Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin (R), who’s running for Congress in the state’s 1st Congressional District, suggested that immigrants from Central America could bring the Ebola virus with them, even though the outbreak has mainly been contained in West Africa.
Tobin’s comments were flagged by Tucson Weekly.
“Anything’s now possible,” Tobin said. “So if you were to say the Ebola virus has now entered [the country], I don’t think anyone would be surprised.”
Tobin’s suggestion comes a month after Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) wrote a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that said there were reports “of illegal immigrants carrying deadly diseases such as swine flu, dengue fever, Ebola virus and tuberculosis are particularly concerning.”
Tobin, TPM readers should recall, is running in a primary against state Rep. Adam Kwasman, the congressman who accidentally protested a bus for the YMCA that he thought was filled with illegal immigrants.
There are things to keep in mind when considering this argument. For one, Ebola isn’t found in Central America. It’s also hard to contract. And, as Mother Jones points out, vaccination rates in Central America also happen to be higher than in Texas.
(H/t: Mother Jones’s Tim Murphy)
Teapublicans never let facts get in the way of verbal diarrhea
For sure, all those immigrant children swimming across the Atlantic from Africa are bringing Ebola.
Gee, I thought ISIS had already set up Ebola-spreading Obamacare Clinics for Anchor Babies and Dreamers in Texas.
You’d think these people would feel embarrassed to use the crushing fear and ignorance inherent in their base to get votes.
Anything’s possible! It’s true! At this very moment, ISIS could be training rabid Mexican alligators to migrate north on special pontoon-equipped bicycles, with technological assistance by Martians from beyond the moon! And what is Barack Hussein Obama doing about it? (Crowd roars:) No-thing!
Anyhoo, if this works, democracy doesn’t. Glad I’m aging. Anyone need their drink freshened?