Can Obama recess appoint the surgeon general re: Ebola?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

There should be an outcry that while this virus is gaining and ISIS could use people with it as weapons against Americans.

And even if not, we should not be without a surgeon general while dealing with Ebola, the ACA and huge budget cuts.

How to do this while Congress is away not doing their jobs out of spite?

The NRA and those in the Senate who cower at their feet are treasonous IMO

[Sopkoviak]

1. He wouldn't have to if the God damned Democrats would get of their asses

the 55-seat Democratic caucus can confirm nominees with no Republican buy-in.

The chickenshit majority could confirm Vivek Murthy tomorrow.

But being in the majority has complicated life for its red-state members.

They can no longer expect a Republican filibuster to kill a “controversial” nomination.

They have to kill the nominations themselves.

Bunch of fucking cowards.

[merrily]

2. Only if there is no filibuster. Senate rules.

[Sopkoviak]

4. That's the point. There is no filibuster, the rules were changed

Only 51 votes needed to confirm.

They can't get 51 Democrats because the chicken shits are afraid of the NRA.

BASTARDS, the both of them.

[merrily]

5. You are absolutely right. My bad about the rule change. Apologies.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

6. Then Obama needs to appt someone else

An "acting" surgeon general is fine, but this is an opportunity, before an important election, to draw attn to the nominee blocked by the NRA when there is an international health emergency in wartime.

This could expose the drastic budget cuts as well as expose that the politics of the NRA outweighs more than dangers from assult weapons.

[merrily]

3. The Constitution provides for recess appointments.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recess_appointment

[global1]

7. WWTRDITSWOTOF?.....

What would the Repubs do if the shoe were on the other foot?

I believe the Repubs would make a big deal out of the fact that it was the Dems fault that ebola is loosed in the U.S. because they didn't allow their president to appoint a surgeon general. They would yell that to all the corners of the MSM and they would sway the upcoming Nov Congressional Election in their favor and win a majority in the House and maintain the Senate. They would scare the hell out of the American People about the threat of ebola and they would win in Nov.

Remember - I said if the shoe were on the other foot - here - that means the Repub president was being filibustered and obstructed by the Dems in the Senate and that the Dems had control of the House.

I think we should use this 'what would' Repub strategy to get the Dems to win in Nov. and take back the House and increase their majority in the Senate. Use the Repubs play book for once and play dirty like they would if the shoe were on the other foot.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

9. Sadly too many conservative Dems in the Senate

AND Harry Reid is one of them who need (or take) corporate cash. AND gun owners blanket the flyover part of America and don't have the guts or desire to vote with so-called liberals.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

8. I highly doubt ebola would be weaponized...

It's spread through contact with bodily fluids of infected people, it's not airborne.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/weaponized-ebola-is-it-really-a-bioterror-threat/

[SleeplessinSoCal]

10. I wouldn't count it out. Imagine the level of panic

generated by that possibility.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

11. But it's not airborne...

What would be the delivery method?

Ebola isn't a crazy pandemic. It's transmission is through bodily fluids. It's quite easy to avoid contact with it. I find it much easier to not panic about something that is not much of a threat to the developed world (as opposed to 3rd world countries, where the disease runs rampant).

[SleeplessinSoCal]

12. If doctors, nurses and now a reporter contracted it

while being extremely careful, it is possible to purposely pass it. And we know our capacity for screening is limited because of budget cuts.

I"m totally being Devil's Advocate here. Doubt it will happen. We're doing a fine job of desyroying ourselves without help from ISIS.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

14. It doesn't need to be airborne to cause catastrophic results financially and psychologically.

As we see today, a nurse who was aware that she was treating an Ebola patient actually got a plane which now is being decontaminated and those on the flight are being monitored.

We don't even need ISIS so long as we have Cable News. We can fear ourselves into chaos.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

15. The last ebola outbreak was in the Congo.

It lasted from 1995-2013. Hardly heard a peep about it.

Two white nurses contract it, and BAM! Sensationalism!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

16. You're missing the point. This country's psyche can't handle the truth.

It's been programmed to panic mode for so long that a hint of contagion sets us off straight to dysfunction. It's "the lynch mob" in us that's on a hair trigger and too many in the media are paid millions to foster that mentality.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

13. Better idea from Daily Kos

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/04/1334266/-An-October-Surprise-No-One-Is-Expecting?detail=email

" "My fellow Americans,

The recent diagnosis of an American in Texas with ebola has sparked a lot of news stories, wild speculation, and questions all over the country. Our doctors and scientists are doing great work in not only making sure that anything is contained, but that you have all the information. However, with so many sources of information the media is drawing from--the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, doctors at the various hospitals, and so on, it becomes important to have a national figure to help coordinate all of this and to present it to you with as little confusion as possible.

That job belongs to the Surgeon General of the United States.

However, currently there is no one in that position because Republicans in Congress, spurred on by the National Rifle Association, have refused to confirm my nominee for the position.  Now, more than ever, it is important we have this voice in place for the safety and security of all Americans.

Therefore, using the power granted to me under Article II of the Constitution, I am immediately recalling Congress to vote and immediately confirm my nominee to the post of Surgeon General. And they will stay in session until a Surgeon General is confirmed.

Thank you, and may God bless America." "