Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The New York Times - September 1, 2006
Nothing could be more foolhardy for the nation as a whole. The AIDS battle knows no boundaries and has hardly waned in New York, California, Florida, Illinois and the other states that first confronted the challenge a generation ago. The cuts being contemplated would be traumatic for the valuable mix of treatments now given to tens of thousands.
The Republican leadership hopes to rush this change through Congress soon after it returns next week in the renewal of the $2 billion AIDS spending program. A fairer formula is being sought by alarmed lawmakers from the states slated to be shortchanged. Republicans are trying to spread nonsense that this all about red state versus blue state. The real question is whether Congress would dare to turn the proven Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act into another demeaning pork-barrel competition. In effect, the potential urban losers stand to be penalized for having shown the way in fighting the AIDS scourge.
Lawmakers have been on a generous recess in which they drove spending for their own re-election lifelines to $300 million for television alone. It will take a relative pittance - perhaps $100 million more - to finance the AIDS fight across the board. Surely a Congress that repeatedly spends far more on favored pieces of hometown pork can find the wherewithal to see to this life-and-death issue for the entire nation.
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