Ebola – Fear Rules – Political Implications - the Plague and Politics

The case of Ebola that began the chain of events began in Dallas Texas. A man traveling from Liberia, who lied on his exit papers from that country, noting he had not been in contact with anyone carrying the disease (USA Today), showed systems when he arrived in Texas. Texas Governor, Rick Perry, who is a potential 2016 Presidential Candidate has done everything possible to quell the publics’ fears, while managing the State of Texas and their response with the CDC.(Dallas News). It is no wonder, therefore, that Perry, who has stood at the forefront of what might be wrong with the U.S. from the borders to Islamic religious zealots beheading people in Oklahoma (see ISIS), maintains a high popularity in the State, despite the indictment of charges of abuse of power for cutting funds from a Texas Democrat DA who was arrested for Drunken Driving and had made a scene at the Police station which was beneath the dignity of the office. (Washington Post) Apparently, as one of my Texas associates as assured me: “Rick Perry could be Governor for Life”. What makes that aforementioned statement compelling is the fact that this individual is a transplanted Massachusetts Democrat.

U.S. Senator, Rand Paul who is also a doctor, weighed in on the Ebola Virus, and suggested it might be more serious than stated by the government. He did so in conversations with a Conservative talk show host, who suggested a lack of faith in the Federal Government, given the many missteps on major issues by the administration. The fact that he feels that close confinement may spread the disease, is most likely common sense. (Louisville Courier Journal) Watch for attacks on the Senator for bringing up something that may apply but not be in favor of the administration. He is also a potential 2016 Presidential candidate.

The UN’s Anthony Banbury, the Secretary General's Special Representative, has suggested that the virus may mutate and go “airborne”., which would be consistent with the suggestions made by the Kentucky Senator.(UK Daily Mail) To add some validity to that suggestion, an NBC Camera Man on assignment for that network in Liberia, now is infectious, and he and the news crew will be flown back to the U.S. In the Reuters article, the fact that these crew members washed hands and feet with a bleach and water solution, and also wore protective clothing at times, does not appear consistent with “must come into contact with someone’s bodily fluids. That is not stated in the article; however, the implications are fairly clear. (Reuters) In spite of following conservative protocol, albeit in a hotbed area of the disease, it was still communicable.

Those that rise to the occasion, such as President Perry, allaying fears, and show leadership, as well as Rand Paul, by stating the obvious, will be in an excellent place for the general primary season. Simple suggestions made by both men, enforcing border security, not allowing flights or individuals into or out of those nations, may have prevented the first man to fly into Dallas, knowingly exposed, and potentially beginning a spread of the disease in one of the nation’s largest cities. All of the problems associated with this, real or imagined, will fall squarely on the administration and the President’s party. It has begun in Massachusetts, and the 2014 elections will tell how deep the wounds are and how far they will carry.