Silver_Surfer1 wrote:I absolutely think we need something to help against this awful virus, if there is anything. And, if it costs a whole lot of money, so be it. It will be money well spent as far as I am concerned.
Among the things that could be done are research and development for a vaccine, which is probably the long term solution. The shorter term solution is better mosquito control, whether it be through pesticides (potentially controversial for a number of reasons, also possibly a case of the cure ultimately being worse than the disease) or getting rid of their breeding grounds. Or, even more controversial (for reasons that I mostly think I pretty scientifically unfounded) genetically modified mosquitoes that are sterile and put a stop on mosquito breeding cycles. Also, better support systems for families that are caring for children with microcephaly...or really, any other severe defect that affects the individual for life.
Silver_Surfer1 wrote:However, it just amazes me that politicians are always ready to spend billions and billions of dollars to fight something like this. Why can't we also spend billions and billions of dollars to help end the homeless problem so that no child or senior or any such person will be homeless and have to sleep on the streets or wherever? Why can't we also spend billions and billions of dollars to help our veterans that fought for our country and may need our help now but can't get it for whatever reason? Why can't we spend billions and billions of dollars to help fund the Social Security program for seniors and others who have worked all their lives and paid into the fund along the way so that it would be there for them when they are no longer able to work instead of saying it just won't be there?
Why?
Simply put, because these are "silent" crises that are very easy to ignore as they fade into the background, become ubiquitous and just part of the landscape. They also don't directly affect a lot of people, so a lot of people just (sadly) don't care. And thus, they become easy to ignore for most people. Zika is in the news and is taking the spotlight of attention and a politician wants to look like they're doing something about it (though of course, no actual bill has passed Congress yet, but proposals are out there). And Zika virus, nor the mosquitoes that spread it, care at all about who they affect and are totally indiscriminate. With these "silent" crises you don't really have that rallying effect. Sad, and maybe I'm cynical, but there's some truth to that. Granted, each of those issues is their own can of worms that as soon as you open said can things get a lot more complicated than they seem on the surface.
And may I add climate change to the list of things that we're ignoring at our great peril, and will probably continue to ignore until Florida completely disappears under the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.