Oklahoma Senator: F*ck Africa.

So Bush is trying to do something good. Kind of. He established a fund in 2003 called ‘PEPFAR‘ to pledge funds to Africa to help fight HIV/AIDS. Of course there are lots of strings attached, like ABSTINENCE ONLY education WHOOOO!!! *rolleyes* But whatever. Hes a Republican theotard– and I suppose its the best he is capable of.

Well, PEPFAR is set to run out in 2008. Its up for renewal. It has nearly complete bipartisan support because its a ‘Duh’ issue. Its like putting “Chocolate is yummy” up for debate on the senate floor. Duh chocolate is yummy. Duh we need to help Africa deal with its HIV/ADIS disaster.

But notice I said *nearly* complete.

*Nearly*.

A fellow leading the fight to kill PEPFAR is none other than Oklahoma MD senator, heath adviser to John McCain, against GINA, Tom Coburn.

Why? Because the senate took out the completely arbitrary “55% must be spent on HIV/AIDS treatment” requirement to free that money up for wherever it is needed. It was a completely arbitrary number in the first place. Could have been 45%. Coulda been 60%.

But goddammit, take it out and let troops on the ground in Africa decide how best to spend the money (prevention, local clinics, etc), and TOM COBURN WILL NOT STAND FOR IT! They might spend that money in a clinic that performs… **whispers** ABORTIONS!!! Or maybe the clinic has a needle exchange program for drug addicts. **FAINTS**

So Coburn and seven other Republican idiots want PEPFAR dead.

Shorter Coburn:

Fuck Africa.

Look, Im sure Coburn has *nothing* against black people. Theres a pic of him holding a cute little black girl on his homepage.

But a far more eloquent and patient person than I put this into perspective for Dear Tom quite nicely:

Each of the Coburn Seven counts himself pro-life. If a bill came to the Senate floor that would save millions of unborn children, one assumes that pro-life members would push to improve it, accept a few necessary compromises and then enthusiastically support the legislation.

It is difficult to imagine why pro-life legislation involving millions of Africans should be viewed differently.

*snort*

Comments

#1 Tyler DiPietro
May 14, 2008

Alternate Shorter: “Our first priority in AIDS relief is to remedy the moral failings of those promiscuous jiggaboos overseas.”
#2 Mariah
May 14, 2008

Dr. No strikes again.

The Senate’s Dr. No WaPo

One-Man Gridlock: Meet Tom Coburn, Senate’s ‘Dr. No’ WSJ

Slaughter’s quest undone by ‘Dr. No’; Senator blocks bill on gene profile bias Buffalo News

Obstructing and obfuscating, one bill at a time.
#3 CL
May 14, 2008

pro-life…oh the irony. What a bastard.

CL
http://www.coutlerlewkowitz.com
#4 CleveDan
May 14, 2008

maybe if they add a line that says “55% of the money should be used to teach the savages about their lord and savior Jesus christ”………he would vote for it

…becasue once they know Jesus they will never have sex except for procreation and they won;t do drugs

…LOL
#5 Pierce R. Butler
May 14, 2008

As PZ Myers observes, this is National Flaming Racist Idiot Week.
#6 Owen Swart
May 15, 2008

On behalf of my fellow Africans: “F*ck you, Tom Coburn”.
#7 Boo
May 15, 2008

Since abstinence-only education tends to make the problem worse, killing it might end up having positive effects.

But he still seems like a dick.
#8 John Phillips, FCD
May 15, 2008

You know, it is people like this who make me wish there really was a hell. I would be happy to share it with him simply to see his reaction. After all, didn’t jeebus say, to paraphrase, he who harms a child will get my home boys sicced on em in the afterlife, or something along those lines. Unless of course, Coburn has interpreted suffer the little children to mean, make them suffer, make them really, really suffer. Sick fuck, is he trying to outcompete the catholic church on the number of Africans they can be responsible for killing.
#9 J-Dog
May 15, 2008

This idiot is even dumb enough and sanctimonious enough to be a Rep Pres. I think the little black girl in your picture should seek legal help and sue the SOB for harassment. It sure looks like inappropriate handling to me. What do you say Senator?
#10 Aaron
May 15, 2008

First Sally Kern and now Tom Coburn?

Remind me to NEVER set foot in Oklahoma. That place is so wacky I doubt gravity even works anymore.
#11 Josh
May 15, 2008

That place is so wacky I doubt gravity even works anymore.

It doesn’t work. They banned it because it’s only a theory.
#12 ShavenYak
May 15, 2008

Is it just me, or does he look genuinely uncomfortable holding the little girl? Like he’s watching carefully to make sure she doesn’t bite him and infect him with something? Conversely, she looks positively traumatized by the situation. Obviously wise far beyond her years.
#13 Felstatsu
May 15, 2008

Just when I think the fundies can’t do anything more to disgust me something like this comes up. Something where they are willfully ignoring evidence from studies and harming people all so they can impose their morality on a group of people it won’t help and who likely don’t want any of it. A blatant act of hypocrisy too, pro-life my arse. If he were really pro-life he’d be doing anything in his power to truly help these people and pass the bill without his brand of morality being burnt into it.

Just about enough to make me want to put my pacifist nature on hold for a few so I can smack him upside the head and knock some sense into him.
#14 clinteas
May 15, 2008

OT:

Abbie,
seems youve had a pretty decent increase in traffic since youve moved over to SB,good on you girl,its well earned !!!
Cheers,
Martin
#15 clinteas
May 15, 2008

On the thread topic :

McCain strikes me as the guy you put up as candidate when you know that youve fucked up that much in the last 8 years that youre not going to win the election anyway,but youve got to have a candidate….

And as for this Coburn fellow,well if Tutu can do it….
#16 Ryan F Stello
May 15, 2008

Is it just me, or does he look genuinely uncomfortable holding the little girl?

I was going to say ‘constipated’, but ‘uncomfortable’ works just as well.
#17 Nik
May 16, 2008

This is an interesting article from a few years back concerning an investigation into Abstinence Only AIDS funding.

“God and the Fight Against AIDS”
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17963
#18 John C. Welch
May 21, 2008

The caption for this pic should be:

“Gosh, I hope I don’t catch negro from her”
#19 Bill Shirley
May 29, 2008

AIDS in Africa is the biggest foreign policy threat this nation will have in our generation. A nation of orphans can be a dangerous thing, being steered by someone else.

We are already moving too slowly, we don’t need “pro-lifers” killing more people.
#20 Russ Lynde
April 17, 2009

I’m gay and live, or rather exist, in Oklahoma. “Thugs” like Coburn and Sally Kerns are able to keep the homosexual population to a minimum because they’re allowed to spew hate rhetoric from the state and federal grounds which in turn causes just enough suicide to keep the gay population down a bit. We keep hearing free speach isn’t free but it seems for certain groups not only is speach free but there’s no responsibility for the cause of the speach.
#21 Monado
May 25, 2009

Russ, I can only offer my English teacher’s advice about my home town: “Each one of you should make it his or her ambition to move away as soon as you can.”

Well, more than that: Ever think about moving to Canada? (If possible–I took the points evaluation and I wouldn’t qualify to immigrate, sigh).