Despite Campaign Pledge, Obama Shuns Needle Exchange

Despite Campaign Pledge, Obama Shuns Needle Exchange

www.democracynow.org

Health advocates are criticizing a budget item that would reverse an Obama campaign pledge to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS by lifting the federal ban on needle exchange programs. The Obama budget includes language that bans any federal spending on needle exchange.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Here we go again, Barry O is proving his word means as much as chicken manure by reversing yet another campaign promise. Not only does this show he is a very dishonest person it also shows he cares nothing about our more at risk citizens. Needle exchange programs prevent the spread of diseases at a massive rate. For a so called liberal to do something like this is strange. To me it proves he does not care at all about our struggling citizens. If the government does indeed insist that drug addiction is a disease why do this, more population control? who knows.

www.democracynow.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

The article you posted was too brief to draw any conclusions from. I'd like to see the "language" which would imply he's not lifting the ban on needle exchange. In addition, the article doesn't say he's not lifting the ban, it says he's not providing money for needle exchange in his budget. That's a different matter.

If, in fact, he is not providing the necessary funds, that could well be an item on which he has had to compromise with conservatives. It was necessary to make many such concessions in order to pass the budget. The president has to work with many, many people when he wants to implement the programs he favors, and he rarely gets everything he wants. Presidents are not kings; they do not govern by royal decree.

I agree, in principle, though, that needle exchange would be a very valuable program to implement in this country. It would save many lives. I hope, if Obama does not provide funds in his budget, he will at least lift the ban, and at some future date come up with the money to fund it.

reply to post by Sestias

Originally posted by Sestias


If, in fact, he is not providing the necessary funds, that could well be an item on which he has had to compromise with conservatives. It was necessary to make many such concessions in order to pass the budget. The president has to work with many, many people when he wants to implement the programs he favors, and he rarely gets everything he wants. Presidents are not kings; they do not govern by royal decree.

I'm not buying that excuse. He doesn't need conservative support to lift the ban or to provide funding. He has rammed through many other controversial budget items without their support.

And he most certainly did not lift the ban - for political reasons, of course.

Here's the word from the WH:

www.alternet.org...

White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said the administration isn't yet ready to lift the ban - but Obama still supports needle exchange.

"We have not removed the ban in our budget proposal because we want to work with Congress and the American public to build support for this change," he said. "We are committed to doing this as part of a National HIV/AIDS strategy and are confident that we can build support for these scientifically-based programs."

Weasel words, and another broken campaign pledge from this liar. Just look at the "Before and After" site here:

versionista.com...:4/

Lifting a ban and providing funds are two seperate issues.