Shutdown

[Slut4u]

I'm reading that the government is shut down and people aren't going to receive food stamps.  Basically everything that relies on a government check is ?

Admittedly I don't know how HIV meds are funded. I know they're enormously expensive-enough so that an average person would have trouble paying for it on their own.

I know that there's assistance. Some of it is charitable. But I'd be willing to bet that a lot of it is government.

So my question is: If people aren't eating because there is no $$ then how is there $$ for HIV funding?

[Philatanus]

Too many are relying on the government! That can not be a good thing.

 

Women with children, men with children, granted, however, all others should be fending for themselves. 

 

[phillygwm]

18 minutes ago, Philatanus said:

Too many are relying on the government! That can not be a good thing.

Women with children, men with children, granted, however, all others should be fending for themselves. 

 

I agree with this, up to a point.  When it's literally life and death, the government should provide a safety net.  Especially in the US, where costs of meds aren't as regulated as elsewhere.   PrEP, for instance, used to cost me about $200-300/month.  I can afford that but a lot of people can't.  HIV would spread much faster than it does now if people had to go without, which is clearly not in the public interest.

In terms of HIV but also many other diseases, where this really hits home is research, which is largely funded by NIH and other orgs.  That's been decimated.  With HIV, some meds (admittedly, not the cutting edge stuff) are relatively inexpensive especially when produced overseas for those markets.  Even so, lots of people in the Third World can't afford it.  The foreign aid that the US recently cut will be a death sentence for a lot of those people unless other funders step in.  All of this predates the government shutdown and will continue well after it's resolved.

Edited 6 hours ago by phillygwm

[Philatanus]

Life and death, in WAR!

There are way too many able bodies doing nothing and just looking for a handout. 

As for foreign aid, why should the USA, (I am in Sweden) fund the world? Why should hard working American Taxpayers (that is whom is paying for all), be fitting the bill? Does not make any sense.

As for safety net, Welfare! In Sweden, Welfare consists of rent, hospital visits, electricity, and a stipend of around $500.00 for food clothing and necessities.  Every month when applying, one must also enclose their bank statement, jobs they have searched for, and be in a program that helps them find a job. If they do not attend the program or are lax in anything, they lose their benefit for that month.

Welfare is to help you for a while, not be dependent on it for life.