GOV 120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 29: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Marshall Plan, Common Good
Jack Warner
Government 120 - American Government
Lectures
Fall 2017
GE
● The Indispensable Nation? Ebola and the US
○ “I am being honest with you when I say at this rate, we will never break the
transmission chain and the virus will overwhelm us.” – Liberia President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf
○ Liberia: 250 doctors for 4.1 million people (in contrast, Austin has about 4,500
doctors)
○ Geometric growth of new Ebola cases – spreading at a rate of 1.4 to 1.7 new
people per case (August)
■ Monrovia is short 1,000 beds, so people are being turned away from
isolation wards and are then at a heightened risk of infecting others.
○ Liberian challenge: many cases of Ebola are in the city; cannot contain the virus
in rural isolated villages like prior outbreaks.
○ Liberia has specifically requested for American military administration.
■ Liberian president is worried that basic order will collapse, which is
already occurring – no economic movement (everyone staying at home),
no police force, no health care for ailments other than Ebola.
■ Constant threat of failing state and the return to civil war chaos
○ US has made a commitment of $700,000, set up 17 100-bed treatment centers,
and had provided humanitarian and medical personnel.
○ Ethics
■ Is it ethically permissible NOT to intervene? Are we ethically required to
intervene?
■ Does the role of “indispensable nation” increase America’s moral
responsibility?
● In general, ethics tend to lean towards if we can help with a
situation we should, and if we are the only people who can help a
situation, we have an even higher ethical standard.
■ Various approaches can be applied to this humanitarian crisis:
● Utilitarianism – benefits vs. harms
○ Benefits:
■ Relieve human suffering, save lives
■ Prevent disease spread
■ Prevent social/economic breakdown
■ Prevent civil conflict
■ Boost international and domestic image
○ Harms/Costs:
■ Risk American lives
■ Strain American economy
■ Overstretch American military
■ Distract from greater threats
Document Summary
I am being honest with you when i say at this rate, we will never break the transmission chain and the virus will overwhelm us. liberia president ellen. Liberia: 250 doctors for 4. 1 million people (in contrast, austin has about 4,500 doctors) Geometric growth of new ebola cases spreading at a rate of 1. 4 to 1. 7 new people per case (august) Monrovia is short 1,000 beds, so people are being turned away from isolation wards and are then at a heightened risk of infecting others. Liberian challenge: many cases of ebola are in the city; cannot contain the virus in rural isolated villages like prior outbreaks. Liberia has specifically requested for american military administration. Liberian president is worried that basic order will collapse, which is already occurring no economic movement (everyone staying at home), no police force, no health care for ailments other than ebola. Constant threat of failing state and the return to civil war chaos.
