Bill Maher says Swine Flu isn't a threat

Yet, his guest, Dr. Bill Frist insists it is. Do I believe a guy who makes jokes for a living, or the guy with the letters M.D. after his name?

Originally posted by PinkFloyd
Yet, his guest, Dr. Bill Frist insists it is. Do I believe a guy who makes jokes for a living, or the guy with the letters M.D. after his name?

Believe nether based solely on their profession or qualifications. Instead listen to their arguments, do your own research, then make your own conclusions.
You should give some positive bias to the man with M.D. after his name but do not simply believe everything he says without question.
Swine Flu is a real virus which kills real people so of course it is a 'threat'. The real issue is how much of a threat is it? Will it wipe out half of humanity, do barely more damage than normal seasonal flu, or will it be somewhere in between? To what extent can we affect which of those scenarios plays out by being proactive and what will our various options cost us?

Bill Maher's anti-capitalism makes him right because pharmaceutical companies are evil. The fact the other guy was citing the latest medical journals didn't seem to stop him.

The argument that the vaccine was worthless because flu viruses mutate was hilarious.

Originally posted by PinkFloyd
Yet, his guest, Dr. Bill Frist insists it is. Do I believe a guy who makes jokes for a living, or the guy with the letters M.D. after his name?

It is somewhat alarming hearing people say that getting imunizations from such things as the swine flu may become mandatory. Of course, the drug companies make a killing, but what about government? They throw billions of dollars at such "problems" that enrich the drug companies and then try to herd the populace into getting the immunizatinos. Are they truly concenred about the health of the populace or are there other motives? We all know that Big Government and Big corporations have a symbiotic relationship and this is just further evidence of it.

Originally posted by whodey
It is somewhat alarming hearing people say that getting imunizations from such things as the swine flu may become mandatory. Of course, the drug companies make a killing, but what about government? They throw billions of dollars at such "problems" that enrich the drug companies and then try to herd the populace into getting the immunizatinos. Are they trul ...[text shortened]... nt and Big corporations have a symbiotic relationship and this is just further evidence of it.

Sounds like a conspiracy theory. However, you need to make more of an argument than that. You appear to be saying that the governments primary motivation is to increase profits for drug companies, yet you haven't actually presented any evidence whatsoever for that. Instead you have presented as evidence the fact that the government is highly motivated. Rather poor logic don't you think?
I could equally claim that the governments insistence on mandatory vaccination is evidence that the flu is a real threat. All it really shows is that the government is motivated - it doesn't point at which motivations.