The Future Can Be Ours: The Fed Gov't Must Be Strong To Fight Ebola

Statement

Dear Friend,

The idea, as proposed by Texas Governor Rick Perry, to ban travel to and
from Ebola-afflicted countries is not a good one. "Mr. Perry…" held "a
news conference in Austin covered live by CNN and expressing support for
the first time for a travel ban for people traveling from countries in
West Africa that are the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak." ("Health Scare
in Texas Also Sends Political Ripples," by Manny Fernandez, New York
Times, Oct. 17, 2014, www.nytimes.com). Such a travel ban would, in my
view, further isolate those countries from the help they need from the
world, particularly from our own country that has much knowledge about the
disease and how to treat it.

Further, "For the worst-hit countries, "isolating and stigmatizing them
and making it difficult to transport supplies, personnel and other
resources' can only make things worse, the World Health Organization's
regional director for Africa, Luis Gomes Sambo, said at a meeting in Ghana
last week." ("Ebola Is Taking a Second Toll, on Economies," Adam Nossiter,
New York Times, Sept. 5, 2014, www.nytimes.com).

A strong federal government with a strong CDC, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention in Atlanta, is also critical at this time. The President
and our federal agencies can coordinate efforts to control the spread of
the disease and bring resources to bear where needed.

Now, in the near future, or even in the long-term, would not be a good
time for the Republicans, one of whom is Rep. David Schweikert, my
opponent, to stage another government shutdown. The shutdown in Fall of
2013 (see my blog "The Future Can Be Ours: Schweikert's Shutdown
Shenanigans," Sept. 8, 2014, in the "What's News" section,
www.williamsonforuscongress.com) resulted in about 800,000 federal
employees being furloughed for about two weeks. For that to happen now or
in the near future would weaken our national government's ability to
respond to the Ebola crisis.

The Republican and Tea Party efforts to dismantle and weaken the federal
government make it less effective in a crisis such as this. The
Republicans and Tea Party folks don't think of that when they talk about
having less government. They seek to weaken the government; then, after
they have succeeded, they bash the government for not being able to
respond strongly, swiftly, and effectively in a crisis such as the one
Ebola presents to us.

"As health officials struggle to contain the disease in Texas, the
political fight in Washington over funding levels for public health
agencies -- and whether reductions have left the country unprepared for a
public-health crisis -- has reached a fever pitch.

"The C.D.C.'s overall budget of $6.8 billion in the 2014 fiscal year was
roughly similar to what it was four years earlier -- a substantial cut,
when one factors in inflation, said Sherri Berger, the agency's chief
operating officer. The National Institutes of Health saw its budget
decrease to $30.1 billion in the 2014 fiscal year from $31.2 billion in
the 2010 fiscal year." ("C.D.C. Rethinking Methods to Stop Spread of
Ebola," by Manny Fernandez, Sabrina Tavernise, and Richard Fausset, New
York Times, Oct. 13, 2014, www.nytimes.com).

When I am elected your congressman on November 4th, I will support
increased funding to the CDC and other federal agencies that are essential
for the effective control and elimination of Ebola. I will also support
all efforts to professionally screen travelers coming from those countries
to our own. A strong federal government is a sine qua non for the
successful control, treatment, and elimination of this disease.

If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, please check
out my website at: www.williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on "Make a
Donation" and, by means of safe and secure PayPal, donate to your
dedicated Democratic candidate. If you wish to send a check, the address
for that is listed on the "Make a Donation" page as well. Please be sure,
as per Federal Election Commission requirements, to include your name,
address, employer and occupation.

If you would like a yard sign, please let me know.

The Future Can Be Ours when we realize that isolating the Ebola-afflicted
countries in western Africa is not the best way to help those countries
cope with the disease, nor to make the world safer. Further, we must have
a strong federal government in order to respond effectively to the Ebola
threat. A strong CDC and a strong communications network are needed. David
Schweikert, and the Tea Party and Republicans who back him and are
constantly seeking to degrade, disrespect, and weaken our government,
will, if they decide to stage another government shutdown as they did in
2011 and 2013, not be part of the Ebola crisis solution. We need our
federal workers to be able to be on the front lines to respond quickly
when and where they are required. One might even say it's a matter of
national security for them to be ready in that way to protect our people
from this disease in a way that does not cause unnecessary hysteria and
panic.

Yet, who knows what Tea Baggers in the House such as David Schweikert will
do if they don't get their way with the immigration issue? "Republican
leaders in the House and Senate say they have no intention of shutting
down the government just weeks before the midterm elections. But the
conservatives who are the most passionate opponents of any immigration
action could press the issue when lawmakers return." ("Immigration Clash
Could Lead to Shutdown," by Michael D. Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis,
New York Times, Aug. 27, 2014, www.nytimes.com).

If David "Shutdown Shenanigans" Schweikert and his Gang of 40 friends in
the House insist on having another government shutdown to get their way
with immigration, this could hamstring our government's efforts in the
fight against Ebola.

David Schweikert should not be re-elected.

Vote for me during the mail-in ballot period, or on November 4th, Election
Day, so that I will be able, vis a vis the Ebola crisis, to represent your
best interests in Washington.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

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