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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Texas GOP Governor loses his mind...

Posted by: Kevin McCullough at 2:00 PM

Please explain to me what the holy heck is wrong with Texas GOP Governor Rick Perry...

Is he a stooge for the Merck Pharmecutical company? Does he despise his conservative base? Does he have a political death wish?

On Friday (no doubt to try to bury it in the news cycle) Perry signed an EXECUTIVE ORDER mandating that all incoming 6th grade girls, beginning in September 2008, would be forced to receive the HPV vaccine.

No consulting with their parents, no consulting with their pastor, or even doctors.

Legislators are upset:

"I think a lot of us were leaning towards having this available to young women and consulting with their parents and their physicians. I don't think many of us were leaning towards an outright mandate," says Rep. Isett.

Rep. Isett and other legislators are drafting a letter to Governor Perry addressing their concerns. They hope to send it in the next few days.

As are parents:

The main concern parents have is that the vaccine will promote sexual promiscuity. But in a statement released Monday Perry says, "Providing the HPV vaccine doesn't promote sexual promiscuity anymore than providing the Hepatitis B vaccine promotes drug use. If the medical community developed a vaccine for lung cancer, would the same critics oppose it claiming it would encourage smoking?"

Still many critics say he's walking a fine line edging on invading parental rights. NewsChannel 11 talked with a number of parents Monday as well as Representative Carl Isett of Lubbock to see where they stand on this issue

"I think every parent should have the right to decide what's best for their children," says Alice Escobebo, a concerned parent.

I am a proud son of the Lone Star State, but I am embarrassed by the unbelievable gaffe Governor Perry is making... and that by example he will be encouraging other state's to make in the near term. For example... The Newark Star Ledger has not run a story on anything to do with Texas politics in ages, yet today saw fit to highlight the Perry decision, and advocate for as much to happen in New Jersey as well.

It is a poor decision by Perry on a purely constitutional level, but it is an enormously idiotic move as it plays to his base.

Check Perry's deposit slips... if Merck surfaces all will be explained.

Actually the Dallas Morning News was reading my mind...

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Joy writes:	Tuesday, February, 06, 2007 8:18 PM
legislated HPV vaccine
Tried for 10 mins to call during your show today, but just got picked up as you were ending. I am very upset about pending NJ legislation to make HPV vaccination a requirement here. I usually am a strong advocate of immunization. In many years of nursing practice I have seen the positive effects of immunization and felt the distress of those who suffered illness from not being immunized. HOWEVER - while ovarian cancer is indeed a tragedy not all cases are caused by HPV. A friend of mine testified at a legislative hearing in Trenton last week against this immunization. There have been only limited studies of its efficacy and statistics seem to indicate that there is more risk from potential reactions to the vaccine than to actually getting the virus itself. I greatly resent legislation of treatment of sexually transmitted disease in MY child. My husband and I should be able to make an informed decision whether or not to vaccinate our daughter based on our pediatrician's recommendations. HPV is not a community health risk like meningitis or measles and the government has no business making the vaccination a law.
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truthbetold writes:	Wednesday, February, 07, 2007 11:36 PM
It's all about the MONEY
This whole deal a play by Merck to force people to buy its vaccine before competitors can get their products on the market and compete with Merck. They made a profit of 65% on each person who gets the vaccine which is $234.00. If a girl isa abstinent like who should be then there is no need for this vaccine. It is just another way to encourage promiscous behavior.
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Elisabeth writes:	Thursday, February, 08, 2007 10:42 AM
Merk!
Bought and paid for by the lovely folks at Merk. Still waiting to meet ONE honest, decent, moral politician.
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Lisa of Longbourn writes:	Friday, February, 16, 2007 3:03 AM
A Matter of Public Health
What is the evidence, first, that the HIV vaccination has not encouraged drug use? Secondly, I heard a woman, a nurse, saying that since the STD could cause cancer, and since the vaccine could prevent the spread of the STD, mandating vaccinations is a matter of public health. Except, I thought... Since HPV can cause cancer, and since abstinence can infallibly (not sure on that - can you catch it like HIV, by sharing a needle or something?) prevent the spread of this disease, isn't ABSTINENCE a matter of public health? Yet sexual responsibility is barely even taught to those junior high girls because (oh no!) it is moral. They would rather take more responsibility and freedom from parents, give girls more confidence to be promiscuous (deny that, if you will), teach them to use condoms, and make sure that the right to eliminate a child to cover their immorality is a sin protected by the highest COURT of the land. Nevertheless, there is hope. Some parents - yes, even some teenage girls, still have sense enough to object and decline. To God be all glory, Lisa of Longbourn
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