The Government's Fault?

There is an interesting--and long--article in the L.A. Times about people who contracted Aids as infants at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

It turns out that in the early 80's blood wasn't yet screened for the virus and there were hundreds of newborns infected through blood transfusions.

A sad, gut-wrenching situation indeed.

The surpising and amazing thing is that some of those people are looking to get some money out of this--not suing the hospital (you would expect that), but via compensation from the U.S. Government.

A bill giving hemophiliacs $100,000 compensation already has taken effect, but the bill to do the same for infants did not.

Is it just me, or does anybody else think this is just bizarre?

What possible responsibility does the government bear in cases like these? Is it because the disease is Aids, that they are able to push this through? People don't get money from the government when they contract an infection while hospitalized.

And you know that the "government" actually means me and you.