Republican Congressman Is Unaware There Is No Surgeon General To Address Ebola
One would think Republicans are aware that they blocked President Obama’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, due to a backlash from the National Rifle Association. But, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) says Ron Klain is “off to a bad start” in his new role as the president’s Ebola response coordinator, and that the U.S. Surgeon General should be the one leading the effort, the Huffington Post reports.
[su_center_ad]Except America has not had a surgeon general for more than a year.
“Why not have the surgeon general head this up?” Chaffetz asked.”I think that’s a very legitimate question. At least you have somebody who has a medical background whose been confirmed by the United States Senate.”
“It begs the question, what does the surgeon general do?” he added. “Why aren’t we empowering that person?”
Actually, blocking Murthy’s nomination all came down to this tweet:
Tired of politicians playing politics w/ guns, putting lives at risk b/c they’re scared of NRA. Guns are a health care issue. #debatehealth
— Vivek Murthy (@vivek_murthy) October 17, 2012
Which resulted in this:
“Simply put, confirmation of Dr. Murthy is a prescription for disaster for America’s gun owners,” Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA’s legislative arm, wrote to Senate leaders in February.
And that’s why we don’t have a surgeon general. America’s biggest gun rights lobbyist decided against him. It “begs the question” as to why Chaffetz doesn’t direct his anger toward the NRA. I think that’s a “very legitimate question” and one we already know the answer to.
Chaffetz later explained to The Huffington Post that he was not saying that the surgeon general, which doesn’t exist, should be in charge of the Ebola response, but rather that the Office of the Surgeon General should be.
“Well I do know there’s an acting surgeon general, I understand that. The surgeon general is also an office. It’s the Office of the Surgeon General. I know there’s some confusion there, but I don’t think I was confused,” Chaffetz said.
“I question why we would have a person that was put forward as a czar, when you do have an acting surgeon general,” he continued. “The point is the person the president has appointed doesn’t feel prepared to come before Congress.”
Well, perhaps Dr. Murthy would have, but he’s not the Surgeon General because our elected officials are licking the NRA’s boots. And that makes, “Tired of politicians playing politics w/ guns, putting lives at risk b/c they’re scared of NRA. Guns are a health care issue” true.
Chaffetz, in lockstep with his Republican colleagues, has blasted the President for not doing enough to secure the embassy in Benghazi, Libya, but he previously voted to cut funding for U.S. embassy security. He was probably unaware of that, too.
H/T: @ComgenKDT with thanks. [su_csky_ad]
annaaurora October 24th, 2014 at 8:14 am
I was wondering the same so I thought, and then my mind connected the dots and said I bet… I then was looking something completely different up re: NRA on Wikipedia and there it was, NRA opposed Obama’s choice for Surgeon General. They didn’t like Bush’s choice either before Vivec. How stupid can you be Congressman Jason?
M D Reese October 24th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
This article goes into it a little too. I’m really tired of the NRA running our government. Let’s vote them out of Congress.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/cdc-ban-gun-research-caused-lasting-damage/story?id=18909347
rg9rts October 24th, 2014 at 8:16 am
Stupid is as stupid does…my cat does a better job of covering up than this twit…
pattyp October 24th, 2014 at 8:20 am
Chaffetz’s whining is extra lame when you consider it was the GOP calling for an “Ebola Czar” in the first place.
M D Reese October 24th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
…After spending years bitching about how Obama more czars than any other president ever–which of course is ALSO a lie…
edmeyer_able October 24th, 2014 at 8:30 am
I don’t think I was confused,” Chaffetz said.
====================================================================== Apparently he’s not sure if he was confused or not????
Sounds like he was.
Tommy6860 October 24th, 2014 at 9:04 am
Not only that, he forgets how much they cut spending on the CDC and the NIH. I’d like to see him reconcile how much those pesky cuts they so love, tie into his confusion. /s
edmeyer_able October 24th, 2014 at 9:34 am
Yea boehner came out last week disputing the claim that cuts had anything to do with the issue of ebola.
annaaurora October 24th, 2014 at 10:01 am
No funding for you…. WE SAID NO! No real researching unless results can be marketed and sold for a profit otherwise shelve it. In addition to all the cuts the CDC and NIH have endured the CDC has to go to NRA and give them prior notice of any knew info. they’ve learned through their crappy research before releasing info to the public.
Jack E Raynbeau October 24th, 2014 at 11:29 am
He should have stopped at “I don’t think”.
causeican October 24th, 2014 at 9:55 am
It’s scary to think that the clueless may be in charge of congress in a few months.
tracey marie October 24th, 2014 at 10:41 am
This is why the American Public has had it with the teabaggers.
M D Reese October 24th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
Let’s hope that they get up off their asses and vote instead of just changing the channel to HoneyBooBoo and drowning their sorrows in potato chips and cheap beer.
tracey marie October 24th, 2014 at 2:00 pm
boo boo is canceled due to pedophilia
M D Reese October 25th, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Oh I’m sure there’ll be reruns…
William October 24th, 2014 at 10:44 am
…and why don’t we have a surgeon general? anyone? raise your hand if you know the answer.
tiredoftea October 24th, 2014 at 11:03 am
Fox also scrubbed the comments so that he seemed less idiotic.
Jack E Raynbeau October 24th, 2014 at 11:29 am
Utah embarrassed on the national stage again.
M D Reese October 24th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
Yes, we think it’s a legitimate question too. Maybe Representative Chaffetz should go over to the Surgeon General’s office and ask them why they aren’t working on Ebola…
The stupid is really really pissing me off. We have a country to run here. They are now actually killing us with their stupidity.
Bunya October 24th, 2014 at 2:13 pm
Does this really surprise anybody? This is the same party that embarrassed the country by putting imbeciles like Ronald Reagan and Dubya in the White House, and impeaching a president over a BJ. Republicans saying and doing stupid shit is just par for the course.
majii October 24th, 2014 at 8:53 pm
“”Simply put, confirmation of Dr. Murthy is a prescription for disaster
for America’s gun owners,” Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA’s
legislative arm, wrote to Senate leaders in February.”
What????? Since when has a U.S. Surgeon General been able to circumvent Congress and impose his/her will onto the American people? This is an empty-ass and weak excuse meant to excuse Senate GOPTPers’ actions in blocking Dr. Murthy’s nomination and reduce the heat they’re taking for us not having a SG when Ebola has shown up in the U.S., and Cox knows it. This sh*t doesn’t even make sense, and only those who don’t know how new gun laws are enacted would believe this BS.
allison1050 October 25th, 2014 at 5:19 am
And this is some of the so called best that the repoo’s can come up with? The party is doomed. lol