There is “overwhelming confidence in the federal government’s ability to prevent a nationwide epidemic,” according to a new CNN/ORC International Poll.
“More than 7 in 10 Americans say the federal government can stop an Ebola epidemic, and 54% believe the federal government is doing a “good job” in addressing the disease.”
Yes, the media hysteria has had an effect, as 8 in 10 believe that a new person will be diagnosed with Ebola in the coming weeks, however 53% think that healthcare workers and hospitals in their community are ready to treat an Ebola case.
But, and here’s the bad news for Republicans, only 26% believe that someone in their area will get Ebola in the next few weeks. Republicans gave up running against Obamacare when it turned out that Americans liked their Obamacare, leaving them with essentially nothing to run on as they refuse to tell the public any details about their platform.
Joe Sonka reported days ago for Insider Louisville that Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told the Rotary Club, “I’m not announcing what the agenda would be in advance. We’re not in the majority yet. We’ll have more to say about that later.” Oh, so he’ll tell you where he stands and what the Republicans are going to do with our laws and stuff AFTER the election. He also mentioned his effort to “fix” Social Security Bush’s way (aka, privatizing Social Security) at the Rotary Club, and presumably privatizing Social Security is something the Republican Senate Minority Leader would rather not discuss in the spotlight until after the election. Wink wink.
This leaves Republicans with the only choice of going negative and fear based, so last week they were trying to run on ISIL (and still are, selling themselves as the party that will magically keep you safe, in stark contrast to the facts – see 9/11) and now, Ebola.
Embattled governors are grasping onto Ebola like a lifeline, trying to show leadership even if it means stealing liberty and freedom from Americans while ignoring science and medicine just so that they can appear to be strong. Chris Christie (R-NJ) has made a bit of a fool of himself over it, locking a nurse up in a tent with no shower and a porta potty type enclosure for a bathroom. Georgia Republican Governor Nathan Deal announced today that Georgia (my italics) “could quarantine ‘high-risk’ travelers from areas ravaged by Ebola even if they show no symptoms of the deadly virus.”
It’s not just Republicans grasping hold of Ebola as their Hail Mary in a tough election. A scattering of Democratic governors are at it as well. It’s just that Republicans have nothing else to talk about or run on, so it stands out in relief with them.
Republican Obama hunter Darrell Issa tried to use a weather app to show Obama how it’s done on Ebola, because he seems to be short on facts and long on entertainment. The apps that actually take our temperatures (unlike the weather app) are for “entertainment” purposes only, much as the Congressman himself.
CNN Polling Director Keating Holland drove the knife in, “Most Americans seem to recognize that they are not in personal jeopardy themselves. In fact, the vast majority of Americans probably don’t know anyone who has ever been to West Africa.”
Whatever will Republicans do?
The federal government might just steal this show in spite of being underfunded and obstructed by Republicans, by showing the purpose of the federal government. This could remind voters that while we might get frustrated with government’s inefficiencies, we don’t really want to shut that show down.
Nope. When Ebola comes calling, President Obama’s calm, rational, science based approach works. The country has faith in the federal government to prevent an epidemic, even after much hysteria and hang-wringing, pearl-clutching nay-saying by increasingly desperate Republicans.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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