Moved to the Front of the Line and Why?

WTF is this all about?.

As you can tell from my previous post I am rather disgruntled about the 'special deference' that seems to prevail toward the folks on Wall Street and especially those in firms like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Citigroup when it comes to the Obama administration. I understand the importance of the financial world and all that but it sure seems to me that we are being taken advantage of at every turn. This latest news about the distribution of the scarce H1N1 vaccine really frosts me. If you are wondering why no Democratic voters turned out in New Jersey or Virginia last Tuesday then this is a prime example. What we are seeing from the Obama team is the same old corporate patronage crap we had under the Bush administration. Give us a break and if this is the 'change' I voted for then you can keep the 'change'.

Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to investigate why the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approved the distribution of the H1NI vaccine to Wall Street firms at a time when the vaccine is unavailable to most Americans.

Recent news reports indicate 13 companies, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Time Warner, have been cleared to receive the vaccine.

The CDC is distributing the much sought-after vaccine to Wall Street firms despite reports of vast shortages. In fact, just yesterday CDC Director Thomas Frieden informed Congress that only 32.3 million doses are available, far less than the 159 million needed to cover those at the highest risk. Given the scarce supply, the CDC has recommended the vaccine be directed only to those at highest risk: pregnant women, infants and children and those up to 24 years, those who care for infants, health and emergency services personnel, and adults with compromised immune systems or other chronic health problems.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today, “Although CREW has been unable to uncover the demographic makeup of Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and JP Morgan Chase, it seems safe to assume the vast majority of their employees are not pregnant women, infants and children, young adults up to 24 years old, and healthcare workers.”