Surely there was a time in which our federal government was not so… odd? Ridiculous? Pathetic? Surely there have been moments of great oratory, debates on lofty issues, and inspiring moments. I know there were. Just not in this administration. Or maybe within recent memory. Now we worry about STDs.
Debt ceiling negotiations are stumbling along in D.C., and lo and behold, the White House and the GOP have actually managed to find some common ground. On spending cuts, no less. Citing a report from Politico, the Washington Free Beacon is reporting that the administration and the Republicans have come to an agreement to retrieve unspent money that had been earmarked to address the COVID-19 pandemic. That would allow the government to raise the debt ceiling, which is not exactly a positive, and cut spending. Which for a nice change of pace, shows that there is some modicum of common sense left in the Beltway. Not much, but some.
However (And you knew a “however” was coming):
Public health officials are nervous about the move since it would “undermine work to slow the spread of syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and hepatitis,” all diseases which are usually easily preventable, provided one decides to keep one’s pants on — or at the very least, knows their partner or spends a couple of bucks at the drug store.
There are, of course, issues of sexual assault or molestation, which are very serious crimes. But there is a lightyear’s worth of difference between a crime and, “Well doctor, I have this friend.” Besides, one would think that there is public health funding already in place to address the spread of STDs. COVID funds were supposed to be used for well, COVID, and not certain burning sensations. But would government agencies use money for something for which it was not intended? Never! Perish the thought!
On the other hand, the author of the Free Beacon piece, Andrew Stiles, has another take. He asserts that STDs are far more common among progressives than conservatives. He points to studies indicating that STDs are more common among unmarried people who are likely to vote Democrat than their married counterparts who are more prone to be conservative. He also states, “Gay men, a solidly Democratic voting bloc, are at greater risk of STD infection compared with the rest of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control.”
Man, that’s hitting below the belt. But I suppose that the Dems need to protect their base, so to speak.
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