Obama Ends U.S. Travel Ban On Visitors, Immigrants With HIV-AIDS
Email ABC News' Rachel Martin reports: Starting Monday, foreigners with HIV-AIDS will be able to travel or immigrate to the United States without having to get a waiver from the Department of Homeland Security. Today President Obama eliminated a travel ban that had been in place since 1993, forbidding people with HIV-AIDS from travelling to the US. “If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it,” the President said today. He tipped his hat to his predecessor for starting the process. “Congress and President Bush began this process last year, and they ought to be commended for it. We are finishing the job. It's a step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment, it's a step that will keep families together, and it's a step that will save lives.” The President announced the repeal of the ban in a ceremony marking the fourth re-authorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, legislation that provides treatment for low-income HIV/AIDS victims. The legislation was named after the Indiana teenager who contracted HIV from a blood transfusion in 1984. White was suspended from school because of his disease and became the national poster child for a disease that until then, had been coined a “gay affliction.” “It has been nearly three decades since this virus first became known,” Obama said. “But for years, we refused to recognize it for what it was. It was coined a ‘gay disease.’ Those who had it were viewed with suspicion. There was a sense among some that people afflicted by AIDS somehow deserved their fate and that it was acceptable for our nation to look the other way.” The President said the CARE Act is a crucial tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS. “It helps communities that are most severely affected by this epidemic and often least served by our health care system, including minority communities, the LGBT community, rural communities, and the homeless. It's often the only option for the uninsured and the underinsured. And it provides life-saving medical services to more than half a million Americans every year, in every corner of the country.” But the President cited statistics that illustrate the pernicious effect of a disease that while less devastating than in decades past, still afflicts a large portion of the US population. “This is a battle that’s far from over and it’s a battle that all of us need to do our part to join….AIDS may no longer be the leading killer of Americans ages 25 to 44, as it once was. But there are still 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, and more than 56,000 new infections occur every single year.” In addition, the President stated the following stats: *Gay men make up 2 or 3 percent of the general population, but more than half of all new cases.
*African Americans make up roughly half of all new cases.
*Nearly all new cases now occur in the southern part of the U.S.
*Seven percent of Washington D.C.’s residents between the ages of 40 and 49 live with HIV/AIDS After Ryan White died in 1990, the act named in his honor was passed later that same year. White’s mother Jeanne White Ginder was present at the signing ceremony today. “We can't give Ryan White back to Jeanne, back to his mom,” the President said. “But what we can do — what the legislation that I'm about to sign has done for nearly 20 years — is honor the courage that he and his family showed. What we can do is to take more action and educate more people. What we can do is keep fighting each and every day until we eliminate this disease from the face of the Earth.”
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Good . This means he has patched things up with the CIA who invented AIDS because drugs and gang warfare were not killing black children as fast as they reproduce .
Posted by: nat turner | October 30, 2009, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm
I am happy to say that Bush honestly did a decent job on the issue of AIDS. He didn’t gin it up as a political wedge issue or code word and he put some of his political capital on the line to make concrete efforts to fight it. The kudos on this move do go to Bush, and Obama would be a small man indeed if he had not acknowledged that.
Posted by: jhw539 | October 30, 2009, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm
Now to repeal unconstitutional matters like DOMA & DADT, and we’ll be almost there.
Posted by: Joe Szilagyi | October 30, 2009, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm
nat turner,
Most people have the decency not to even joke about such things. GROW UP.
Posted by: Shane | October 30, 2009, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm
Ummmmm Dumb. A foreign traveler with AIDS would never look for a one night stand during their visit to the good Ole’ USA since they could be prosecuted in their own country for having sex while infected…
What is this guy doing?
Posted by: TBOregon | October 30, 2009, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
This is just another way of the government ruining this country. Hard working Mexicans that come to this country to work = bad. Bunch of sick people with a deadly disease = good. Where does this government get its idealogies from?
Posted by: Mike M | October 30, 2009, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
Awesome!!!
Now we are opening the flood gates to not only third world parasites. Thanks to this insane policy, we are opening the gates to INFECTED parasites.
How humane, for the parasites.
Posted by: enought already | October 30, 2009, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
Shane , what makes you think Rev Wright was joking ?
Posted by: nat turner | October 30, 2009, 2:47 pm 2:47 pm
Good. This is how George W. Bush proves “compassionate conservatism” was action, not just talk.
Posted by: Jon Soles | October 30, 2009, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
We must IMPEACH obama. He is destroying our America!!! Can’t you all see this?
He hates America sooo much, he is infecting us now.
Posted by: tuxent13 | October 30, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
We must IMPEACH obama. He is destroying our America!!! Can’t you all see this?
He hates America sooo much, he is infecting us now.
__________________________________
I love your sense of humor. Great social parody of paranoid nut cases!
Posted by: tierra | October 30, 2009, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
Very stupid—–Americans will die because of this……and many of them will be gays and minorities since these are the groups most heavily affected by Aids. I can’t believe Obama’s gay and minority supporters are to stupid to realize the danger to them and their group.
Posted by: VeryPainfulTruth | October 30, 2009, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
WHAT IN THE HELL DID THIS IDIOT LEARN IN SCHOOL…. HOW TO DESTROY A COUNTRY ?
Posted by: Speakinuptoo | October 30, 2009, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
Shane , what makes you think Rev Wright was joking ?
Posted by: nat turner | Oct 30, 2009 2:47:43 PM
Nat, what makes you think Shane even knew Rev Wright said it?
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | October 30, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
The majority of people that have posted on this site should be charged with the newly signed Federal Hate Crimes law!! You people are idiots, there are people all around us that are living with HIV/AIDS and who are more honorable, real, and humane people than those with closed minds and hatred. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. You all have these views against people with HIV/AIDS until HIV/AIDS affects your life, your family and friends, you!!!!!! Show some compassion!
Posted by: Antonio Montano | October 30, 2009, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
This is a compassionate decision and on the surface should be commended. However, there are sound Public Health reasons for travel restrictions on people with communicable and reportable diseases.Is it fair to now restrict travel for patients infected with resistant TB? Public Health policy should not be guided by compassion or political considerations, but by sound medical and scientific principles.To do otherwise is to ignore the great strides in Public Health that we have made in this country.
Posted by: Nephron | October 30, 2009, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Funny how the government thinks they control everything,,,when they control NOTHING,,,,,let them explain how 20 MILLION or more illegals got into this country,,,were they asleep when they came, the border is an imaginary line they cross it at will as do people of MANY other countries origins,,,,wake up Obama you have a department named Homeland Security,,,and in NO WAY have they succeeded at doing that job,,,just ANOTHER huge waste of American tax dollars to support the scare tactics that breed huge amounts of money to “Private Contractors”.
Posted by: tincup56 | October 30, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
“Is it fair to now restrict travel for patients infected with resistant TB?”
____________________________________
Isn’t that communicable through the air?
Posted by: tierra | October 30, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
This was a very good policy decision. This ban did not protect anyone and instead encouraged people to lie about their disease or not get tested in the first place. Addressing the AIDS epidemic requires cooperation between countries, not isolation. The more open and honest everyone is about this issue, the more effectively we can be in fighting it.
Posted by: Marine Vet | October 30, 2009, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
It’s easy to lift the ban on HIV/AIDS and have no worry for infecting yourself, when you and the rest of the
travelers have their own big jets. It shows disrespect
and unconcern for the rest of the country.
Not surprised!
Posted by: 2smart4u | October 30, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Just think all those aids invected people around the world can come here and free medical care while exposing AND CERTAINLY INFECTING OTHERS HERE. Americans will both contract and die because there will be more aids infected people engaging in behavior that spreads this disease. Purely stupid—-and almost like Obama is purposely out to destroy america.
Posted by: VeryPainfulTruth | October 30, 2009, 5:15 pm 5:15 pm
Why bother funding the CDC anymore?
Posted by: Rhonda | October 30, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm
………REVOLT………..
Posted by: FIRE OBAMA | October 30, 2009, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
And this is the nutcase we want running health care!
Look at the H1N1 fiasco. Obama is great at getting absolutely nothing done.
He could care less about us americans, he doesn’t care about our children wanting to saddle them with enormous debt. We have elected an absolute loser.
Posted by: jonny | October 30, 2009, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
he said it George Bush is responsidle for this also!
Posted by: fmi200 | October 30, 2009, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm
Republicans must be real scared right now, they think they might get infected by shaking their hands or maybe kissing them, maybe just by sitting near them…lol…Hide while you can…or better yet, get an education and read more books, so you can broaden your horizon and general knowledge.
Posted by: c | October 30, 2009, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
Gee. Now he is going to subject more Americans to a deadly disease. Dont we already have enough Americans with aids? Well this should push the cost of health care up even more. I wonder if they figured this into the 1.1 trillion dollar pelpuky bill.
Posted by: fred | October 30, 2009, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
Very stupid—–Americans will die because of this……and many of them will be gays and minorities since these are the groups most heavily affected by Aids. I can’t believe Obama’s gay and minority supporters are to stupid to realize the danger to them and their group. Posted by: VeryPainfulTruth
– Sure now all HIV infected people will flood into this country because of this. Do you not know that, it is only a piece of questionaire that u have to fill out, the govt do not test tourist coming into this country. People can simply lie and still we would not know. Knowledge is real power, when you have that, I guess there is nothing to fear.
Posted by: c | October 30, 2009, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm
Gee. Now he is going to subject more Americans to a deadly disease. Dont we already have enough Americans with aids? Well this should push the cost of health care up even more. I wonder if they figured this into the 1.1 trillion dollar pelpuky bill Posted by: fred | Oct 30, 2009 6:57:26 PM
—– Since when do we pay for tourist’s and foreigner’s health care? Maybe you know something we don’t, can u please explain?
Posted by: c | October 30, 2009, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
But young girls are required to have Gardasil for immigration?
Posted by: k-mom | October 30, 2009, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
and in the new health care bill it will be against the law for care providers to ask for ID or proof of citizenship. so….. either the politicians think we are naive, or they are naive.
Posted by: daytripper | October 30, 2009, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
The policy was from the George Bush, Sr administration.
Posted by: hwtn | October 30, 2009, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
Can anyone please tell me if all of our comments are read by the idiot obama?
I suely hope he reads MY comments and I dare him to answer ME.
Posted by: tuxent13 | October 30, 2009, 7:55 pm 7:55 pm
Wouldn’t it be great if Emperor O’Babble would do something, anything that was actually beneficial to the United States ?
Posted by: Ron | October 30, 2009, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
The primary job of the President is not to be “compassionate”, it is to protect or country.
Posted by: Ron | October 30, 2009, 8:01 pm 8:01 pm
Really, this is what our President does, lift bans so that more disease can come into the country. This is why I didn’t vote this election. We had one side who was to extreme, and another who has no experience holding an important office such as the presidency. Is there no one in the U.S qualified enough to run we had to elect Obama. Really quite depressing, he is folding to everyone thinking he can have everyone like him. Who cares about everyone, just make sure the American’s like you. Because in 4 years with nothing to show for it in the end, you surely dont’ expect to be relected. We all know you have no clue on how to govern, step down and hold a new election because I sure don’t want our VP to take power he is worse off.
“My fellow American’s ask now what the President can do for America, but how we can stop the President from doing anymore.!!!!
Posted by: Very Mad | October 30, 2009, 8:34 pm 8:34 pm
And who is going to pay for their healthcare when 40 million Americans have none? This jerk is unreal.
Posted by: mindalot | October 30, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
ok let me get this straight…..obama wants to cut back on my medical insurance but allow aliens who are in need of medical care to burden me to pay for yet more illegal aliens…what is wrong with this guy….i can not afford him….
Posted by: cathy | October 30, 2009, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
Obama apparently has plenty of time for this “top priority” while dithering on Afghanistan where US troop deaths are at an ALL TIME HIGH. That’s what happens when you put a pandering community organizer in power rather than a true leader with a successful track record. Enjoy!
Posted by: Stacey | October 30, 2009, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
Wow thanks BO now you have made it illegal to be against lawbreakers, you are going to open our borders to HIV/AIDs to come in and add to our medical problems. And to think I thought Bush was bad.
Posted by: JEBoyce | October 30, 2009, 9:03 pm 9:03 pm
This is just great…Where can sane people move in the world now to get away from all of this?????
Posted by: roger king | October 30, 2009, 9:19 pm 9:19 pm
It has been said that this guy’s agenda is to purposefully undermine and destroy America. It is starting to become painfully true, even to his most zealous kool-aid drinkers.
When will the people get the cajones to actually DO SOMETHING? Impeachment proceedings for 90% of Congress and POTUS. 2010 and 2013 may be too late. The damage could be irreversible by then.
Posted by: Concerned_Dude | October 30, 2009, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
Disgraceful!
I am really taken by the comment that so many foreigners with AIDS will come here and milk our medical resources.
Obama,should worry about protecting our own citizens.
Posted by: alan | October 30, 2009, 9:33 pm 9:33 pm
mindalot,
You said that you didn’t vote in the last election. Perhaps you should have, because your vote against Obama may have helped to keep the U.S. from becoming a country under the developing dictatorship/Marxism government that Obama is forcing upon this Country that we used to call “free”.
Posted by: Beth | October 30, 2009, 9:43 pm 9:43 pm
Right. This will surely help the Americans. More aids/HIV, more medical consumers, and more money taken from the tax payers. All this hard work in just 1 year. Gee how much more can OBama do for the working Americans in the next 3 years? Scary!
Posted by: Echo | October 30, 2009, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
The are human beings for God’s sake, have a little bit of mercy.
Posted by: Pat | October 30, 2009, 9:50 pm 9:50 pm
great job obama, now just what else can we do to add more disease, to america. We we will need to do something in order to fill up all of those empty consentration death camps you have set up across the america including 550,000.00 plastic coffins staggered around the united states, yep that’s right. Oh and you want Americans to have the best heath care. You punk coward. Americans are so hip to your sick perverted mind, trust me, If I were you I would just step down, your game is finished, and so are you.
Posted by: celinda norvelle | October 30, 2009, 10:31 pm 10:31 pm
That’s right… all these sick people from around the world can see that they are on the verge of free medical care, paid for by the American Taxpayer! This has got to stop… IMPEACH OBAMA AND Congress NOW!
Posted by: mike | October 30, 2009, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
Another use of an Executive Order!
Posted by: john kesrouan | October 30, 2009, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm
I am ashamed of my American brethren who don’t get that HIV can be prevented by educating yourself to act safely. You don’t get it like H1N1 or the common cold which is why most countries in the world don’t have a ban on visitors with HIV coming into their countries. This isn’t a *POLITICAL* issue so drop the Republican/Democrat B.S. for once in your sad lives and act like a human being with compassion and HUMANITY.
Posted by: Jim | October 30, 2009, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm
What an idiot… we are taking care of the illegals as it is. Now he wants us to take care more problems…
Posted by: James King | October 31, 2009, 12:14 am 12:14 am
How does ending the travel and immigration ban REDUCE the prevalence of HIV? How does this help Americans who are presently coping with the disease, if they are already suffering from lack of resources? Kudos to ABC for specifying immigrants as well as visitors by the way.
Posted by: singhu | October 31, 2009, 12:22 am 12:22 am
There’s nothing like somebody that didn’t vote whining.
Posted by: secondlook | October 31, 2009, 12:57 am 12:57 am
I commend Obama for his decision however I still don’t like the fact that he is expanding the war and renewed the Patriot Act. People need not worry about people sucking off of our health care because we don’t have free health care. Aids is on the verge of being cured by Koronis clinical trials in the US and they now have a vaccine for HIV and its being tested in Thailand. People need to come down from the ignorance and donkey cart; American’s aren’t paying for people with Aides coming to our country, how stupid are you people? This is a travel restriction reversal and we are saying we are on the verge of a cure and we need to be receptive to being worldly before everyone thinks were totally stupid, Beside the rest of the world has free health care already and we don’t, so stop being so ignorant.
Posted by: louie | October 31, 2009, 1:22 am 1:22 am
Good God. Are you people Christians?
Posted by: JT | October 31, 2009, 1:50 am 1:50 am
My best brother in the whole world has lived with HIV for over 20 years… We have been fortunate that he is still will me and my family. To all you crusaders that live with HIV or Aids…. Stay strong and help others … We all need each other and family members that truly understand what the effects and hard ache can have on a family or a soul-mate die-ing of AIDS….. Keep Smiling!!!!!!
Posted by: trish | October 31, 2009, 1:54 am 1:54 am
Yes, welcome to hope and change. Now, you just keep working and he’ll just keep giving our tax dollars away. Now don’t you think you could get any of these free programs. No, you just keep working that body of yours into the ground so others can benefit for free. Yeah…how’s that hope and change working for you now? I sure didn’t vote him into office and wondering if any of them are reconsidering what they were thinking? I’m sure they would never admit it though.
Posted by: Kristen | October 31, 2009, 1:58 am 1:58 am
Ok, Now hold on, they can now IMMIGRATE to USA with AIDS-HIV. So taxpayers will be paying the 6K per month for HIV drugs for new AIDS immigrants. Well that’s just great.
Posted by: Gregory | October 31, 2009, 2:04 am 2:04 am
And the president doesn’t understand why tea parties are popping up all over. Does anybody have any idea what it’s costing taxpayers right NOW for HIV patients. First, most are on SS disability, then they get free medical care upward of 6-10K month for drugs, now in CA they get free housing, free education (thought they were disabled, guess it’s for boredom or depression)and probably a little extra spending money thrown in, who knows. The thing is, AIDS isn’t the only disease. Why are we letting anyone with a disease immigrate to US. We just have to pay for it. I thought the purpose of immigrants were to enrich the country not financiall burden the country.
Posted by: Gregory | October 31, 2009, 2:08 am 2:08 am
So, do cancer patients get to move to USA and get chemo? What about transplant patients. Do they get to come and get organs?
Posted by: Gregory | October 31, 2009, 2:12 am 2:12 am
At some point the tax base is going to shrink up to nothing. 50% of households pay no income tax whatsoever but get a tax “refund”. They’re making it a crime to make over 500K, profit is becoming a dirty word but they’re growing govt. by staggering numbers. Sow where’s the money going to come from?
Posted by: Gregory | October 31, 2009, 2:18 am 2:18 am
“great job obama, now just what else can we do to add more disease, to america. We we will need to do something in order to fill up all of those empty consentration death camps you have set up across the america including 550,000.00 plastic coffins staggered around the united states, yep that’s right.”
Here’s a little hint for you. When that loon Glenn Beck says the concentration camp thing is ridiculous, you know the idea is completely wacko.
Posted by: WWW | October 31, 2009, 2:19 am 2:19 am
…and which continent has the largest percentage of its citizens plagued by HIV? Hummm…. just curious….
Posted by: Fed_up_with_BOTH_Parties | October 31, 2009, 4:45 am 4:45 am
WinForLife – You can take that fairy tale you’re referring to and put it back in the fiction section of the library.
This isn’t “god’s” country, it’s “We the People” country. We the people have an immigration policy, and that policy allows people who can CONTRIBUTE to our society to immigrate here, permanently if desired.
The MORON in the White House CONTINUES his attack on this country…
Posted by: Fed_up_with_BOTH_Parties | October 31, 2009, 4:47 am 4:47 am
This president can’t get anything accomplished in office, and Dems hold both Congresses and all he can come up with is to lift this travel ban. Give me a break. I hope he enjoys the rest of this term because I believe it will be his last.
Posted by: Troy | October 31, 2009, 4:55 am 4:55 am
SOME AMERICANS TRULY MAKE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH. AND ONE WOULD THINK THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF RACIAL INJUSTICE, GENDER DISCRIMINATION, AND ALL THE OTHER UGLINESS THIS COUNTRY HAS GONE THROUGH, WE WOULD HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING BY NOW.
WE TALK ABOUT GOD AND MORALS UNTIL WE’RE BLUE IN THE FACE. THEN TURN RIGHT AROUND AND BEHAVE LIKE LITTLE HELLIONS. I FEAR REVEREND WRIGHT WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG.
Posted by: GoBama | October 31, 2009, 5:32 am 5:32 am
You’ve got to be kidding me!!!! How can you (in one breath) complain about health care costs and in the next invite more disease into the mix. Our children will have enough problems to face here in the coming years lets not add to it. Obama needs to stop doing things to make himself look good in the eye of compassion and take the responsibility of being a president (not a celebrity) seriously.
Posted by: Pam | October 31, 2009, 7:13 am 7:13 am
If Obama was really serious about combating hiv/aids, he would lift the fda bans on alternative treatments like ozone therapy. He’s not accomplishing anything here.
Posted by: johndoe | October 31, 2009, 7:19 am 7:19 am
Quite right.
“If Obama was really serious about combating hiv/aids, he would lift the fda bans on alternative treatments like ozone therapy. He’s not accomplishing anything here.”
Obviously he has another agenda.
Posted by: jonny | October 31, 2009, 7:26 am 7:26 am
THIS MORON WILL BE A ONE TERM PRESIDENT. AND MOST OF CONGRESS WILL BE GONE ALSO..
Posted by: fedd up | October 31, 2009, 7:28 am 7:28 am
We don’t need more aids victims here in order to work for a cure. Its here and its a horrible disease and I am sure all the people who are posting above would also like to see it cured. Please stop saying the posters don’t have compassion…that is not the case nor point. We all feel for anyone who is fighting for their lives thats what makes us human. But what we don’t need is to add more lives to the list of the already infected. Its common sense, not compassion, that we are dealing with here.
Posted by: Pam | October 31, 2009, 7:42 am 7:42 am
I hope the people who are so opposed to this new legislation are not the same ones who are opposed to affordable, universal health care. If a deadly virus/bacteria that is a contagion comes into our country, it will not be choosy whom it attacks. Are you suggesting that a person’s life is only as valuable as what he can buy? An attitude like this is such an oxymoron and not at all compatible with the Christian philosophy that I understand.
Posted by: Hope | October 31, 2009, 8:43 am 8:43 am
And why do Democrats think everything should be for FREE??? Nothing is free, someone else is paying for it for you!!! Insurance companies are a business, choose your plan and get your priorities in order, life is all about money and what you can afford!!! Park the expensive car, make a better decision than you did with your Vote! Taxpayers backs are broken carrying the burden of democrats entitlement programs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: HH | October 31, 2009, 9:02 am 9:02 am
Was the additional cost to treat these patients in our new public health care system factored into the bottom line that Pelosi and Reid calculated, because it will be significant … a huge increase in the bottom line costs. You really need to govern with your head and your heart today vs. one or the other. This is a compassionate but incredibly “not well thought out or through” decision by Obama that I wish he had not made until our economy was on surer ground again. Bad timing, horrible decision with health legislation pending and the bottom lines costs for this decision not even considered. It just makes him and his team look like incredibly shortsighted and inept leadership.
Posted by: Rob | October 31, 2009, 9:16 am 9:16 am
My 80 year old parents are losing their supplemental medical insurance because the employer they retired under with the supplemental plan went under. Medicare will be reduced under the new plan being proposed by the democrats, and now President Obama opens wide the emergency room doors of American hospitals to all HIV/Aids patients entering her on visitor’s visas. Simply unbelievable leadership.
Posted by: Denny | October 31, 2009, 9:52 am 9:52 am
Denny, why are you posting such an exaggerated if not blatant lie? But tell you what, if your octogenarian parents are under such duress why don’t you pitch in and help them? Also if they’re company went under like you claim why should that matter in a free market economy like the United States? Face it, the market is the market and only the fittest survive – that’s capitalism; that’s a Republican cornerstone. Deal with it.
Posted by: RonaldReaganWasSenile | October 31, 2009, 9:56 am 9:56 am
People already come to live in this country with diseases that do not get checked for, like diabetes, cholesterol, heart problems and others. Also, people with many other maladies already come to the country but they don’t declare it, and making HIV a target disease is not going to stop it’s spread. If you read correctly, it was President Bush (one good thing he did) that started this process, so if you want to blame anyone, blame him.
Posted by: Daniel D P | October 31, 2009, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm
I’m normally an Obama fan but I’ll be second guessing from this day forward does anyone know a way which I can help stop this?
Posted by: JJ | October 31, 2009, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
We are going to be getting a huge new influx of HIV/AIDS positive ‘visitors” who will never leave the country. They will stay for the free medical treatment at tax payer expense. Like the illegal immigration problem the gov. created & refuses to address, this will become an enormous burden on our country.
This is not about compassion or party affiliation, this is about common sense and the safety of the American public.
Posted by: A. Lincoln | October 31, 2009, 11:25 pm 11:25 pm
WE NEED THESE HIV/AIDS PERSONS TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE. IF ANYONE VOTES FOR THIS MAN AGAIN THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR HEADS EXAMINED. OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM IS OVERLOADED WITH FREE-LOADING/NON TAX PAYING ILLEGALS NOW AND MEDICAL COSTS ARE SOARING FOR US SENIORS.THIS PRESIDENT IS A MENACE TO OUR HEALTH AND WELFARE AND THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN.
Posted by: CONNIE CARROLL | November 1, 2009, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm
I am completely taken aback by the amount of ignorance that I have seen posted here! The legislation is not made with any intention of inviting in disease! Most people that travel or visit the US who are Hiv positive will be provided for by their own country already. Almost all the industrialized countries provide for this already. They don’t need our gov. money. And, to anyone commenting on it bringing widespread disease to our country needs to get a clue. Tell ya what, I got an answer for those bigots too. Don’t have sex with an immigrant! Problem Solved!!
Posted by: Jason | November 1, 2009, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
DUH…..
Posted by: Parallex View | November 2, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
Jason…Would you say the same thing in regard to the Europeans who introduced disease to American Native Indians when they came over to the Americas…Perhaps advising Native Americans Just don’t have contact with the immigrants,(Europeans.) To suggest abstaining from relations with an immigrant, probably thousands, to avoid a particular disease is short sighted and a DUH moment…
Posted by: Parallex View | November 2, 2009, 12:22 pm 12:22 pm
this people here suck!
Posted by: george | November 5, 2009, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
We need a cure for idiotic comments !
I hear so much racism in these comments.
We are fed up, , we are fed up, with the rent being so expensive!
we are fed up with the high cost of Schools, we are fed up with this freaking war! we are fed up to spend 60 BILLIONS a month in Iraq …
want more…
Leave the HIV people alone, they are 3% of the population…
We need so mobility on the social letter///
Let’s get together, no hate one another ..
be more compassionate !
be human. UNITE !!!
Posted by: george | November 5, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
Thank you Pres Obama. I just hope that other developed economies would take a cue from you and stop the stigma. For thpose Americans who think there is only one disease that kills, remember H1N1? REMEMBER THE NUMBER OF GUNS ON YOUR STREETS? Thanks Pres Obama
Posted by: Colonel Johns | November 11, 2009, 9:17 am 9:17 am
Illegal immigrants, legal immigrants, or travelers should not be allowed to enter this country. If Obama’s administration wants to treat the disease, than it should be on someone else’s expense not on American taxpayers. We have enough diseases to deal with in this country.
Posted by: Zosia | December 2, 2009, 12:55 pm 12:55 pm
I meant the AIDS virus, when I wrote about the disease.
Posted by: Zosia | December 2, 2009, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
will be nice to visit usa one day i got hiv from mt ex friend in new york i live in europe and i will never come to live in the US dont worry europe is the place to live
Posted by: rappa | January 14, 2010, 1:13 am 1:13 am
Americans themselves are no different from the suicide bombers we read about in the middle east, especially white Americans. They are all nuts. Look at the professor who shot her colleagues because she did not get tenured (and her brother some 20 years ago.) And the guy who flew his plane into the IRS building. This sense of entitlement has been growing bigger and bigger and is finally bursting at the seams. People don’t talk out problems anymore; they just shoot you. The best place in the world? Yeah, right.
Posted by: Jennifer Culu | February 19, 2010, 10:38 am 10:38 am
wow, can’t believe some of the things I just read here. Most likely there are structures (laws, policies, etc.) that will prevent persons(persons being foreigners)infected with HIV/AIDS from using any medical resources for free in America. It’s funny that no one realizes the good in doing something like this. When infected foreigners don’t have to be fearful of being deported or banned because it is found out that they have HIV/AIDS. This encourages everyone to get tested and be safe. At this point, this is what is important. People who are already infected are most likely already being treated. If they are not being treated, well they probably do not know. Some of you people, I am sorry to say are idiots. Not letting HIV/AIDS infected foreigners into the US is hurting the US. Stop for a minute and think of them for who they are… yes people… people who are intelligent and probably got the disease by some means we don’t of. Yes, they are like you and me. Some are doctors, teachers, nurses, scientists, and other essential personnel that are needed. Think and consider all options before you post dumb comments.
Posted by: BH | February 20, 2010, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
Wow…. I cannot believe this is happening. This man just doesn’t think things through properly does he? To think I was a full supporter of his presidency. Now I see it’s all crumbling apart. Noble, yes. Wise? Hell no.
With the cost of medicare going down, bullets flying rampantly through the streets, illegal immigrants forcing through the borders, he wants to overload the ERs with immigrants coming in with barely-there funds in hope of an American cure?? Which countries do you think have the highest prevalence of AIDS/HIV?! And with WHOSE hard-earned money pray tell!
No one wants to condemn the saving of live, but dreamers have to wake up sometime too! Save your unemployment rate first before taxing the country’s already laden debts with your quest for greatness. Think locally first, globally later!
Posted by: Neither Democrat nor Republican | February 22, 2010, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
“Neither Democrat nor Republican” Do you even understand the issue and the policy?
How about you read up on it and then comment. This process had already began.
Furthermore, illegal immigrants won’t be getting coverage under the new plan. How about you do something about the bullets that fly rampant in your neighborhood and be a part of fighting crime??
How about you investigate how you can help the government to fight the influx of illegal immigrants or at least try to educate them so they can contribute to the US?
All we do is sit and complain about what our leaders should do, when we should really see how we can help, starting with our own neighborhoods.
CARE Act “helps communities that are most severely affected by this epidemic and often least served by our health care system, including minority communities, the LGBT community, rural communities, and the homeless.”
Read the important pieces of the article. You people overlap policies like you try to match dominoes. Look at each policy separately, then see how they may affect each other or create holes. Some of you people are ridiculous! Its funny you think of immigrants passing the virus on to other Americans or taking advantage of the medical system. When there are Americans (yes our fellow men)abusing systems that are put in place to protect and assist us when we are in need.
I would love to know how many persons who commented here at least have a bachelors degree (maybe a masters) and have been to other countries(more than once and apart from vacation). It would shine some light on why some people say some things.
Peace(Deuces!)
Posted by: BH | February 22, 2010, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm
I believe most people that comment negatively about the HIV/AID victime here are not thinking that they are human too. what i want everybody to remember is that “LOVE” that GOD/JESUS talk about in the Bible evidently has a Physical Action Purpose(pap).OBAMA thanks for your obsevation by working with GOD against Satan and his eartly agents-those that makes bad coments abouth their fellow human, who wants then to die of hiv/aid and those that want GOD’s invention to ruin. Dont worry bible says they will get thier reward in full.
Posted by: kevin | March 12, 2010, 10:49 am 10:49 am
This is not compassion – this is showing total disregard for existing citizens welfare. There is only a finite amount of money to provide healthcare. This knowingly adds to it. Plus, it increases the risk of a wider epidemic.
Posted by: Dan | July 18, 2010, 10:31 pm 10:31 pm
Obama is a fool.
But it doesn’t surprise me that he wants to make it like his parents homeland.
Some call it compassion, I call it stupidity. Why don’t those of moral superiority move to Africa or other places where disease is prevalent and “help the cause” instead of living (usually white) suburban American lifestyle, eating cheetos, and posting comments on the internet?
My compassion ends when it affects the future of my country and my future children.
This is how countries fail. A growing mass becomes apathetic to their own survival with some idealism and progressivism that induces radical changes without critical thinking.
Posted by: Ben | March 18, 2011, 1:15 am 1:15 am
@Gregory
“So, do cancer patients get to move to USA and get chemo? What about transplant patients. Do they get to come and get organs?”
I seriously hope your joking because if you aren’t than we really have things to worry about.
The disease you provided with the treatment(you didn’t mention a disease for transplant) do not come close to STD. You get can cancer get regardless of contraction due to cells not being able to stop mitosis.
People with HIV contract it through mainly sexual means (other means have been noted), usually due to stupidity and ignorance. They many times will not no they have it and other times just want to “get it” when they know the have HIV. Do you know what AIDs stands for ACQUIRED Immunodeficiency Disease. Guess what? It is acquired and then eventually kills the patient.
So please think before you post.
P.S. By the way if you actually thought for a little bit you would understand that transplant would be an argument in opposition of allowing AIDs/HIV people into the country because the risk of getting a infected transplant donor.
Posted by: Ben | March 18, 2011, 1:52 am 1:52 am