On the same subject, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof had praise for President Bush’s work on AIDS, saying he “has taken AIDS more seriously than any of his predecessors or almost any other world leader. His huge increases for AIDS funding (quadruple the spending by President Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress at the time) are expected to save about nine million lives.” Kristof does argue that the administration’s promotion of abstinence is fine, but that “condoms must be part of the message,” in part because “often what kills African women isn’t flings but marriage” — to men who infect them.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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14 Comments
Bush, although he could do more, as the hero of the AIDS movement? Please.Where does one even begin with this?With the belief system that marriage between gay people is the real enemy we should be fighting? Let’s ensure it’s as difficult as possible for gay people to stay in supported and committed relationships. Let’s add to that message that we love them (even though everyone knows they’re sinners), but now it’s up to them to sin no more. Then let’s pass constitutional amendments to help even more.Then let’s tell African women that it’s their fault for having sex with African men – even when they’re married to them.Then we’ll tell IV drug users to just say no – and to help them say no, we’ll make it as hard as possible for them to get clean needles. People who are addicted to drugs they shoot into their veins are reasonable – they’ll get the message. And if they don’t, they deserve to die because – well, they’re IV drug users for the love of god.There. Done.Oh – and it’s really just a coincidence that these messages are shoutouts to people who differ from mainstream, white, heterosexual Christians. It really is. We don’t *hate* these people because they’re different and that frightens us. That’s not it at all. We love these people. All we’re doing is asking them to change into us – for their own good. Is that really so wrong? I mean, really, isn’t that what the message of Jesus is all about? Converting everyone in the world into rich, able-bodied, conservative, heterosexual, Christian, American, white people?
Clinton’s private contributions far out-distance anything Bush has even given one second of thought to, much less a signature on a check.
Please provide evidence RD.
There are certain things people do, or don’t do, that mark them as good or bad. Bush has marked himself as bad by a wide margin.
That said, his funding of aids programs is a good thing, regardless of his other many faults. I will look at that as such and take it for what it is.
The bush haters are not going to allow for him to be seen in a good light no matter what he does. Joe is correct in asking for proof on this one, and Scott is off base and trying to compare apples and oranges. Ridiculous. Credit should be given where credit is due, and at least bush got this one right.
This is off topic, but I think the WE blog has been content spammed by a spam bot.
Bush Administration Gets Failing Grades on AIDS (2002)http://www.gmhc.org/about/releases/020313.html
Quote from Highlights from the 2002 International AIDS Conference in Barcelonahttp://www.usmayors.org/uscm/us_mayor_newspaper/documents/08_05_02/AIDS_Barcelona.aspTo that end, former President Bill Clinton, who addressed the conference, called on the current administration to increase its contribution to global AIDS programs and suggested that the US increase its contribution from about $1 billion currently to $2.5 billion a year saying, “if we don’t do it, we will be spending far, far more than that to clean up the mess.” Also attending the meeting was Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who was drowned out during his address by activists who were angry that the Bush administration had not pledged more money to fight the global epidemic.
Sorry! Doesn’t prove your point RD. A Gay Activist Magazine is always going to give a Republican Administration a failing grade. You aren’t going to get a passing grade unless the USA spends it’s entire GDP on AIDS.
Bill Clinton adovcating an increase in AIDS funding should have thought about when he was in office.
Try again!
Here’s another report card on GW Bush:
http://www.thebody.com/pinf/bush_report_card.html
Another on both:The Youth Council gives Bush a “D-” in the area of global HIV/AIDS. “We are glad that President Bush chose to continue the executive order issued by former President Clinton not to seek trade sanctions against poor countries seeking to buy low-cost AIDS drugs. However, President Bush has failed to articulate a clear and concise policy on how his administration will contribute to stopping the HIV/AIDS pandemic,” says Dhingra. “His inaction on this important issue shows that he is out of touch with the world. And, equally important, his inaction shows that he is willing to sacrifice the world’s greatest resource—its youth.”
Former President Clinton receives a “B” in the area of international family planning, while the 106th Congress receives a “D” for holding hostage the back dues owed to the United Nations in exchange for restrictions on international family planning organizations that receive U.S. funds.
Former President Clinton receives a “B+” for making the HIV/AIDS pandemic a priority after 12 years of indifference under the administrations of former presidents Reagan and Bush. The 106th Congress receives a “C-” for blocking President Clinton’s efforts in the global HIV/AIDS arena at every turn.http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/news/press/032801.htm
“activists who were angry that the Bush administration had not pledged more money to fight the global epidemic.”
Give us more money.
No matter what, it would never be enough to satisfy some. Bush made fighting AIDS a priority. As Walker said, give him his props, while acknowledging that there is always room for improvement.
Actually give us OUR props for quadrupling the AIDS funding. It is taxpayers money.
How much AIDS fighting do you think GW will do when he leaves office?
Just curious…
WASHINGTON — Shrunken AIDS funding in President Bush’s 2005 budget proposal released Monday (Feb. 2) dampened the spirits of Christian groups and aid organizations, who said he is not following through on his promise to combat the disease globally.
“We all heard (Bush) make a very powerful and passionate statement about global AIDS in last year’s State of the Union, but this year he didn’t say anything about AIDS,” said the Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, a grass-roots Christian anti-hunger lobby group. “Now that we see his budget, it’s clear that he’s not willing to make financial commitments that are in keeping with his promises of a year ago.”http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=3048
Sorry, I don’t know if PEW is right or left.
Bush AIDS decision upsets conservatives (2003)By Bob Cusack and Melissa SeckoraConservatives are outraged over President Bush’s expected endorsement today of a House AIDS funding bill that they say is inconsistent with what he outlined as a top priority in his compassionate conservative agenda.
The bill, written by House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) and ranking member Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), is opposed by conservative groups and lawmakers because it does not prioritize abstinence and monogamy over the use of condoms. The legislation cleared committee earlier this month with unanimous Democratic support, but conservatives on the panel voted against it.
(Seems even the cons weren’t happy.)—–
Bush Falls Behind on Promises forAntipoverty, AIDS FundingBy Michael M. PhillipsWall Street JournalJanuary 27, 2005Even as he pledges significant aid for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, President Bush is falling further and further behind on promises to boost funding to combat poverty in the developing world. The president quietly notified the Millennium Challenge Corp., a newly created foreign-aid agency, that his proposed fiscal 2006 budget likely will include billions of dollars less than he promised during his first term. Mr. Bush’s budget plan, scheduled for release early next month, also includes an increase in global anti-AIDS funding that is much smaller than the pledge he made when announcing an ambitious health initiative two years ago.
I’ve really nothing to add here. I would note that RD was called out for proof of a post and has answered in spades! Well done RD!