Anti-Trump drumbeat may not crecendo on time for Super Tuesday

Republican are now freaking out because Donald Trump may be the political equivalent of the Titanic, or a doomed luxury liner style campaign. In other words, Trump lives the boisterous high life, but he's about to take the Republican party into the deep six.

John Oliver takes down Donald Trump 

Now, "super Tuesday" primary elections scheduled for March 1st, will likely be a sweep for Trump's campaign. He'll march to the Republican national convention and the could eventually (unbelievably) be the party's presidential nominee! Unless, of course, he's stopped. Maybe. the onslaught of bad Trump publicity will miraculously block the Southern "super Tuesday" extremists from voting for a candidate who is supported by the previous Ku Klux Klan racist leader, David Duke.

What took the Republican so long to wake up?
John Oliver devoted his entire 30-minute show on Sunday to Donald Trump, comparing the GOP presidential frontrunner to a mole that can no longer be ignored.

Oliver criticized Trump's portrayal of himself as a successful businessman while argued the Republican is thin-skinned, a liar and inconsistent with his public positions. 

"I get that the character of Donald Trump is entertaining, and that he says things that people want to hear," Oliver said. "And I know that his very name is powerful."

But Oliver argued that Trump isn't what he seems. 

Here are some of the qualities many supporters have listed about Trump — and Oliver's counterpoints:
"He tells it like it is": "Does he? Because the website PolitiFact checked 77 of his statements, and rated 76 percent of them as varying degrees of false."

"He is truly independent and not beholden to anyone": "While it is true that he hasn't taken corporate money, the implication that he has personally spent $20 to $25 million is a bit of a stretch, because what he's actually done is loaned his own campaign $17.5 million and has just personally given just $250,000. And that's important, because up until the convention he can pay himself back for the loan with campaign funds."

"He's tough": "For a tough guy, he has incredibly thin skin. Back in 1988, Spy magazine called him a short-fingered vulgarian. And ever since, the editor Graydon Carter says he receives envelopes from Trump, always with a photo on which he circled his hand to highlight the length of his fingers, usually with a note reading, 'See, not so short!'"

"His success": "While yes, he has made more money than most of us will make in a lifetime, not only did he get a multimillion-dollar inheritance from his father, but he's also lost a huge amount."

Oliver then played a clip of Trump's daughter saying, "I remember once my father and I were walking down Fifth Avenue and there was a homeless person sitting right outside of Trump Tower. And I remember my father pointing to him and saying, 'You know, that guy has $8 billion more than me.' Because he was in such extreme debt at that point."

Oliver also noted one other issue with Trump: He's wildly inconsistent. "He's been pro-choice and pro-life, for and against assault weapon bans, in favor of both bringing in Syrian refugees and deporting them out of the country."

Or take Trump's inconsistent statements on former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke's endorsement of Trump. To CNN, Trump said, "I don't know anything about David Duke. Okay? I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists."

Oliver was not having it, pointing to Trump's past remarks to journalists: "Really? That's your best answer there? Because you definitely know who he is — partly because you called him 'a bigot' and 'a racist' in the past."

Oliver concluded that the best way to take down Trump is to uncouple him from his brand — his name. And it turns out that the Trump family's name was once Drumpf. Oliver explained how this could work:

If you are thinking of voting for Donald Trump, the charismatic guy promising to make America great again, stop and take a moment to imagine how you would feel if you just met a guy named Donald Drumpf, a litigious serial liar with a string of broken business ventures and the support of a former Klan leader who he can't decide whether or not to condemn. Would you think he would make a good president, or is the spell now somewhat broken?

"That is why tonight I am asking America to make Donald Drumpf again," Oliver added.

Oliver then announced the launch of the #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain and the website DonaldJDrumpf.com, where anyone can download a browser extension that replaces Trump's name with Drumpf.

"We cannot keep getting blinded by the magic of his name," Oliver said. "So please, don't think of him as Donald Trump. Think of him as something else."

As a matter of fact, Maine Writer has thought of Donald Trump as a "Chump," for a long long time. It's impossible for me to think of the racist, extremist, egotist, narcissistic Drumpf as the leader of the free world.

David Duke and the Republican Trump brand

Where is the Republican National Committee (RNC)?

Now it's official! What many Americans have suspected all along about Republican obstructionism has finally been revealed by Donald Trump and his Republican Trumponians, who have not disavowed any endorsement by the racist Ku Klux Klan past grand wizard David Duke. For the past four years, the obstruction of President Obama's progressive agenda was hiding under the guise of political polarization. Now, with another general election and the president of the United States' office at take, it's clear the political extremism has really been masked under Republican racism. Republicans like Senator Mitch McConnell and his right wing cronies have been speaking like puppets for the racist politics they have employed to block President Obama's leadership at every turn. Their ideologies thought they could bring down President Obama's administration, wrestle the next presidential election into chaos and then implement their extremist agenda like dictators just by being obstructionists. But the movement behind this mask has been revealed with David Duke's endorsement of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. The Republican agenda has not been political at all. In fact, if it had been political, there would have been consensus, compromise, advise and consent. Instead, Republicans have been closeted racist, as many of us suspected.

David Duke is a right wing admitted racist and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan hate group.

CNN reports: The Sunday uproar started when Trump was asked by Tapper whether he would disavow Duke and other white supremacist groups that are supporting his campaign.

"Just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK?" Trump said.

Trump was pressed three times on whether he'd distance himself from the Ku Klux Klan -- but never mentioned the group in his answers.

"I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists," he said. "So I don't know. I don't know -- did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists."

Duke had detailed his support for Trump in a Facebook post on Thursday.

"I think he deserves a close look by those who believe the era of political correctness needs to come to an end," Duke wrote.

He touted Trump's strength on immigration, breaking up "Jewish dominated lobbies and super PACS that are corrupting and controlling American politics," preventing war with Russia, exposing media "lies" and ensuring "that White-Americans are allowed to preserve and promote their heritage and interests just as all other groups are allowed to do."

The Anti-Defamation League had called on Trump to repudiate the support of Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, and other white supremacist groups.

Despite what he said Sunday, Trump apparently did know Duke in 2000 -- citing him, as well as Pat Buchanan and Lenora Fulani -- in a statement that year explaining why he had decided to end his brief flirtation with a Reform Party presidential campaign.

"The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani. This is not company I wish to keep," Trump said in a statement reported then by The New York Times.

He had also indicated he knew of Duke during a Friday press conference, when he was asked similar questions and said: "David Duke endorsed me? OK, all right. I disavow, OK?"

After his appearance on "State of the Union," Trump highlighted that Friday comment in a tweet, saying he does disavow Duke.

During the interview, though, asked if he'd broadly distance himself from Duke and white supremacists, Trump demurred, saying he knew nothing about their support for his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

"I have to look at the group. I mean, I don't know what group you're talking about," Trump said. "You wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I'd have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them and certainly I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong. You may have groups in there that are totally fine -- it would be very unfair. So give me a list of the groups and I'll let you know."

Tapper responded: "OK. I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan here, but --"

And Trump said: "Honestly, I don't know David Duke. I don't believe I've ever met him. I'm pretty sure I didn't meet him. And I just don't know anything about him."

Trump's comments came two days before 12 states -- largely Southern -- vote on Super Tuesday. If he defeats Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Rubio in most or all of those states, Trump could become a near lock for the Republican nomination.

Rubio slammed Trump during a rally in Virginia, highlighting Trump's 2000 comment about Duke as he pointed out that Trump did know of the white supremacist leader.

"We cannot be the party that nominates someone who refuses to condemn white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan," Rubio said.

"By the way, not only is that wrong, it makes him unelectable. How are we going to grow our party with a nominee that refuses to condemn the Ku Klux Klan?" he said. "Don't tell me he doesn't know what the Ku Klux Klan is. This is serious."

And on Sunday night Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican who is backing Rubio -- and one of two African-American senators -- in a statement blasted Trump's response.

"Any candidate who cannot immediately condemn a hate group like the KKK does not represent the Republican Party, and will not unite it. If Donald Trump can't take a stand against the KKK, we cannot trust him to stand up for America against Putin, Iran or ISIS."

Cruz hit Trump on Twitter, saying, "Really sad. @realDonaldTrump you're better than this. We should all agree, racism is wrong, KKK is abhorrent."

Asked by CNN's Alisyn Camerota on Monday whether he thought Trump's tweet disavowing Duke was enough, Ohio Gov. John Kasich said "I think so." But then he berated Trump's effect on the race.

"I don't know what's in his head. All I know is that white supremacist groups have no place in our society and clearly not in the Republican Party," Kasich said on "New Day."

"And you know it's just one controversy over another. But I have to tell you, Alisyn, I'm sort of tired of what I see, the name calling and what I consider to be childishness when we are running for president of the United States. He obviously should have immediately condemned him. I can't tell you what the heck happened. But this is like every day, it's like a circus. "

RNC communications director Sean Spicer responded to criticism on Twitter leveled at the RNC over Trump's comments, saying, "Are you kidding. Of course the @gop has and does denounce these hate groups/people."

Democratic presidential contenders were also lashing out at Trump. Bernie Sanders tweeted: "America's first black president cannot and will not be succeeded by a hatemonger who refuses to condemn the KKK."

In January, a white nationalist super PAC paid for a pro-Trump robocall to Iowa voters that said, "We don't need Muslims. We need smart, well-educated white people who will assimilate to our culture. Vote Trump."

It was a reference to Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States.

In an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett at the time, Trump disavowed those robocalls.

"I would disavow that, but I will tell you people are extremely angry," he had said.

In Sunday's interview on CNN, Trump also detailed what he'd look for in a vice presidential nominee, saying he'd want someone with "a little bit of an inside track" to getting legislation approved by Congress -- an indication Trump could pick a current politician.

"Conceptually, I like the idea of a political person to go along with my abilities," he said.

Trump also said he has no plans to release his tax returns, despite pressure from Cruz and Rubio, because IRS audits are ongoing.

He said he has been audited "almost every year for 10 or 12 years."

"Maybe it's because I'm very conservative, maybe it's because I'm tea party. ... I don't know what it is, but I have been singled out," Trump said. "Until the audit is completed, obviously I'm not giving my papers."

He did say, though, that his campaign is likely to release a list of his charitable contributions "sometime in the next week."

Maine Writer Cliff Notes version of the above from the Republican National Committee: It's easy to say the RNC "disavows" an affiliation with hate groups. Nevertheless, the RNC does not walk the walk.

Instead, the RNC must also, unequivocally, disavow Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Republicanism is now branded as Trumponianism, and will remain tainted until the Grumpy Obstructionist Party denounces bigotry in all its forms, not just the hate groups, but the salient messaging as well.

Obstruction party GOP is now anti-politics

“Politics is a way of ruling divided societies without undue violence.”

David Brooks writes about how the Republican brand of politics is like a cancer in our government. In other words, obstructionism rather than civil discourse, are killing our way of governing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/opinion/the-governing-cancer-of-our-time.html?_r=0

Two people sent me the above link, so here's my cliff notes version of the esteemed Mr. Brooks' opinion, published in The New York Times.

Republicans are anti-science, anti-women's health, anti- Second Amendment regulatory protections, anti-Muslim, anti-voting rights, anti- approving Supreme Court justices according to the US Constitution, plus a myriad of other "anti" things. Now, they're "anti-politics". Rather than govern, the Republicans are pro-extremism.  Extremists in the Grand Obstruction Party appear intent on destroying the government our founding fathers created in the US Constitution.

Of course, Mr. Brooks says the above much more eloquently and cogently than my "Maine Writer" version, but that's just the way I see it, my opinion.

Republicans seem intent on creating "anti-politics".

The Governing Cancer of Our Time

We live in a big, diverse society. There are essentially two ways to maintain order and get things done in such a society — politics or some form of dictatorship. Either through compromise or brute force. Our founding fathers chose politics.

Politics is an activity in which you recognize the simultaneous existence of different groups, interests and opinions. You try to find some way to balance or reconcile or compromise those interests, or at least a majority of them. You follow a set of rules, enshrined in a constitution or in custom, to help you reach these compromises in a way everybody considers legitimate.

The downside of politics is that people never really get everything they want. It’s messy, limited and no issue is ever really settled. Politics is a muddled activity in which people have to recognize restraints and settle for less than they want. Disappointment is normal.

But, that’s sort of the beauty of politics, too. It involves an endless conversation in which we learn about other people and see things from their vantage point and try to balance their needs against our own. Plus, it’s better than the alternative: rule by some authoritarian tyrant who tries to govern by clobbering everyone in his way.

As Bernard Crick wrote in his book, “In Defence of Politics,” “Politics is a way of ruling divided societies without undue violence.”

Over the past generation we have seen the rise of a group of people who are against politics. These groups — best exemplified by the Tea Party but not exclusive to the right — want to elect people who have no political experience. They want “outsiders.” They delegitimize compromise and deal-making. They’re willing to trample the customs and rules that give legitimacy to legislative decision-making if it helps them gain power.

Ultimately, they don’t recognize other people. They suffer from a form of political narcissism, in which they don’t accept the legitimacy of other interests and opinions. They don’t recognize restraints. They want total victories for themselves and their doctrine.

This antipolitics tendency has had a wretched effect on our democracy. It has led to a series of overlapping downward spirals:

The antipolitics people elect legislators who have no political skills or experience. That incompetence leads to dysfunctional government, which leads to more disgust with government, which leads to a demand for even more outsiders.

The antipolitics people don’t accept that politics is a limited activity. They make soaring promises and raise ridiculous expectations. When those expectations are not met, voters grow cynical and, disgusted, turn even further in the direction of antipolitics.

The antipolitics people refuse compromise and so block the legislative process. The absence of accomplishment destroys public trust. The decline in trust makes deal-making harder.

We’re now at a point where the Senate says it won’t even hold hearings on a presidential Supreme Court nominee, in clear defiance of custom and the Constitution. We’re now at a point in which politicians live in fear if they try to compromise and legislate. We’re now at a point in which normal political conversation has broken down. People feel unheard, which makes them shout even louder, which further destroys conversation.

And in walks Donald Trump. People say that Trump is an unconventional candidate and that he represents a break from politics as usual. That’s not true. Trump is the culmination of the trends we have been seeing for the last 30 years: the desire for outsiders; the bashing style of rhetoric that makes conversation impossible; the decline of coherent political parties; the declining importance of policy; the tendency to fight cultural battles and identity wars through political means.  Trump represents the path  the founders rejected.  There is a hint of violence undergirding his campaign. There is always a whiff, and sometimes more than a wiff, of "I'd like to punch him in the face."

I printed out a "Times" list of the insults Trump has hurled on Twitter. The list took up 33 pages. Trump’s style is bashing and pummeling. Everyone who opposes or disagrees with him is an idiot, a moron or a loser. The implied promise of his campaign is that he will come to Washington and bully his way through.

Trump’s supporters aren’t looking for a political process to address their needs. They are looking for a superhero. As the political scientist Matthew MacWilliams found, the one trait that best predicts whether you’re a Trump supporter is how high you score on tests that measure authoritarianism.

David Brooks is a political commentator and journalist

This isn’t just an American phenomenon. Politics is in retreat and authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide. The answer to Trump is politics. It’s acknowledging other people exist. It’s taking pleasure in that difference and hammering out workable arrangements. As Harold Laski put it, “We shall make the basis of our state consent to disagreement. Therein shall we ensure its deepest harmony.”

Congratulations to South Carolina Democrats!

Yeah! Clinton magic still works. Mrs. Clinton, President Bill Clinton and their growing family must be very proud this evening, following the South Carolina primary election victory for the 2016 presidential election.  "Instead of building walls, we need to be tearing down barriers!", she said in her wonderful victory speech.

Indeed, Mrs. Secretary Clinton gave an extraordinary campaign victory speech this evening on February 27, in South Carolina.  "This Campaign is going national!", said Mrs. Clinton to her enthusiastic South Carolina supporters. Strength, message and victory were all evident in the heartfelt victory speech she gave to her supporters.  

African Americans certainly gave their unqualified support to #Hillary2016!

Congratulations to the South Carolina Democrats who gave Mrs. Clinton a tsunami victory. She received over 80 percent support from South American African American voters!

Moreover, Mrs. Clinton gave the best speech of her political career.

Marco Rubio always comes up short on leadership

The Atlantic reports: Let's say you're 42 years old—a spring chicken, and yet already a high-profile member of Congress. You've got a seat in the Senate that seems fairly secure. Meanwhile, the Republican presidential field is jam-packed, one of the strongest groups in recent memory, and running for president would mean surrendering your Senate seat. Your whole career is ahead of you. Why run for president?

Well, as a matter of fact, Senator Marco Rubio has the grand idea that he can do just that. Yet, Rubio lost another leadership moment following the February 25th GOP primary debate. An inability to seize the spotlight and keep it is the only consistency in the Rubio communication campaign.

Senator Marco Rubio is an attractive politician with a Hispanic heritage rooted in Cuba. As a result, he fits in Florida's political system, where he rose through the Republian political ranks. Nevertheless, Rubio consistently comes up short when he's been given the nationnal spotlight and opportunity to seize leadership. Now, Rubio wants to be president of the United States, but he comes up short at moments when he's given undivided attention to close the political deal.  

For example, when Republicans gave Rubio a debutante party following President Obama's February 12, 2013, State of the Union speech, the result was his visual dependence on a ridiculous water battle. Now, Rubio is describing his political adversary Donald Trump as being insecure during breaks in Republican debate arguments. Honestly, I think Rubio's "blinky bottle" incident was a sign of insecurity, more visual than anything I've seen in Donald Trump's response to intense criticism

In another incident, today on the MSNBC "Morning Joe", Senator Rubio was given a leadership chance. He should've been highlighting the success he had attacking Donald Trump in the GOP political debate, prior to Tuesday's primary elections. Unfortunately, instead of showing leadership in this interview, Rubio went on a rant about how the media picked on his juvenile offense, when he was apparantly arrested for underage drinking a beer in a Florida park. Oh paaaaleeeze! What Rubio should've said was something statesman like, "I want the American people to know how Donald Trump is a con artist, as a matter of fact, he's telling us he's a Republican, but we don't know what he represents. Certainly, Donald Trump isn't a conservative, like me." Instead, Senator Rubio talked about being arrested as a juvenile and he asked why the media isn't picking on Trump the way he was vetted?  

Time after time, Rubio comes up short when he should sieze the leaderhsip spotlight. He doesn't even routinely show up to vote in the US Senate, where he was elected to serve his Florida constituents.

In fact, the Florida newspaper "Sun Sentinel" reports that after five years in the U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio does not like his job. A long-time friend told The Washington Post "he hates it." Rubio says hate might be too strong a word, but he sure acts like he hates his job.

Rubio has missed more votes than any other senator this year. His seat is regularly empty for floor votes, committee meetings and intelligence briefings. He says he's MIA from his J-O-B because he finds it frustrating and wants to be president, instead. (Well, if really Rubio wants to be president, the first rule is to show leadership.) "Your job is to represent Floridians in the Senate.

Senator  Marco Rubio misses the political leadership he needs to be president.  He knows how to criticize but he has no politcal positions I can articulate.

Either do your job, Sen. Rubio, or resign it," write the Sun Sentinel editorial board.

As matter of fact, Senator Rubio should resign from the Republican presidential campain because, frankly, he simply doesn't have the leadership skills American needs. As Governor Christie said, "We're not electing a student council president." 

Zika virus, updates from Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Questions About Zika: The CDC Answers

(One of the best articles about how to control the dengue fever and the mosquito that carries Zika is in this article:

"The Mosquito Solution" by Michael Spectre

Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH

I've cut and pasted here because many of us have young granddaughters. I hope this information from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is helpful.

Zika Virus

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/859014

What Is Zika Virus?

Zika is a disease caused by Zika virus, which is spread to humans primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The Zika virus is closely related to dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses.

Other Than Through Mosquito Bites, How Can Zika Virus Be Transmitted?
Although Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, there are several other modes of transmission: maternal/fetal, intrauterine, perinatal, blood transfusions, organ donations and sexual transmissions

Where Did the Zika Virus Come From?

In 1947, Zika virus was first found in a monkey in Uganda. Before 2007, only sporadic human disease cases were reported in Africa and Southeast Asia, although additional cases were likely to have occurred and were not reported. In 2007, the first outbreak of Zika was reported on Yap island, Federated States of Micronesia. A subsequent outbreak occurred in French Polynesia in 2013-2014, with more than 28,000 suspected Zika virus infections reported.

Brazil reported the first Zika case in the Americas in 2015. Since that time, the virus has spread, and outbreaks are currently occurring in many countries and territories in the Americas, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin islands.

What Are the Symptoms and Diagnosis of Zika?
About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus will get sick. For those who are symptomatic, symptoms are typically mild and self-resolving; for this reason, most people will not realize they have been infected.

The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis. Symptoms typically begin 2 -7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon. Fatalities caused by Zika virus are rare.

Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week, but it can be found longer in some people. During the first week after onset of symptoms, Zika virus disease can often be diagnosed by performing reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on serum (aka "blood test").

Currently, no vaccine or medication exists to prevent to treat Zika virus infection.  There are no commercially available diagnostic tests for Zika virus disease.

What Can People Do to Prevent Becoming Infected With Zika?There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. Educate patients who will be traveling to endemic areas.

The best way to prevent disease spread by mosquitoes is to adhere to the recommendations below.

Recommendations for Adult Men and Women

1. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
2. Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
3. Sleep under a mosquito bed net if temperature-controlled or screened rooms are not available or if sleeping outdoors.
4. Use Insect Repellents

When used as directed, insect repellents are proven safe and effective even for pregnant and breastfeeding women. A list of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered products is available online.

Always follow the product label instructions.
Reapply insect repellent as directed.
Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen before applying insect repellent.

If You Have a Baby or Child

• Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months of age.
• Dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs, or
• Cover crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito netting.
• Do not apply insect repellent onto a child's hands, eyes, mouth, and cut or irritated skin.
• Adults: Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child's face.
• Treat Clothing and Gear With Permethrin, or Buy Permethrin (insecticide)-Treated Items

Treated clothing remains protective after multiple washings. See product information to learn how long the protection will last.

If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions carefully.
Do NOT use permethrin products directly on skin. They are intended to treat clothing.

Does Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Women Cause Birth Defects?
There have been multiple reports of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant. Knowledge of the link between Zika and these outcomes is evolving, but until more is known, CDC recommends special precautions for the following groups:

1. Pregnant women (in any trimester)
2. Counsel pregnant women to consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.
3. If pregnant women must travel to one of these areas, advise them to strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip.
4. If a woman has a male partner who lives in or has traveled to an area where Zika is spreading, advise her to either abstain from sex or use condoms consistently and correctly for the duration of the pregnancy.

Women who are trying to become pregnant

1. Talk to your female patients about their plans to become pregnant and the risk for Zika virus infection.
2. Advise women and their male partners to strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.

Recommendations for Pregnant Women Considering Travel to an Area of Zika Virus Transmission

Counsel pregnant women to:
Postpone travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing
Strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites

No specific antiviral treatment is available for Zika virus disease. Treatment is generally supportive and can include rest, fluids, and use of analgesics and antipyretics. Because of similar geographic distribution and symptoms, patients with suspected Zika virus infections also should be evaluated and managed for possible dengue or chikungunya virus infection.

Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be avoideduntil dengue can be ruled out, to reduce the risk for hemorrhage. People infected with Zika, chikungunya, or dengue virus should be protected from further mosquito exposure during the first few days of illness to prevent other mosquitoes from becoming infected and reduce the risk for local transmission.

Diagnosis and Reporting
Preliminary diagnosis is based on the patient's clinical features, places and dates of travel, and activities. Laboratory diagnosis is generally accomplished by testing serum or plasma to detect virus, viral nucleic acid, or virus-specific immunoglobulin M and neutralizing antibodies

As an arboviral disease, Zika virus is a nationally notifiable condition. Healthcare providers are encouraged to report suspected cases to their state or local health departments to facilitate diagnosis and mitigate the risk for local transmission. State or local health departments are encouraged to report laboratory-confirmed cases to CDC through ArboNET, the national surveillance system for arboviral disease.

What Is CDC Doing About Zika?
CDC has been aware of Zika for some time and has been preparing for its possible introduction into the United States.Laboratories in many countries have been trained to test for chikungunya and dengue. These skills have prepared these laboratories for Zika testing.

CDC is working with international public health partners and with state health departments to

• Alert healthcare providers and the public about Zika;

• Post travel notices and other travel-related guidance;

• Provide state health laboratories with diagnostic tests; and
• Detect and report cases, which will help prevent further spread.

The arrival of Zika in the Americas demonstrates the risks posed by this and other exotic viruses. CDC's health security plans are designed to effectively monitor for disease, equip diagnostic laboratories, and support mosquito control programs both in the United States and around the world.

Republicans ignore issues put on Curly Moe Larry re-run

How much candidate debate screaming can American voters endure before realizing how the Republicans have no ideas, no vision and no plan to make America great again. Instead, Republicans have created a re-run of the Three Stooges as their 2016 platforms!
Do these faces look familiar!
Curly - Moe - Larry



".. the lie that Republicans are the party of big business. Big business does great with big government. Big business is very happy to climb in bed with big government. Republicans are and should be the party of small business and of entrepreneurs."- Ted Cruz  (This quote makes no sense)

Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/ted_cruz.html
"

The American Dream is a term that is often used but also often misunderstood. It isn't really about becoming rich or famous. It is about things much simpler and more fundamental than that. Marco-Rubio (This quote is hypocritical- Rubio has lived the American Dream!)
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/marco_rubio.html

"....the wall just became taller...." (Donald Trump's epitaph...)

None of the above quotes makes any sense.

Let's vote all Republicans out of office in 2016!

Go Hillary2016!