A few weeks ago, claiming that the good people of Texas had had enough of big government, Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, said that his state was considering secession. Today, however, facing a swine flu pandemic from Mexico, the Governor who hates America is begging for federal help.

Hopefully, the feds will be able to come through with the 37,430 courses of antiviral medicine that Perry is requesting. Seeing as how Republicans in Congress slashed the $900 million in the stimulus plan that would have gone toward pandemic preparedness by more than %80, though, it’ll be a challenge.

That’s right, the Republicans, in all their wisdom, fought against pandemic preparedness. Giveaways to oil companies and investment banks are one thing, I guess, but they draw the line at protecting the American people from the flu. And before you roll your eyes and chuckle at the prospects of the flu to really impact life here on earth, I’ll remind you that the Spanish Flu wiped out up to 100 million people worldwide in 1918, and that was when the planet was much less congested, and people didn’t travel very often or very far.

As for this strain of swine flu, the Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Charles E. Johnson declared a national emergency today. As of right now, there 20 known cases in the U.S. and 81 confirmed deaths in Mexico. The U.S. cases thus far identified are in California, Texas, Kansas, and New York. Additional information and resources on pandemic preparedness can be found here.

So, for God’s sakes, stay away from Old Country Buffet… and vote against Republicans, and for people who believe in science and learn from history, whenever possible.