GOP Fascism Tactics

Imagine this: there's a flu pandemic and you're told you have to stay put. No leaving the state, the county, or the city. You -- even though not infected -- are under quarantine by federal order. In fact you are also under potential death sentence if you're one of the 1.9 million Americans who could potentially die of such a pandemic.

Travel restrictions in the face of a flu pandemic, ordered by the US federal government. So who gets to travel? How far? Who cannot travel?

I understand the history of travel restrictions; the monarchies of Europe restricted travel to keep serfs in there place, only allowing the landed to travel with papers (the origination of the modern-day passport).

Communist states disallow free travel.

Dictatorships disallow free travel.

I also understand, in times of need, for a quarantine (which is what this is) but we're talking about an unchecked federally-mandated travel blackout for everyone in a yet-to-be-determined area.

Article link and more after the jump.

This article on Yahoo via the AP, U.S. Could Restrict Travel to Prevent Flu, demonstrates that fear mongering of a dreaded flu pandemic -- which I don't doubt will happen eventually -- is cause to advance the GOP agenda to totally control the remaining population who hasn't already fallen victim to the Faux mind control or the Hitler Youth-esque Young Republicans.

This is a disgusting and third-rate masquerade of another assault on basic freedom behind a $7 billion 'strategy' to fight a potential risk by frightening people into agreement.

Actually it's not so much George's will as it is the GOP agenda, once again using a quasi-rethug meat puppet as a front man to maintain that diversionary Roman theater quality.

•  This is why we need to trust the POTUS

  We must, as our wise leader suggests, take the fight to the birds in asia where they live and breed their evil flu, rather than fight the birds here in America.  

  It's a global War on Poultry.

  by VoicelessInDC on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 03:59:29 PM PDT

  •  We need to all do our part...

    
    and eat at KFC!
    

    by ericy on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 04:10:14 PM PDT

•  Are you serious?

  How else do you quarantine a population in order to prevent a pandemic except by actually quarantining them?  If we started approaching a pandemic, how could you possibly manage to test a half-million to a million infected people so as to permit the non-infected to travel?  You correctly note a worst case scenario of two million people dead.  That's a lot of people.

  by neoperiapt on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 04:08:17 PM PDT

•  By the way

  My advice in order to avoid the bird flu is to keep an eye out for, and avoid, birds with fevers.  Just a thought.

  by neoperiapt on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 04:09:25 PM PDT

  •  don't be selfish - also be a good citizen

    report any suspicious feverish bird activity to the authorities.

    by VoicelessInDC on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 04:15:24 PM PDT

    •  I forgot

      really watch out for the birds with fevers AND runny beaks.

      by neoperiapt on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 05:16:15 PM PDT

  •  Yeah, but how do you tell...

    if a bird is really sick or is just faking it to get off work?

    by Arken on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 05:36:28 PM PDT

    •  Well

      It depends.  Birds wearing little towels could be held as enemy combirdants since they aren't wearing uniforms to distiguish them from normal killer birds.  I think.  Depends on your view of the Genera Convention.  Send 'em to be held in Europe is my thought.

      by neoperiapt on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 05:57:13 PM PDT

•  What About Mandatory Vaccination?

  They are enacting plans, I read, for mandatory vaccinations.  And the manufacturers of the vaccines will be "immunized" from liability should you die as a result of the vaccine!

  Maybe this is how they plan to depopulate Merka so they can move a half billion people here from China.  (I'm not completely serious, but gotta wonder sometimes what they're thinking).

  And Rummy is a big shareholder in the company that makes Tamiflu!  Some people are just born lucky, I guess!

  by proudtinfoilhat on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 04:33:32 PM PDT

  •  ...make it illegal..

    ..to touch your face.  You can dip your hands in bird flu snot but wont catch it unless you touch your face.  We all need to wear one of those collars they put on dogs to keep them from licking anything being treated.  Either that or some sort of tethers on your arms that prevent you from reaching your head.  Watch, as this thing progresses, these will seem like mild proposals.

    by sandmancan on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 05:46:46 PM PDT

•  Hmmm...9/11 seems to be wearing out...

  I got it...the flu!  HOT DAMN!  This'll make EVERYONE scared! ...and pliable ...and suspicious ...and meek and trusting of labels of authority...

  Sorry, but the flu is something that is just going to happen.  7 billion dollars won't change it, it'll just reinforce the repug's hold on our already tenuous civil rights.  We don't have a vaccine to fight it, anyway.  

  I can see a situation where a 90 year old librarian dies of the flu, and suddenly all travel is suspended to that area.  Businesses close, people riot, and FEMA pulls a Katrina repeat.

  How much do you want to bet that the 90 year old woman in question would be an African-American living in a democratic voting bloc?

  Maybe I'm crazy and starting to see conspiracies everywhere, or maybe I'm finally just wiping the sleep-boogers out of my eyes.  I just don't know anymore.

  by Barnum on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 04:39:12 PM PDT

•  Read Connie Willis' Doomsday Book

  It's a SciFi-ish novel and deals with the time travel to the black plague in Europe and a simultaneous modern plague in "future Europe"

  In "The doomsday Book"  and entire college town has been wrecked by a killer flu, people dying and such.  The British Government simply shuts the town down No one in, (except Dr.s, medicos and such) no one out.  All the British people accept this, as standard operating procedure, but a bunch of American characters pitch a hissy fit.  It's explained to them that's why they lost so many millions of people during the last pandemic, because politicians wouldn't quarantine or restrict travel for fear of annoying voters.

  It's called a pandemic for a reason, and keeping the sick from spreading it far and wide needs to be done.  I don't know if birdflu is going to turn out to be a pandemic, but there will be one, it's just a matter of time.  And we as a nation and people have to be able to deal with it.  Look how long it took Serious Scientists and Drs to get the word out about Aids.

  I mean does anybody cover their mouth when they cough anymore?  Please stay at home when you are sick (yes yes I know companies have to have a much more enlightened view of sick days)  And if you won't stay home and keep your cooties to yourself, well maybe someone will have to make you.  It's the needs of the many,  out weigh the needs of the few.

  Now granted I in no way trust our government to handle a pandemic properly, but I don't really trust the American people to handle one all that well either.  I don't know if I'm the sort of person who would say, "oh I may have a little bit of fever but I really would hate to miss the Sting concert I paid all that money for".  So before you know it, the Sting fans of san Diego are passing my cooties about like Halloween candy.  (this of course is unlikely, when sick I crawl into bed and pray for death, or over medicate. "Screw Sting bring me Nyquil and a Hot Toddy!")

  Sorry this became a bit of a rant... In conclusion Read Connie Willis' "The Doomsday Book", take lots of vitamin C, E  and Calcium.  Wash your hands a lot!. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
  

  by Vylettefairwell on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 05:49:17 PM PDT

•  Fascism?

  Why the over-the-top hyperbole?
  

  The last thing the GOP wants to do is unneccessarily cause a panic that reduces travel and commerce. Remember, these are the greedy money grubbing Republicans, right?
  

  Quarantines were not invented by the Rove machine. They are an effective emergency method to stop the spread of contagious disease.
  

  by Samulayo on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 05:55:43 PM PDT

•  Great Post

  Hey PBnJ, yes it is so frightening to imagine the pickle we will be in if something really bad happens at this level.  If Katrina seemed bad this Avian Flu thing goes off the chart.  We have to get a new competent leadership team in the White House ASAP.  Keep up the good work.  Cheers.  

  by HoundDog on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 01:39:48 PM PDT