It is a good sign that the Obama Administration is not sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see whether or not the Swine Flu crisis will be a national health emergency.
Better to plan that it will be, than react as the Bush Administration did with the early threat of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 by doing nothing. If it turns out that the flu crisis remains smaller than thought likely, all to the good, but the nation’s government agencies must act quickly if it does indeed turn out to be a major epidemic as feared.
In my mind, this is similar to the concept that global warming may turn out not to be a reality, but better to plan for it than be caught up in the midst of a crisis with too little reaction, leading to major catastrophe. One must plan for the worst, and hope for the best in both areas as well as other potential situations that may arise in the future.
In other words, there is a NEED for government to be activist, not the Reagan emphasis on government being the problem. Lack of action and preparedness has been the problem. Repudiation of Reaganism is definitely part of the American scene in 2009!