Wockner: What Is Arnold Smoking?

Rex Wockner goes off on the Governator over his plan to cut state funding for HIV medications.

Arnold is smoking something other than fine imported cigars. And the California Legislature is inhaling the second-hand smoke. They're actually thinking of taking away people's HIV drugs because the state is broke -- way beyond broke, actually.

You can learn more here, here and here. Meanwhile, here's a note I sent to an editor pal at a daily newspaper today:

"The thing here is: ADAP (the AIDS Drug Assistance Program) pays for HIV drugs for people who can't afford them. I know people who are in this program. To actually cut off someone's antiretroviral drugs, which is what we're talking about here, is almost a form of slow murder. The viral load would bounce back fairly quickly, immune function would decline, and people would begin to die of the opportunistic infections that killed them in the Bad Old Days (pre-1996, pre-protease-inhibitor-based combo therapy). It is inconceivable that Schwarzenegger or the Legislature would do this, but it seems to be very much on the table. Its even being on the table seems to me to be unconscionable... I think it's an important story once you understand it in the context I've attempted to lay out here."

Go here for more information on today's protest in Sacramento.