Wall Street and swine flu favoritism?
Hmmm. The Associated Press reports that several financial giants in New York received swine flu vaccine doses while other at-risk residents continue to wait in long lines for limited supplies:
Some of New York’s biggest companies, including Wall Street giants Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, received doses of swine flu vaccine for at-risk employees, drawing criticism that the hard-to-find vaccine is going first to the privileged.
Hospitals, universities and the Federal Reserve Bank also got doses of the vaccine for employees who need it the most, such as pregnant women or chronically ill workers, according to the city’s health department.
In order to receive the vaccine, companies had to have their own medical staff. Distributing large doses of the vaccine to such businesses is “a great avenue for vaccinating people at risk,” said Jessica Scaperotti, spokeswoman for the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The Senator from Countrywide is eagerly playing the class warfare card to curry favor with blue-collar voters:
“Vaccines should go to people who need them most, not people who happen to work on Wall Street,” Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said Thursday.
Bank-bashing SEIU officials are also exploiting the story:
“Wall Street banks have already taken so much from us. They’ve taken trillions of our tax dollars. They’ve taken away people’s homes who are struggling to pay the bills,” union official John VanDeventer wrote on the Web site of the 2 million-member Service Employees International Union. “But they should not be allowed to take away our health and well-being.”
Dodd and the SEIU’s demagoguery aside, I do think Americans are right to raise questions about swine-flu favoritism. Culture of Corruption spotlights the cozy connections between Wall Street money men and the Obama administration. Both Citigroup and Goldman Sachs (or rather, Government Sachs) have benefited mightily from high-powered largesse. And Team Obama squandered any last benefit of the doubt about its penchant for cronyism long ago.
A FOIA request into the vaccine distribution decisions is in order.
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I hope the needle hurt like heck.
Sounds like socialized healthcare to me. The elites get theirs, the great unwashed will have to wait.
With regards to the banks (Wall Street) it is all about capitalism, and there is nothing wrong with that. Whether they are willing to pay the suppliers first, or more, for the doses of the vaccine.
It isn’t going to the privileged. It is going to those who are paying for it.
Any other mechanism for distribution of the vaccine to the needy is socialism. Capitalism should not stop because because there are those willing to pay for the vaccine.
Like it, or not, capitalism works.
Gotta protect the Party members.
Goldman Sachs and Citigroup you say? This administration is full of Goldman Sachs functionaries such as Little Tim Geitner.
At risk populations-HA-get in the way of Tim Geitner’s friends and Barny Frank’s House Financial Services Committee will put you at risk. But I am sure the details of the vaccinations were posted 72 hours before commencement. Openness and such.
Another waste of breath. While I am in favor of most vaccines, I don’t think that the flu vaccine is all that effective. It’s like watching people fight over some candy wrappers and realizing that those wrappers are empty.
The real story should be the unemployment rate=10.2% How many millions of jobs did Obama save?
I agree with ZZiggy. Capitalism works.
THe only reason we’re having a vaccine shortage is because the government is tightly controlling distribution. If hospitals and doctors were actually allowed to have it in their offices, the market would allocate it to those who both need it and could afford it.
It’s just government folly. The rest of us will survive in spite of them.
Well those wallstreeters will have to stay well what with all that money they got from the Bush & Obama administrations! WE have bought their businesses and WE are now paying for their health!
I am hardly a populist but way too much coziness from DC to NY and it MUST STOP!
Good one Michelle. I suggest using these designations in future articles.
Chris Dodd (D-Countrywide)
Barney Fwank (D-FannieMae)
Barrack Obama (D-ACORN)
BS, are you joking? It is certainly NOT ‘capitalism’ when the US government totally dominates the vaccine market. Therefore it is GOVERNMENT who sets the price of vaccine not a free market.
In fact the current government role in vaccine production came about for the exact OPPOSITE of your ‘capitalism’ claim – vaccine production is not profitable.
If left to an entirely free market few companies would bother making vaccine and the ones that did would be charging immense prices to cover the investment risk and the huge liability insurance premiums, (aren’t trial lawyers always in there somewhere huh?)
Besides tort reform, one thing I think would help turn things around toward a more free market model is, instead of the huge bloated federal goverment inserting itself to control prices and be the sole buyer for children vaccine, – to simply subsidize children and seniors directly by issuing government vaccine coupons of value ‘X’ to act as a vaccine price support and thus make vaccine production more attractive to producers. It would help restore a free market by taking direct government control out of the loop yet retain the desired result of vaccinating those who need it most. Few people disagree that vaccination is a valid social imperative that saves many lives – and that can be achieved with far less government intervention.
This is ObamaCare before it is passed. I understand that the government is taking care of the distribution of the vaccine. Scary isn’t it.
I would not have a problem with this if the number of doses provided to these employees/executives who are considered at risk is reasonably consistent with the percentage of the at risk population that has been vaccinated. If they have a medical staff and wish to disseminate the vaccine internally, they should have the same access to it as any other institution or doctor.
But if Goldman, CG and other firms “jumped to the front of the line”….that’s a problem.
On November 6th, 2009 at 9:32 am, Danceswithdachshunds said: #837469
BS, are you joking? It is certainly NOT ‘capitalism’ when the US government totally dominates the vaccine market. Therefore it is GOVERNMENT who sets the price of vaccine not a free market.
In fact the current government role in vaccine production came about for the exact OPPOSITE of your ‘capitalism’ claim – vaccine production is not profitable.
If left to an entirely free market few companies would bother making vaccine and the ones that did would be charging immense prices to cover the investment risk and the huge liability insurance premiums, (aren’t trial lawyers always in there somewhere huh?)
No I am not joking. Capitalism does work.
My comment is about the purchase of the vaccine and not the production of the vaccine. Did you notice I said, ” . . . pay the suppliers . . .”
If the banks (Wall Street) can afford to buy the vaccine from the suppliers, then the Government does not dominate the vaccine market. If the Government did dominate the market, wouldn’t they have prevented the banks (Wall Street) from getting the vaccine before the so called needy?
Nope. Money (capitalism) talks, everyone else walks.
Whatever the reason is for the production of the vaccine. The banks (Wall Street) was able to pay for it. Yep, even the Government is paying the suppliers for the vaccine. There just happened to be a customer who was ready, willing and able to pay for it sooner, and maybe offer a bit more.
Again, capitalism works.
I agree with you. Government subsidies can, and do, introduce distortions into the market place. And, companies do have to account for their expenses, real and projected.
So wouldn’t any company worth it’s salt sell their product to the highest bidder with cash in hand?
Yep, that is capitalism and it works.
Besides tort reform, one thing I think would help turn things around toward a more free market model is, instead of the huge bloated federal goverment inserting itself to control prices and be the sole buyer for children vaccine, – to simply subsidize children and seniors directly by issuing government vaccine coupons of value ‘X’ to act as a vaccine price support and thus make vaccine production more attractive to producers. It would help restore a free market by taking direct government control out of the loop yet retain the desired result of vaccinating those who need it most. Few people disagree that vaccination is a valid social imperative that saves many lives – and that can be achieved with far less government intervention.
Why did you think the racism hurdles were in the Government rationed healthcare bills?
Is it time to declare Obama evil.
Some animals are more equal than others.
Being that I work in an office on 14 Wall Street, I have a little inside information:
It has nothing to do with favoritism. I couldn’t care less about the H1N1 Flu. However, I have no qualms about PRIVATE offices paying for their employees to receive vaccinations, if they wish. And this is exactly how it works: private entities throughout the financial district, most, of which, are NOT involved in the financial sector, provide vaccinations for employees that want it in order to quell flu outbreaks within the offices – these offices include everything from magazine publishers to architecture firms.
Enough with the class warfare BS
Why did the Obama kids get their shots weeks and weeks ahead of any of our kids???
Geez, I am having a real rough morning posting.
I disagree. Any level of Government intrusion into the market, even the minimalist efforts of ‘coupons’ as you suggest, is too much.
There are many valid social imperatives, that few people would disagree with. Including, but not limited to food, clothing and shelter. And, we as a Nation do address these issues in a variety of ways. The unfortunate reality is that the Government’s intrusion has resulted in distortions.
The Government provides subsidies for farmers which tranlates into food. We pay people not to grow crops, and we establish ceilings and floors.
The Government (more often local Municipalities) established rent control for shelter. And, the result is fewer shelters being produced.
And, excessive rules and regulations in the manufacture of clothing has all but eliminated that industry from our shores.
Accepting Government intrusion does not make it correct, or the best solution. No, I am not that hardcore and believe everyone should fend for themselves. But, I do support the transition of Government intrusion out of the market place.
We need Government, and how much is the dilemma.
I’m sure it is just days before Michelle Obama utters the words, “Just let them eat cake!”
On the other hand the President’s kids should get vaccinated first to allay fears among the paranoid and uninformed.
I have no problem with using economics to sort out who gets something vs. who doesn’t get it.
The trouble I have is when that economic function happens through political influence.
Well said – ANY government “help” should not exist.
If you all think this one is bad then here are two others:
Gitmo detainees to get vaccine for H1N1 virus
and this one:
Massachusetts Prisoners With ‘Health Risks’ to Get H1N1 Shots Before General Public
People need to understand (paralleling a famous line) – any government big enough to prevent you from failing, is also big enough to prevent you from succeeding.
Do people want that?
I’ve already had the Swine flu (H1N1), stayed home, and have felt much better..it isn’t as bad as they are making it out to be. How you will respond to the influenza biologically depends on the individual. In this sense I’m already immunized for both the regular flu and this junk.
As for the flu shot distribution, this is what you get when you allow the US Gov’t to run the program from distribution to dictating how it is produced…This is but a touch of socialized medicine in which by the time the shot is available, you have already built your immunity the hard way, and can just laugh at the US Gov’t response to the “flu epidemic”.
Gov’t run = Gov’t Cronyism=Crony Capitalism….the equation of the day!
truesoldier, the flu vaccine is not that effective. For the past 4 years I both, the flu and the flu vaccine. There is a claim that if you get the flu vaccine, it is likely to make your symptoms during an episode of the flu less severe…..BS…..If your body is immune to this virus then you shouldn’t develop an infection with it. How many times can you get the mumps, measels, or hepatitis? We went through this flu epidemic earlier in the year and how many deaths were there? About 400, and they want to vaccinate 300,000,000 people with a vaccine that may give some marginal protection? They think that a lower number of deaths will be attributed to the flu due to their vaccine? Baloney. This is mainly a distraction from more important matters, like our economy.
Lesson re-learned over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. If the government touches it, it will be politicized.
Tax Cheat Timmy’s buddy’s go the the front of the line.
I think that the reason the importance of this flu shot is being promoted is because Joe Bidden made a big deal about this virus earlier, there is a lot of panicky people out there, and our government pushed the drug companies make tons of this vaccine. So now they need to inject all this uselelss crap into someone. I propose that the remaining 20 billion h1n1 vaccine doses be given to our senators and congressmen. Lets really test its safety on these rats.
No I agree with you. I have not had either vaccination and am not worried about getting either one. I figure I get the flu, build up my immunity the natural way and move on with my life.
I was just pointing out what happens when you allow government to control the care of the populace. When this occurs you will have certain groups of people who will get things ahead of John Q Public whether they should or not. In the examples above, I pointed out how liberal governments are choosing to give the H1N1 vaccine to inmates and terrorists ahead of the general public. Once again the criminal gets treated better than the average Joe in a liberal world.
Breaking:
2 Dead In Downtown Orlando Office Building Shooting
“ORLANDO, Fla. — Eyewitness News learned that two people were killed dead in a shooting at a downtown Orlando office building Friday. According to Orlando Fire Department dispatch and Orlando police, six other people were shot and transported to a local hospital.
The bodies of the two people were found on the eight and tenth floors of the office building. The shooting happened at 1000 Legion Place (see map) at the Gateway Center.
Police say they are looking for at least one suspect, but say it’s possible that there may be more.”
-snip-
http://www.wftv.com/news/21541363/detail.html
h/t Nahanni @ gatewaypundit comments
the dems own wall street, and bleed them every year, and have to pay back some when they can. after all THERE ARE PEOPLE, AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE.
Why the continuing ridiculous hue and cry about rich Republicans? 80% of Wall Street vote and donate as “progressive” Democrats. And Democrats have far more millionaires in Congress that anyone else. Thus the richest fat cats are on Wall Street, in Congress, and at 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue.
How about advocating that flu shot production be opened up to any company who wants to produce them and that the price should be set by the market?
Well said. And as we all know, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in which the government involves itself inevitably leaves the country in a worse condition than when it started….. and with a huge ongoing bill to go with it. Dissolving the federal government and reconstituting it under the Constitution of the United States seems our only alternative.
truesoldier, I left a word out earlier. For the past 4 years, I have had both the flu vaccine and the flu each year. My coworkers have also had the same experience. Each year, our supervisors make a big deal about how everyone needs to be vaccinated and most of us get this shot. A month or 2 later, we all get sick with the flu anyway. Afterwards we learn that the flu shot is ineffective against this year’s dominant strains. Each year, this cycle repeats itself. So from my experience whether someone get the flu shot or not will not matter to his health.
BTW, I am a strong believer in other vaccinations and would be the first to denounce anti-vaccine hysteria.
Redistributive justice
ObamaCare
The state will take care of you. We have reached the European model of unemployment so Hussein is well on his way. Trust in He Who Has Won One and not your God or self.
Im with you vinny. Every year while I was in the military I had to get the flu vaccine (it was mandatory) and every year I got sick with the flu. This is why now as a civilian I do not get it as I figure I will get it anyway and it is better to let your body build up the immunites naturally.
When it comes to other vaccinations (i.e. polio, hep, etc.) as they have been proven to work and have all but eliminated many diseases that used to cause epidemics.
With the differences in the effectivness of say the polio vaccine and the flue vaccine it makes me wonder how they can truly call the flu vaccine a true vaccine.
arizona, how about administering all the remaining doses of h1n1 vaccine to the rats in dc. That will teach them about screaming wolf.
Vinny, Example, same logic: “My mother smoked all her life and never got cancer”. You need large populations to understand vaccines. I have had the flu shot every year that I can remember and I haven’t gotten the flu since childhood. I am 64. Maybe you work in one of those so called “sickd” buildings with molds and other creepy other-wordly diseases. Maybe it was built on an Indian graveyard.
Time to cut the points off the needles.
The difference between the flu vaccines and polio vaccine is that these 2 viruses are totally different. Polio is a PV virus which attacks the GI tract and Flu is H1N1 which infects the respiratory tract. Seasonal flu vaccines are made a year in advance by guessing what will be the most likely virus to appear. How immunity is achieved is a complicated.
People are having problems with the wealthy being able to get the vaccine, and support terrorists and illegals getting it….
My view supports the wealthy getting things the poor can’t afford. They pay 70% of the taxes, they SHOULD be protected!
Screw socialism. Survival of the fittest baby.
Vinny, Maybe you and you fellow workers should check your immune status. Perhaps your bodies can’t mount a normal response to the vaccine.
Mytake, my coworkers are doctors and nurses. So we are exposed to sick people all the time. The flu shot is made while guessing which virus you need to be protected from, and for the last several years those who guessed-guesed wrong. By this logic, you would think that this year the critical vaccine to get is the H1N1 shot. However, time will decide whether this logic needs revision. How well this shot works is unknown at this point. If prior experience is to be of any guide, this h1n1 will probably be no better than the prior attempts at flu prevention. I think that we have already gone through the h1n1 related epidemic in this country and that many of the people likely to be exposed to it have already been exposed to it. Therefore, this year’s flu season star contributor will likely be a different virus and this shot will once again be worthless.
To the commenter who said that he got his yearly flu shot and didn’t get the flu: Great for you, but it may just be a reflection of how likely you were to get the flu anyway. Were you surrounded by sick people and not wash your hands? If the answer is no, then you probably wouldn’t have gotten the flu anyway. Each year an estimated 5-15% of the population gets the flu. That means that 95-85% of the people do not. This was also the case prior to widespread flu vaccinations.
the likelyhood of anyone at gitmo getting the h1n1 flu is really small. Therefore I agree with people who think it is ridiculous for these people to get this shot. How often do they get visitors?
On another note, I also believe they are treated far better than they deserve. We should not waste money of trying to prove how much we respect them. They want to eat, fine. Let them maintain and eat from a hog farm. If they refuse pork, let them eat from a trough with the hogs. They want to read from koran? let them write it themselves, but i wouldn’t spend money on paper or pens. They can use whatever body fluids are at their disposal. That’s the lifestyle they deserve.
Vinny, I also work with doctors and nurses in a hospital setting and I never got the flu after always getting the flu shot. My point is that you can’t explain the big picture by giving a personal testimony. I don’t think people should be discouraged from getting the flu shots. It’s unfair to be protected from the flu because everyone around you took the minimal risk associated with the vaccines while you were never exposed to the flu because they never caught it and spread it to you. We must all share the risk of the injections equally to prevent widespread epidemics.
Every time the government wants me to get a flu shot I get nostalgic for my WIN button. For some reason, the two are intertwined in my memory.
For those of you too young to remember – WIN meant Whip Inflation Now. You will need one shortly.
I will bet Obama and Pelosi are upset about this too. Kill and eat the rich I guess…
Actually this may be a good thing. According to a pharm I know – the very first ones to receive H1N1 vaccine are … the guinea pigs!