Ellington

Move on.org has called into question the man that would be responsible if the avian flu becomes a pandemic. It seems that, once again, Bush has appointed someone to a post that isn't actually QUALIFIED for the post.

The liberal advocacy group accused Stewart Simonson, assistant secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness for the Health and Human Services Department, of having "no experience related to his job - he's a political appointee."

"Stewart Simonson is the Bush administration's point man for a flu pandemic but he has no public health management experience. He got his job because he is a close associate of former Health Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson," wrote MoveOn.org.

The group said prior to working in the Health and Human Services Department, Simonson worked as corporate secretary and counsel for Amtrak when Thompson was chief of the rail service. Prior to that, Simonson was staff lawyer for Thompson when Thompson served as governor of Wisconsin, the group added.

"In short, he is not qualified for a public health job that hundreds of millions of people are counting on," said MoveOn.org. "This isn't just a case of resume inflation. Simonson doesn't seem to have a grasp on the very important work he is supposed to be doing right now."

Read the rest of the article.

I will say that, currently, this damn bird flu is scaring the snot out of me. Much more so than Mier's ability to dress herself and inscribe birthday cards.

Oh crikey, Bush just said that Tikrit is "an interesting place to be" on the news while talking to soldiers in Iraq. REALLY? Interesting? I would think it was hot as hell and very NOT INTERESTING. But that's another post.

Previous Comments

ID

103183

Comment

It is certainly something to pay attention to...It has reached the edge of Europe....I guess I'll have to start eating my vitamins and cease assaulting my body with toxins. Immune systems are about to become very important.

Author

whateveryouwant

Date

2005-10-13T08:27:56-06:00

ID

103184

Comment

Another one about Bush's Thumb Up His Arse Presidency

Author

whateveryouwant

Date

2005-10-13T08:31:22-06:00

ID

103185

Comment

Did anyone notice the Letter to the Ed of the CL today that dealt with this very subject... I'm so narcissitic the first thing I thought was "Somebody's been reading my blog...." Then I thought, "Um, Ali, they could just be one of the two thousand American's that READS the news..." Nah....

Author

Lori G

Date

2005-10-19T22:49:05-06:00

ID

103186

Comment

That was AMERICANS and a small "reads"....I have no idea why the caps got so out of hand there. I also meant it to be funny. So, if you didn't get that. I meant it.

Author

Lori G

Date

2005-10-19T22:50:46-06:00