Congressman Remembers 1970s Flu Scare

LAKE JACKSON, Texas - Republican Congressman Ron Paul has never been bashful about voicing his opinion. "I think we're overreacting," he said. So when it comes to swine flu, he will not hold back. "I think it's way overblown, although I acknowledge it's serious."

The concern over the outbreak reminds Paul of the mass hysteria back in 1976 when a new virus called swine flu prompted a government vaccination program.

40 million Americans were administered vaccinations after the U.S. Public Health service aired a series of Public Service Announcements many called scaremongering. Paul was just elected to Congress when he was one of only two representatives to vote against the new vaccination bill.

"That didn't make any sense to me medically or politically, so we had the vote and another doctor and I voted against it because we didn't think it was a good idea," he said. The pandemic everyone feared never happened. "Turned out it was a good vote because it was totally unnecessary. 25 people died from the inoculations and thousands got Guillain-Barre Syndrome which causes temporary paralysis," said Paul.

Paul is now taking his message to the internet. He posted his message on YouTube.com. He thinks the hundreds of school closures nationwide is too much. Emergency rooms are being flooded at the first sign of any illness.

"People are terrified, that's the part I don't like, the propaganda that scares people into doing things they shouldn't be doing and making politicians do things they don't have the right to be doing," he said. Paul does not think the Homeland Security Office should make what he calls medical decisions.