Apparently Senator Roy Blunt (R. MO) is the expert when it comes to figuring out why people distrust the government over the Ebola crisis:
Blunt said that many Americans had lost their trust in the government since it has proven incapable of dealing with other crises.
“I’d be careful about overdoing this, but I also understand that if it were one incident where people thought the government wasn’t doing what people though the government was supposed to do, it’d be much less of a reaction that we see now,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Now, people see a “long list of the government being one step behind, whether it’s the border, the IRS, the Secret Service,” he said.
“Now this health concern is more real than it would be if there wasn’t a sense that the government is just not being managed in a way that we would want it to be managed.”
Yep, because nothing screams "government incompetence" than listing a bunch of over-hyped non-scandals to prove your point. Here's the entire exchange.
CHUCK TODD:
I want to talk quickly politics of fear. Let me play this montage.
(BEGIN TAPE)
SENATOR PAT ROBERTS (R-KANSAS):
Well, again, the Ebola epidemic, along with ISIS, shows you how we should really secure the border. And not be granting amnesty.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY (R-PENNSYLVANIA):
Oh, you don't have to worry about this, you don't have to worry about this. Really? Well, the government needs to stop acting as if it's absurd for people to fear a virus that liquefies their internal organs.
REP. BLAKE FARENTHOLD (R-TEXAS):
Every outbreak novel or zombie movie you see starts with somebody from the government sitting in front of a panel like this saying there's nothing to worry about.
(END TAPE)
CHUCK TODD:
Senators, responsible rhetoric?
SENATOR BOB CASEY:
No, not responsible, Chuck. I think what we need to remember as a Congress is constructive proposals based upon the science and medical expertise, not based upon politics. I do think in the Senate though, I think we're able to agree. I think there's a lot of consensus that the public health system hasn't been invested in. And that we've got to deal with this in a very bipartisan way.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator, any advice to people on the ballot in November on sort of overdoing it here?
SENATOR ROY BLUNT:
Oh, I'd be careful about overdoing it. But I also understand that if this was one incidence where people thought the government wasn't doing what the government was supposed to do, it would be much less of a reaction than we see now, where there's this long list of the government being one step behind, whether it's the border, the IRS, the secret service. Now this health concern is more real than it would be, if there wasn't a sense that the government is just not being managed in a way that people would want it to be managed.
