remember from health class is that HIV/AIDS can be passed from one person to another through sex. Yes condams can work but at the end of the day ever one should really sit back and ask is that a risk they are willing to take. Once you get HIV/AIDS that's it you have it until you die from it. Which is one of rht reasons I'm waitint until I'm married to have sex. I don't want to run that risk of getting HIV/AIDS and there is really nothing wrong in waiting. -----signature----- Dark Lords of the JCC My Heros of Music Epica 1. Simone Simons 2. Mark Jansen 3. Yves Huts 4. Coen Janssen 5. Ad Sluijter 6. Jeroen Simons 1)ROTS2)AOTC 3)TESB 4)TPM 5)ANH 6)ROTJ
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Master_SweetPea Registered: Nov '02	Date Posted: 5/30/07 9:30pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Foreign Aid is actually a U.S. Shame. By percentage of our economy we give very little compared to the rest of the world. I believe it's because people ASSUME the government is doing so much, when you do the math, they don't not trying to derail so I'll leave the conversation now. -----signature----- I don't like the donkeys and I don't like the Elephants http://www.lp.org "Some people never have anything except ideas Go Do it! Lucky Numbers 3, 11, 21, 31, 41, 43"
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Surfer_With_A_Badge Registered: May '07	Date Posted: 5/30/07 9:35pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Why is it the duty of the American taxpayer to support any effort that isn't directly affecting the US? If some African country can't, they either need to acknowledge they can't make it on their own and invite a new colonial government or look towards charity. -----signature----- Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true. If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It's not tragic to die doing what you love.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Ender_Sai Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '01	Date Posted: 5/30/07 9:39pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Master_SweetPea posted: Foreign Aid is actually a U.S. Shame. By percentage of our economy we give very little compared to the rest of the world. I believe it's because people ASSUME the government is doing so much, when you do the math, they don't not trying to derail so I'll leave the conversation now. I do take your point, but it's got multiple sides. Firstly, if a country gives 25% of it's GDP in aid that's symbolic in that they had less to give in the first place and gave more overall. However, symbolism doesn't go as far as US$30bn, in the end. Secondly, the US has actually gotten better with aid spending under Bush. (I'll give people a second here to pick their jaws up off the ground... ) It used to be that you'd give US$Xbn to a country in "aid", where "aid" meant "aiding country to upgrade military". That's now less a facet of US aid than in the past. E_S -----signature----- In this truth he knew himself to be. From sinking sands he stepped into light's embrace.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Darth_Guy Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 5/30/07 9:58pm Subject: RE: President Bush pledges funds to fight AIDS
	Surfer_With_A_Badge posted: Why not just tell the Africans to fund their own programs instead of relying on the West to fund it? Yeah, those countries are just swimming in wealth. -----signature----- Pin my medals on my chest!
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History

Jedi Council Forums » JC Community » The Senate Floor »