Obama declares swine flu a national emergency
Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect noninfected patients.
The declaration, signed Friday night and announced Saturday, comes with the disease more prevalent than ever in the country and production delays undercutting the government’s initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million doses of the vaccine could be available by mid-October.
Health authorities say more than 1,000 people in the United States, including almost 100 children, have died from the strain of flu known as H1N1, and 46 states have widespread flu activity. So far only 11 million doses have gone out to health departments, doctor’s offices and other providers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.
Administration officials said the declaration was a pre-emptive move designed to make decisions easier when they need to be made. Officials said the move was not in response to any single development
Some hospitals have opened drive-thrus and drive-up tent clinics to screen and treat swine flu patients. The idea is to keep infectious people out of regular emergency rooms and away from other sick patients.
Hospitals could modify patient rules — for example, requiring them to give less information during a hectic time — to quicken access to treatment, with government approval, under the declaration.
It also addresses a financial question for hospitals — reimbursement for treating people at sites not typically approved. For instance, federal rules do not allow hospitals to put up treatment tents more than 250 yards away from the doors; if the tents are 300 yards or more away, typically federal dollars won’t go to pay for treatment.
Administration officials said those rules might not make sense while fighting the swine flu, especially if the best piece of pavement is in the middle of a parking lot and some medical centers already are putting in place parts of their emergency plans.
The national emergency declaration was the second of two steps needed to give Sebelius extraordinary powers during a crisis.
“As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic,” Obama wrote in Saturday’s declaration.
He said the pandemic keeps evolving, the rates of illness are rising rapidly in many areas and there’s a potential “to overburden health care resources.”
The government now hopes to have about 50 million doses of swine flu vaccine out by mid-November and 150 million in December. The flu virus has to be grown in chicken eggs, and the yield hasn’t been as high as was initially hoped, officials have said.
“Many millions” of Americans have had swine flu so far, according to an estimate that CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden gave Friday. The government doesn’t test everyone to confirm swine flu so it doesn’t have an exact count. He also said there have been more than 20,000 hospitalizations.
SWINE FLU PDF file….know othe facts before getting your shot.
CBS Reveals that Swine Flu Cases Seriously Overestimated ……CLICK on LINK to see videos and article.
First Daughters Not Vaccinated Against H1N1
FOX News
October 8, 2009
President Obama’s school age daughters have not been vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the vaccine is not available to them based on their risk.
The Centers for Disease Control recommend that children ages 6 months through 18 years of age receive a vaccination against the H1N1 flu virus. At this time only children with chronic medical conditions are receiving the vaccination because their immune system is not strong enough to fight off the strain. The CDC also says a regular seasonal flu shot does not protect against the virus.
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Wild Thing’s comment………
His excuse for even more power grabbing. Obama sickens me right down to my soul.
Doctors here in Sarasota, Florida, are being instructed to report all flu cases as H1N1 cases. There has to be some flim-flammery going on with that
1. The swine flu swab test is considered less than 50% accurate (mostly false negatives);
2. CDC via local health departments ordered a halt to routine testing for swine flu due to #1;
3. CDC via local health departments ordered that all suspected flu be considered swine flu;
4. The CDC developed a new diagnosis code for this swine flu.
In summary, all presumed flu is currently categorized as swine flu in spite of no laboratory confirmation. Viola!”
….Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Remember a few years back how Bush was severely criticized because not enough flu vaccine was available? We knew this Swine Flu thing was coming last Spring and coupled with that, the regular flu vaccine would be needed. Has anybody heard the MSM or Congress criticizing Obama because there isn’t enough vaccine?
I have never been more scared of my country in my life. Does anyone realize that now with a mere stroke of his pen and with the powers of FEMA that he can set up martial law and in essence make himself a dictator?
He can take over nearly every aspect of our lives and use this h1n1 ruse as the excuse!!
He won’t do this all of once mind you but in small steps so that we will not be alarmed until it is too late!! First declare this as an emergency then let us get used to this and then one moring we will wake up and he will have taken over the airwaves or something else then he will continue until we all will be powerless and not reconize our country.
He could for instance declare that any elections be suspended due to having to “quarantine” the public for our own good!! Thereby leaving him in office until he decides otherwise…
IF WE DON’T WAKE UP SOON WE WILL BE SO VERY SCREWED!!! I JUST HOPE IT IS NOT TOO LATE ALREADY!!!
Here are just a few Executive Orders associated with FEMA that would suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These Executive Orders have been on record for nearly 30 years and could be enacted by the stroke of a Presidential pen:
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10990 allows the government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10995 allows the government to seize and control the communication media.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10997 allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels and minerals.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10998 allows the government to take over all food resources and farms.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11000 allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11001 allows the government to take over all health, education and welfare functions.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11002 designates the Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11003 allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11004 allows the Housing and Finance Authority to relocate communities, build new housing with public funds, designate areas to be abandoned, and establish new locations for populations.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11005 allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways and public storage facilities.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11051 specifies the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Planning and gives authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11310 grants authority to the Department of Justice to enforce the plans set out in Executive Orders, to institute industrial support, to establish judicial and legislative liaison, to control all aliens, to operate penal and correctional institutions, and to advise and assist the President.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11049 assigns emergency preparedness function to federal departments and agencies, consolidating 21 operative Executive Orders issued over a fifteen year period.
* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution, of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit and the flow of money in U.S. financial institution in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, Congress cannot review the action for six months.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has broad powers in every aspect of the nation.
FEMA’s powers were consolidated by President Carter to incorporate:
* the National Security Act of 1947, which allows for the strategic relocation of industries, services, government and other essential economic activities, and to rationalize the requirements for manpower, resources and production facilities;
* the 1950 Defense Production Act, which gives the President sweeping powers over all aspects of the economy;
* the Act of August 29, 1916, which authorizes the Secretary of the Army, in time of war, to take possession of any transportation system for transporting troops, material, or any other purpose related to the emergency; and
* the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which enables the President to seize the property of a foreign country or national.
These powers were transferred to FEMA in a sweeping consolidation in 1979.
FEMA’s enormous powers can be triggered easily. In any form of domestic or foreign problem, perceived and not always actual, emergency powers can be enacted. The President of the United States now has broader powers to declare martial law, which activates FEMA’s extraordinary powers. Martial law can be declared during time of increased tension overseas, economic problems within the United States, such as a depression, civil unrest, such as demonstrations or scenes like the Los Angeles riots, and in a drug crisis. These Presidential powers have increased with successive Crime Bills, particularly the 1991 and 1993 Crime Bills, which increase the power to suspend the rights guaranteed under the Constitution and to seize property of those suspected of being drug dealers, to individuals who participate in a public protest or demonstration. Under emergency plans already in existence, the power exists to suspend the Constitution and turn over the reigns of government to FEMA and appointing military commanders to run state and local governments. FEMA then would have the right to order the detention of anyone whom there is reasonable ground to believe…will engage in, or probably conspire with others to engage in acts of espionage or sabotage. The plan also authorized the establishment of concentration camps for detaining the accused, but no trial.
The crux of the problem is that FEMA has the power to turn the United States into a police state in time of a real crisis or a manufactured crisis. Virtually establishes the apparatus of a dictatorship.
The first targets in any FEMA emergency would be Hispanics and Blacks, the FEMA orders call for them to be rounded up and detained. Tax protesters, demonstrators against government military intervention outside U.S. borders, and people who maintain weapons in their homes are also targets. Operation Trojan Horse is a program designed to learn the identity of potential opponents to martial law. The program lures potential protesters into public forums, conducted by a “hero” of the people who advocates survival training. The list of names gathered at such meetings and rallies are computerized and then targeted in case of an emergency.
The most shining example of America to the world has been its peaceful transition of government from one administration to another. Despite crises of great magnitude, the United States has maintained its freedom and liberty. This nation now stands on the threshold of rule by non-elected people asserting non-Constitutional powers. Even Congress cannot review a Martial Law action until six months after it has been declared. For the first time in American history, the reigns of government would not be transferred from one elected element to another, but the Constitution, itself, can be suspended.
GOD HELP US ALL!!!!
The only swine that is a problem is the asshole who is stinking up the white house and the country.
To put flu deaths in perspective, the last stat I saw on cell phone related traffic fatalities was 2600. I believe that was 2007. So, that’s twice as many as have died from the swine flu. There is no crisis and absolutely no reason to do this. If we had no 2nd Amendment in this country, we would already be tied to the communist yoke. May be why they’re moving cautiously.
If the CDC is not testing for Swine Flu, how do they know what it is. They don’t. A pandemic one would think would rate some kind of accurate count, in order to generate enough panic to call for a National Emergency.
Why has the the government cut a deal with 5 Pharmaceutical companies, of no liability in case the vaccine backfires ? First, there is no guarantee the vaccine will be made the same, Second, by removing the ability to sue the company, leads to a hurry up and get in done and money becomes the prime mover, with no consequences
At the Hospital my wife works, there has been reported, 5 cases of isolation in Pediatrics. There are a couple of instances, that call for isolation and the flu is one of them. In a Hospital the size of Geisinger, this is a very small percentage compared to the general patient population.
Is this hype, a drummed up crisis, or something more sinister ?
Another over hyped crisis to establish federal control. Richard is spot on, thank you.
I just saw the “First Daughters” NOT vaccinated. Now why is that ? Why hasn’t anyone followed up on that in the press. But We all are supposed to be vaccinated. More double standards I see.
This article is JUST like this “numb-nuts”.
A day late and a dollar short.
Sorry I’m a bit late on this-our pc at home decided to play with firefox and it keeps dumping it every few minutes. Crazy, huh, but this is a most scary situation. He can do whatever he wants to us now and we have no say. He can shut down transportation systems, bring in FEMA (which is the ONLY thing that can shut down the government), quarantine us for our own good, take over farms, grocery stores, gas stations, the media-anything he wants. Hitler did the same darn thing. He can take us from our homes and put us in camps for our own good without our things and let his goon squad into our homes where they will destroy them. Why can’t some people see this? This man is becoming more and more dangerous every day he is in office. He can even suspend the 2010 and 2012 elections if he chooses to. He is trying for a coup, like Chavez did. He wants control of the world. This is NOT an emergency yet and he did not need to call it. You know why he’s not sending the troops to Afghanistan? He needs them here to control us when he starts the quarantine.