H1N1 A National Emergency

Obama agenda: Swine-flu emergency
Posted: Monday, October 26, 2009 9:24 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Barack Obama

“Responding to a dramatic surge in the number of U.S. swine flu cases, President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation declaring H1N1 influenza a national emergency. The order by Mr. Obama, announced on the weekend, will speed the ability of hospitals and health authorities to take measures to fight the pandemic through such steps as setting up tents in hospital parking lots to establish extra emergency room care and creating health clinics in school gymnasiums or community centers.”



Video: Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discusses the swine flu crisis now that President Obama has officially declared swine flu a national emergency.




The Los Angeles Times says the health-insurance industry could benefit if reform passes. “The specifics of the healthcare legislation are still being hashed out on Capitol Hill, and key details will evolve in the days ahead. Even so, there is broad agreement that the final plan will, for the first time, require Americans to buy health coverage, with taxpayer subsidies for millions who cannot afford it.”

“For the health insurance industry, that means millions of new paying customers. What's more, there are likely to be no limits on what insurers can charge, while at the same time the plan is expected to limit competition from any new national government insurance plan that lawmakers create.”

More back-and-forth between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Obama White House, courtesy of the Washington Post: “The chief lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce alleged Sunday that there is a White House campaign of ‘invectives’ and ‘name-calling’ against his organization, and said the business group is eager to ignore the heated rhetoric. Speaking on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ longtime Chamber lobbyist Bruce Josten said the group's relationship with the White House began to sour after differences of opinion developed about President Obama's health-care and economic agendas.”

That said… "White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will speak at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce dinner for its board of directors in November, a move designed to ease tensions between the Obama administration and the business group," The Hill reports.

Finally… Rush Limbaugh ran with a hoax story about a thesis written by President Obama, in which he was critical of the U.S. Constitution. Then when Limbaugh found out it was false, he didn't apologize, because, "We know he thinks it," Limbaugh said of the president.