US AIDS Emergency Fund

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Tuomas -> US AIDS Emergency Fund (5/31/2007 8:24:38 PM)
Now, we all know Bush is a bad guy, but I just read an article that says he is pushing Congress to authorize an increase to US$30bln to fight AIDS in Africa. I wonder if anyone can explain that...

selfbnd411 -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (5/31/2007 8:30:28 PM)
Africa is one of the most important unexploited regions for oil production. So whatever keeps them happy and pumping is in our interest.

popeye1250 -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 1:15:12 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Tuomas Now, we all know Bush is a bad guy, but I just read an article that says he is pushing Congress to authorize an increase to US$30bln to fight AIDS in Africa. I wonder if anyone can explain that... You can be sure the champaign corks will be popping on "K" st. They'll make hundreds of millions in "commissions" on this! Bush is a prick who's looking out for his big business buddies. That hasn't and won't change and the same people are making money off of foreign aid year after year.

Mercnbeth -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 6:20:51 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Tuomas Now, we all know Bush is a bad guy, but I just read an article that says he is pushing Congress to authorize an increase to US$30bln to fight AIDS in Africa. I wonder if anyone can explain that... $6 Billion / year for the next 5 years of US tax dollars leaving the country, while having the largest deficit in history. Anyone what to list ideas of how that money could be used in the USA? Aren't the rich oil countries in Africa? Shouldn't this be a UN initiative? Follow the money, $6 Billion a year going to drug companies.

juliaoceania -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 8:52:16 AM)
That money is probably going to go directly into the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies.. they are the richest industry in the entire world.

juliaoceania -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 8:59:38 AM)
Here is an article about past AIDs spending to shed some light on this topic http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/06/02/aids/index.html

Marc2b -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 9:01:29 AM)
I can't remember who first said it (so all due credit to whoever credit is due) but someone once said that foriegn aid boils down to this: taking money from honest, middle class Americans and giving it to corrupt wealthy foriegners.

juliaoceania -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 9:04:27 AM)
Try giving it to corrupt wealthy corporations that manufacture the drugs.. you know that there is a patent dispute with the WTO and South Africa... part of our "aid" was to resolve it so that South Africa would not violate the patent law and make it themselves as they were threatening to do.. so Big Pharma keeps on making astronomical profits off these drugs and taxpayers here pay for it.

Sinergy -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 9:10:22 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: juliaoceania That money is probably going to go directly into the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies.. they are the richest industry in the entire world. India is poised to provide drugs to fight HIV for pennies on the dollar of what UC Pharma companies charge. This money will never leave the US. Pharma companies will be paid all of it and then the drugs will be sent. Sinergy

Tuomas -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 9:40:31 AM)
Nice set of answers. Now, how come these answers don't apply to Bob Geldoff and all the other "aid" that goes to Africa?

philosophy -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 9:44:58 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Tuomas Nice set of answers. Now, how come these answers don't apply to Bob Geldoff and all the other "aid" that goes to Africa? ...because Saint Bob isn't in the pocket of big business?

Vendaval -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 12:53:58 PM)
Thank you for the link, julia. The politics in the AIDS pandemic are very shameful.

Sinergy -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 5:55:54 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Tuomas Nice set of answers. Now, how come these answers don't apply to Bob Geldoff and all the other "aid" that goes to Africa? I have not studied private donation AIDS support for Africa, so I cannot really answer that question. I do understand that a significant portion of aid provided by Bob Geldoff, et al, actually goes to pay interest on loans from the world bank that were generally taken out by previous leaders of these countries. I am uncertain what AIDS relief they do, but imagine if they do it that it gets a bad rap in the media and public opinion because it would include condom usage. I was reading an interview with an AIDS worker in Africa, and she made the point that HIV drugs actually target the wrong disease. Apparently, the spread of HIV in Africa piggybacks on infections like herpes, syphilus, gonnorhea, etc. She indicated that providing low cost antibiotics to cure those diseases, promote condom usage, educate people, etc., would go a lot further towards fixing the problem than flooding Africa with HIV medications. She indicated that the best approach to taking care of the disease is the one that dramatically slowed the spread of the disease in the United States; condom usage and education. Pharma companies do not profit by these, so they lobby to prevent AIDS relief by the Government that is going to Africa including these two things. Sinergy

selfbnd411 -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 6:13:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Sinergy India is poised to provide drugs to fight HIV for pennies on the dollar of what UC Pharma companies charge. The reason for that is because US Pharmaceutical companies took on the huge financial burden of developing AIDS medications. It's much easier to cast stones at big pharma than it is to actually have to figure out new means of curing diseases. Who is going to develop these drugs if there's no money to be made in selling them? Who is going to invest billions of dollars (with the risk that the drug may never work, and the entire investment could be for naught) if any country in the world can simply say "We need your drug, and we're going to manufacture it. We won't be paying you for it."

Real0ne -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 6:41:51 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth quote: ORIGINAL: Tuomas Now, we all know Bush is a bad guy, but I just read an article that says he is pushing Congress to authorize an increase to US$30bln to fight AIDS in Africa. I wonder if anyone can explain that... $6 Billion / year for the next 5 years of US tax dollars leaving the country, while having the largest deficit in history. Anyone what to list ideas of how that money could be used in the USA? Aren't the rich oil countries in Africa? Shouldn't this be a UN initiative? Follow the money, $6 Billion a year going to drug companies. bingo!

Real0ne -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/1/2007 6:45:36 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Marc2b I can't remember who first said it (so all due credit to whoever credit is due) but someone once said that foriegn aid boils down to this: taking money from honest, middle class Americans and giving it to corrupt wealthy foriegners. i havent researched this in any real depth but i would put my money on us or us involved pharma across the pond.....or siomeone bought lots of calls.

Sinergy -> RE: US AIDS Emergency Fund (6/2/2007 3:51:13 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: selfbnd411 quote: ORIGINAL: Sinergy India is poised to provide drugs to fight HIV for pennies on the dollar of what UC Pharma companies charge. The reason for that is because US Pharmaceutical companies took on the huge financial burden of developing AIDS medications. It's much easier to cast stones at big pharma than it is to actually have to figure out new means of curing diseases. Who is going to develop these drugs if there's no money to be made in selling them? Who is going to invest billions of dollars (with the risk that the drug may never work, and the entire investment could be for naught) if any country in the world can simply say "We need your drug, and we're going to manufacture it. We won't be paying you for it." While your statement is true. The way HIV infection rates dropped in the United States was not due to anything the Pharma companies did. It was due to education and increased condom usage. This approach is widely reviled by Pharma companies (in terms of their aggressive lobbying to keep it out of HIV treatment bills and AIDS aid bills), Religious elements of our society, etc. While I suppose a case could be made that these companies are ignorant, I see it as a cynical move to prevent workable solutions being implemented to stop the spread of the disease. Sinergy

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