If Romney could be trusted, he might be a viable choice. Unfortunately he seems subservient and he's been on every side of the issues in the past 10 years.
I'm sick of hearing about the vaccine. In the debate, Perry brought up a point I hadn't heard, that there had been a bill passed aimed at cancers. Curious I went looking and found that was absolutely true.
In 2005, HB 2475 said, "This bill requires the Department of State Health Services to develop a strategic plan to eliminate mortality from cervical cancer by the year 2015…" "The strategic plan must be developed and delivered to the governor and legislature no later than December 31, 2006."
Was the plan delivered to Perry? Yes it was.
A 47 page report (Acrobat PDF) called "Texas Cervical Cancer Strategic Plan," December 2006, by Texas Department of State Health Services in collaboration with The Texas Cancer Council was delivered.
Page 8, "Executive summary" Armed with this new HPV vaccine, we can achieve the moment when we know our goal — eliminating cervical cancer death and suffering — is in reach.
Page 20, "Access to Care" - "Women must have access to cervical cancer screening to eliminate cervical cancer in Texas. The National Cancer Institute reports that groups of women with high cervical cancer mortality:...
… "Widespread vaccination is a key to reducing cervical cancer incidence in Texas"
People who think this was something Perry cooked up in secret for crony capitalist pals at Merck in exchange for $6,000 of $12 million in campaign donations are demented.
He acted in the furtherance of the legislature's public health goals by ensuring the widest dissemination of and coverage for the vaccine.
The three shots included in Gardasil cost $360 which is not cheap for "low income" individuals most in need of it. Opt-out vaccines are covered by insurance, Medicaid and other programs. Opt-in vaccines not.
Santorum, Ingraham, Malkin and others can pander on philosophical grounds and to the anti-vax crowd but we live in the real world, not a debate club.
Santorum's debate argument we should only opt-in for vaccinations is societal suicidal. Most of work because of "herd immunity" so insisting people say "NO" instead of "YES" is the most reasoned position for public health.
Romney had it right in the debate, Perry had the right intentions and Perry would do it differently if he could do it over.
I draw a strong contrast for others with Perry's pragmatic pro parental protection approach and noting there's a bill right now on the CA governor's desk, AB499 (Atkins) that will give 12 year-old kids the power to consent to vaccines and other measures without parental involvement or notice.
I would like to thank you for this additional information. I will consider it in future when I make my decision on who to vote for in the primary.
That, for me, was one of the high points of the debate. Rather than tear each other down, let's talk about real world solutions to real world problems: we are all on the same team, and are largely of the same mind. Any one of those candidates are better for the country, long term, than the current occupant of the Oval Office.