AIDS Activists Shut Down Capitol Rotunda Over Obama Reversal

AMERICA blog:

A group of 26 AIDS activists chained themselves to each other in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday morning, startling visitors, shutting down the landmark area and prompting their arrest by Capitol Police.

Read the whole story: AMERICA blog

Comments

[cloudmaker]

These protestors have only to read these posts to see how much ammunition they are giving to those
who wish to see Obama fail. It's an old cliche, but remains truer than ever: United we stand; divided
we fall.

[nickypoo]

That's how the Republicans do business. I'd like to believe that the Democratic party is filled with people who are willing to engage in thoughtful debate and hold their leaders to the highest standard possible. We'll unite when it's election time, but until then, we have legitimate concerns to raise.

[MyrtleJune]

Well yes. What other actions did they try BEFORE going so extreme? I agree this needs looking into but as a first response....... a little bit much. I'd like to know Obama's reasoning on this as well, but I think it could be handled a little better.

I have to wonder if they thing the republicans, especially John McCain/Sarah Palin would have been the better choice? Because that's where they seem to want this to go. let's get the details before we go giving ammo to the hellish people that put our country in this horrible state overall.

[Montgriz]

Oh, stop! They don't want to see Obama or anyone "fail"...get a damn clue! Not everyone in this country who voices criticism when it is richly deserved is wanting Obama to fail...that seems to be all you worshipping celebrity for its own sake think. Obama has floundered on many issues, this being the most obvious.....the campaign is over, the administration made promises that they are now breaking....Obama is very much the same old, same old.....speeches and being a nice guy are ok for you, but millions of Americans who are being disappointed are demanding more....Obama will not see a second term if this continues...He still has time to turn things around, but he is losing the independent voter and we are the ones who really count.....

[kapalabhati]

I respect their right to protest; however, they are only shooting themselves in the foot. What's the alternative Palin '12?

[zerotimes10]

As much as Democrats are free thinkers and willing to criticize those they have elected, there is ABSOLUTELY No Way in HELL that I would EVER vote for a Rethug.

[RoloTomassi]

And there you have it; there is no viable alternative to the singular US Corporatist party.

[octobermax]

The activists tried things like getting politicians favorable to their cause elected (successful: Obama won, and he does support the cause), they tried getting support in Congress (moderately successful: check out the Serrano House bill on Needle Exchange), they tried call-in days, they tried lobby visits, they tried getting politicians to visit successful needle exchanges... and they've been trying for 20 YEARS. We finally have a President who's openly in favor of lifting the ban, so now is the time to push!

We don't want President Obama not to be the president. Lots of AIDS activists campaigned for him (and cried and danced in the streets and walked around for days grinning like idiots when he won). He's our best chance right now of getting real change, and part of making it happen is pushing, using a lot of different tactics. We are supporting him and his Congress to be the best leaders they can be, by demanding they do the right thing.

[cloudmaker]

Why is it so hard to understand that Obama can't keep all his promises? He has a full plate of pressing problems. All these protestors will do is weaken Obama's image, leave the door open for Republicans
who couldn't care less about their problems with AIDS or clean needles and put into office those who have proven their hatred for gays and their intense fear of sex. We elected this man because believe in his innate goodness. Give him some time. Don't demand everything overnight. We have no idea of what he has to deal with. Patience. Without it, we'll find ourselves once again crushed by the moralistic right.

[CeeCee]

Best comment on the subject ever.
Thank you. It's always good to see calm, level-headed, intelligent people here.

[MaryanneAZ]

Amen. And my sentiments too.

[Trustandalwaysverify]

Following your logic, Mr. Obama made some promises he can not keep.

Therefore, when he made those promises he was either naive, or he was lying.

If he was naive, is terrible to have such a naive president.

If he was lying, Mr. Obama is just like every other politician, just worse because he knowingly misled so many people who put so much on the line for him.

[Hare]

Actually after only six months of being on the job he is doing quite good.

[MaryanneAZ]

I suspect you could care less about the needle program itself (or any other Dem or Progressive issue for that matter), but you do relish an opportunity to bash the President and demoralize his supporters. Sorry, no sale.

[Trustandalwaysverify]

And about time, if these six months are any indication.........we are in more trouble than we can imagine.

[Montgriz]

If not now, when? He is failing in nearly every promise he made.....sometimes, you just have to exert leadership. When will he begin to do so? And, on what issue? He has rubberstamped Bush policies, even expanding many, he has enlarged the senseless and unwinnable Afghan war, he has managed to throw hundreds of billions to banks that are now refusing to pass on savings, he has favored insurance companies over single payer health care, he has given millions more to faith based charities with little accountability...he has appointed Clinton era good old boys to positions where they can continue their corrupt practices, he has appointed lobbyists to key positions, he has appointed tax dodgers to deal with Wall St....he has undone some environmental laws and failed to act or even remain silent on DATL...sorry, he is losing popular support where it matters....

[Hare]

Back when he was campaigning I wrote to say. The only change we can expect from Obama is having for the first time ever a president who is not a white male. That is a big change and it should be enough of an accomplishment. But nooo! so many of you really had higher and frankly exagerated expectations for him. "The system" in place is harder to crack, and even if Obama wanted to change things he just can't. He may be allowed to do a few small changes to appease you, but c'man people you can't all be so naive as to think, he will be allowed to do most things he promised us, for that we would have to dismantle the whole system as it is and start from scratch. SOOO be happy a non-white male is the boss after hundreds of years and hope for the best, change comes, but don't expect too much too soon, it just ain't gonna happen.

[who38]

You are correct. Big Pharma wins again, for who else profits from fewer people contracting AIDS?
Maybe the insurance companies a little but that is offset by their expenses. And, of course, the vangies, who will have a bigger target to rail against.

[Hare]

I wasn't looking at it from that angle but your observation is clever. And that is just one of hundreds of examples.

[HekmabaJuzimax]

If youse had listened to me back when I wrote: "Friends, you must vote for Ralph Nader, for he will rid Washington of Corporate interests and sockpuppets without visas." No one listened to my writing back then, and I can guarantee that no one is listening now, for the noise is grating and unpleasant (even for me, what a boor)

[Hare]

Though I like Nader and once voted for him, he would have never won so Obama still was the best choice because for many it wasn't a vote for Obama but against the republican crazyness.

[kapalabhati]

Ha! That worked out so well in '00 didn't it? Nader is done. He is toast. He will NEVER be President.

[Melissa]

This is a joke, right?

[who38]

No, it isn't. Now you know why some people shoot up.

[rollingdivision]

Obama made every promise necessary needed to win the election with not one thought about honoring them.

[Hare]

Not really, he figured if he can accomplish more than the Bushes put toguether he is good to go.

[MaryanneAZ]

Sorry, division, no sale. For one thing, all politicians promise us the world. THIS President, however, is doing well so far and is on track to bring about the changes he envisioned. Once we increase the number of real Dems in 2010, then we will really rock and roll. Stay tuned.

[viper234]

These protesters deserve the support fo the American people.

[eden4barack08]

Drama Queens.

[complice]

I don't agree with their tactics, nor do I think they're terribly productive, but it's clear that they're incredibly passionate about their prevention efforts.

Justified or not, I think sometimes people's collective impatience over the last eight years begins to get the best of them.

[Conservativeslayer]

You are so right. Wanting to prevent the needless spreading of HIV and Hepatitus by dirty needles. What total Drama Queens. Don't they have anything better to do?

[who38]

and their scenario for Plan B should be.............?

[ChinaC]

Obama is feckless, an empty suit.

[Hare]

Nope he is not, actually he is pretty smart, and he knows how things work.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Go take a civics lesson

Like Rep Murphy - who is fighting for DODT stated it very clearly

Dems protested Bush's signing statememts for 8 years

now they want Obama to be like Bush- you country first people should only wish- never

learn your constitution

8 years is a long time- our gvt was nearly destroyed with bush

do you not get it yet?

[RustyGranite]

^ Basics.

[nickypoo]

It was HIS budget which continued to ban needle-exchange programs. To say he's waiting for congressional support and then do nothing about it, but claim they still support it is just odd.

[PD1769]

Here we go again. Just like with DADT and DOMA, now it's the needle exchange thing.

Aravosis is becoming a serious demagogue blowhard, and not a very good one at that. Yes, Obama said that he would work to uplift the ban. Did he say that it would be through the budget or an executive order? NO. If so, put your freakin money where your mouth is and prove it.

Patrick Murphy (D-PA) said it best when he recently discussed DADT with Rachel Maddow:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/31808452#31808452

Do away with using executive power to overturn acts of Congress via "signing statements". Respect the legislative branch of government by using that system to fulfill campaign pledges. That's how we repeal DADT, get the ban overturned on needle exchanges, etc.

Definitely worth watching. To me, it's an indirect wake up call to the bulldog activists to turn up the heat on their CONGRESSMEN, not the President.

[DestinationsUnknown]

and a wake up call to all Americans

learn what is so special about the USA

its not all about invading countries that never were goign to harm us

my goodness

are they all that illiterate

[nickypoo]

Okay, so why did he need to put it in his budget then?

[octobermax]

The way the ban works is that every year language is placed the appropriations bill that says no federal money can be spent on syringe exchange programs. (Specifically in the Labor, Health, and Education part of the bill).

The president is the first person to draft the appropriations bill, and then he gives it to Congress to mark up. He makes his will known by what he puts in the bill -- he had an opportunity to make it clear that he wanted the budget put on his desk for him to sign to have no ban in it.

The problem with a "legislative solution" is that it wouldn't have any teeth if the ban language were still in the appropriation bill. The language needs to be taken out of the appropriations bill, and the way the process works, the president is the first person with the opportunity to do that.

[who38]

Are you aware that only 12% of American citizens support and respect our current Congress? Shouldn't that be sending them some kind of message? I truly hope that Michael Moore's next cinematic effort is an expose of that group. It should be hilarious.

[buddhistMonkey]

You're dead on about John Aravosis and his rampant demagoguery. Americablog used to be one of my favorite sites, but it has devolved into something truly ugly in the last few months. The same man who decried Bush's many executive orders and signing statements is now stamping his feet and demanding that Obama ignore the law (in the case of the Defense of Marriage Act) and repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell with an executive order. Obama wants to do things the right way, through the Congress, but Aravosis will have none of it, and is pushing unhelpful protests like this one, targeted at the wrong branch of government. His hypocrisy is only hurting his own cause.

[Chili4me]

Just one more example of what government healthcare will be like.

Liberals-
Be careful what you wish for....you just might get it.

[DestinationsUnknown]

wrong

you liked bush signing statements

[sturzl]

People need to realize that providing clean needles and condoms does slow the spread of HIV/AIDS. If a junkie gets the virus, he/she may spread it to their spouse, children and/or medical provider. This cycle then continues. By preventing one new case today we can be preventing tens, hundreds or thousands of new cases in the future. People need to see this. It's much more than just giving junkies free needles and teenagers condoms. The cost of this program now is nothing compared to the future costs for which we will all be paying. I think President Obama sees this, but is afraid it's not worth the political gamble. It's a shame, really. America needs to grow up and start looking at the cold hard truths.

[vandegrasse]

I think Obama is a closet conservative!

[Hare]

He never said he was a far leftist liberal, he was always sort of in the middle road.

[slowhand0728]

lol

[tsunamiano]

Obama has left me feeling quite hopeless when it comes to change. There is no excuse for him not to demand funding for needle exchange programs. Any intelligent, educated person would know how important this is. It would save thousands of lives and save millions of dollars in health care costs.

Perhaps he thinks he will gain support from the same conservatives who called him the antichrist. Or, maybe he sees us all as tiny ants now - having little impact on the big picture - which is maintaining the status quo.

[Erdgeist]

This is over needle exchanges? It doesn't work because the water in the syringe is non-sterile as is the syringe. lt always contaminates the clean needle from the inside. I know what I am talking about. As a former U.S. Navy Corpsman I used to shoot up U.S. Navy junkies the right way--the clean way.

[doug108]

I'm pretty sure they provide a whole syringe, dude, not just the sharp, pointy part.

[who38]

Except to the Navy; hopefully.