Alex, at the SantorumBlog, posted about Rendell's and Santorum's joint Don't-Worry-Be-Happy appearance at the statewide poultry conference this week. The title of the post and the message of Ed and Rick was "We're Ready." I wish that were true.
Clearly, Santorum and Rendell were pumping up the poultry people and using that venue to calm whatever fears are out there in the public about Avian Flu. As far as the poultry conferees, Ed and Rick are concerned, the Public Enemy Number One is panic, followed closely by decreased consumption of poultry. From the story Alex cites:
Last month, a Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Summit was held in Pittsburgh to ensure that federal, state and local agencies are on the same page if an outbreak should occur. More meetings are expected to be held this summer.
Rendell said the agriculture industry annually produces $45 billion for the state and needs to be supported.
“Agriculture remains our single biggest employer,” Rendell said. “I came to realize that my primary goal ... is to revitalize our state’s economy. That goal could not be met unless helping agriculture to grow.”
Revitallizing the economy is a goal, Ed. I don't think anyone would say that growing the economy automatically precludes you from putting plans in place to deal with a panflu that's percolating across the world. In fact, a good case can be made for the idea that good, comprehensive planning now could reduce panic later and save the poultry industry millions when the panflu hits PA. Ah, but they've have meetings! We're all "on the same page." You know how I know that isn't true? Because I've never seen that page. Neither have the people who run my kids' schools. Neither, last time I checked, have the people who run my township.
There may be pages to see. There may be whole books of pages we could be on. But until that plan is explained to the people in charge on a very local level, then that plan doesn't exist. Talking about it is useless - worse than useless in fact because it gives the impression that we are anywhere near prepared for a panflu to hit.
I write a lot about panflu planning here. When Ed and Rick can tell me that we've accomplished even the tip-of-the-iceberg kind of stuff I write about, then I'll be ready to believe that we're getting close to being prepared for what a panflu will bring. Until that time, I'm not impressed.
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