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Get the facts right

William Mercier
Letters |
Monday, November 16, 2009

This is in response to a story in the Sun Journal Nov. 7, "Collins critical of Obama on vaccine."

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is not the chairman of a committee. The Bush administration lost the 2008 election, reducing her position on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to ranking Republican.
The Sun Journal should not have written the article in a manner that I believe insinuated she has authority on the committee. 

Give me a break. What did she do on that committee, with the $7 billion for pandemic flu preparedness? President Barack Obama has had only 9 months to address the vaccine problem.

William Mercier, Lewiston

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Displaying comments, from newest to oldest

jalbrecht1's picture
verified

"President Obama took over

By Jonathan Albrecht, verified user — Tue, 11/17/2009 - 14:12

"President Obama took over the Office of the President in November in what is considered to be one of many unconstitutional acts..." Utter nonsense. In fact Obama spent November through January 20th staying out of the President's way. He did not comment on many of the issues of the day and he did not criticize the President. More conspiracy nonsense. Get over it. A black man is President.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield

DonaldR's picture

Senator Collins has every

By DonaldR, unverified — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 21:37

Senator Collins has every right to be critical of ANY faction of government. First of all, she is representing her constituents, and secondly she's a citizen of the United States. She has been critical of some of Bush's faux pas, and I certainly expect hr to be critical of Obama's.

About the time you gag the mouths of citizens for speaking out, you may as well silent our constitution.

I don't necessarily blame Obama for this shortfall, but I do blame "someone" in his administration for poor planning while spinning the nation into a frenzy.

candiceanne's picture

As I read in a comment from

By candiceanne, unverified — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 12:58

As I read in a comment from another writer a few days ago, President Obama took over the Office of the President in November in what is considered to be one of many unconstitutional acts with lawsuits pending. He took over as President Elect before Inauguration or Swearing-In. That puts him in the Office one year at this point. The development and distribution of flu vaccine is an annual event and never before has there been such a problem obtaining vaccine for a known anticipated strain. In the past epidemiologists have gotten it wrong as to what would sweep the world in that years season but, never have we had so many so sick because the administration completely dropped the ball on what was so clearly the strain to worry about, produce vaccine for and distribute. The Administration, not Congress is responsible for "administering" the programs authorized and or legislated, thereby the words administration and administer.
I commend Senator Snowe for voting against attaching this expenditure an unrelated bill, we have far to much of big and bad spending, usually pork,attached to good bills to get the spending through or good spending attached to a bad unrelated bill to get the bad bill by. Bills and spending should pass or fail on their own merit not what they are attached to or is attached to them. We would be in far better economic shape, have far fewer laws and a lot less bureacracy if this were the case.
The Obama Administration has demonstrated complete managerial ineptness in handling the annual flu immunization program. He does much better as a celebrity on world tour than as an administrator.

Lil's picture
verified

Seems you're confusing the

By Mark Wrenn, verified user — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 19:41

Seems you're confusing the annual flu vaccine with the H1N1 vaccine. The administration's biggest mistake was taking private business (vaccine manufacturers) at their word.
______________________

"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

tron's picture

First, after his election in

By tron, unverified — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 14:16

First, after his election in November of 2008, Obama became the President Elect. That said the "office" of President Elect has no statutory power. The President had no authority to do anything until January 20, 2009.

That said the government has not made one does of vaccine. Instead it order millions of doses from the private sector which has let the administration and the general public down. To blame the administration for private sector businesses not doing their job is asinine. But then the Obama haters have based their animosity on less.

nmcssc's picture
verified

More money should have been

By Pat Meek, verified user — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 12:33

More money should have been stripped from the stimulus bill. All taxpayers are now going to be asked to pay it back starting next year. Way to go.

perry's picture
verified

Mr. Mercier needs to get his

By Amy Perry, verified user — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 10:02

Mr. Mercier needs to get his facts right.

(1) The Sun Journal stated correctly that she was Ranking Member.
(2) Ranking Members do have great authority on committees, especially one in which they get along well with the Chair, as with Collins and Lieberman.
(3) The Bush Administration did not lose any elections in 2008 or 2006. George W. Bush was last on the ballot in 2004.
(4) We have separation of powers. Congressional elections are not directly impacted by presidential elections, so one can never say that a presidential administration lost control of Congress.
(5) Senator Collins' position on the committee did not change following the 2008 elections; it changed following the 2006 congressional elections when the Democrats captured the majority.
(6) Senator Collins has been fighting to get more funding for pandemic preparedness for years, since before Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate.
(7) Senator Collins did not oppose the funding; she opposed it being funded in a bill whose primary purpose was supposed to be stimulating economic growth.

Nearly everything in this letter is factually incorrect.

jebbie47's picture

Agree nicely put! Typical

By jebbie47, unverified — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 12:56

Agree nicely put! Typical Left wing(Mr Mercier) spin with no substance or Facts!

Lil's picture
verified

Collins lead the charge to

By Mark Wrenn, verified user — Mon, 11/16/2009 - 08:29

Collins lead the charge to strip almost $900 million for pandemic preparedness from the stimulus bill this spring. Hypocrite much, Sue?
______________________

"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

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