Posted on 09/18/2011 1:29:25 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
CORPUS CHRISTI — Gov. Rick Perry is under attack for trying to prevent a cancer whose yearly death toll exceeds this nation’s 9/11 losses by more than a thousand. On this issue, we are compelled to defend him — an unfamiliar role — and to wonder whether the master politician hand-picked his attackers.
We speak, of course, of the other Republican presidential candidates and their assault on Perry’s 2007 executive order that all sixth-grade girls be vaccinated against HPV, a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer and genital warts. The order was soon overturned in a hail of criticism that it usurped parental control (though it included an opt-out), encouraged promiscuity and returned a favor to Perry contributor Merck.
Texans had pretty much put this episode behind them — even the ones who were most angry about it, perhaps because those predisposed to anger on this issue are predisposed to back Perry on most others. But along came the Republican presidential primary campaign, then later came Perry into that campaign after an extended theatrical hemming and hawing, only to snatch instant frontrunner-hood. The HPV issue is the best opportunity for the other candidates, especially extreme-right Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum, to nip at Perry’s heels.
The governor’s connection to Merck and to the lobbyist who sought his support is undeniable. Perry’s opponents can charge cronyism with a degree of accuracy. He responded to a pitch for a commercial product, delivered by someone who had fast-track access to him. But since the product’s widespread use would be in the public’s best interest, it appears that Perry has chosen his cronies wisely.
As for the notion that the HPV vaccine would promote promiscuity, it’s hard to imagine a teenager deciding to have sex because she was vaccinated against HPV, or deciding against it because she hasn’t been.
Bachmann took it a step further, suggesting that the vaccine can cause mental retardation. She bases this on her account of a weeping mother telling her it happened to her daughter. The American Academy of Pediatrics responded that the HPV vaccine is safe and doesn’t cause mental retardation, based on science.
Now Perry is in the unfamiliar position of having both science and us on his side. He has said, repeatedly, that his method was wrong but his purpose — preventing cancer and saving lives — was right.
The attacks on Perry play well before a right-wing audience focused on limited-government principles. When the focus shifts to daughters — which at some point it will — this family-first audience will stop paying only lip service to putting family first, even if it means joining a science-believing audience on this one issue.
The HPV attacks, while appearing to hurt Perry’s chances of winning the nomination, will do much to dispel concerns that he’s too far right to win the general election. We have to wonder if Bachmann is part of a plan to enhance Perry’s electability.
His most viable opponent, Mitt Romney, did his part to help that cause.
While Romney agreed that Perry should have gone about the HPV issue differently, “I think his heart was in the right place.” This confirms the disputable theory that Perry has a heart. No other issue addressed by Perry thus far in the campaign suggests that he does. His nonchalant comment about the many executions under his watch, chillingly applauded during the California debate, suggested that he doesn’t.
So, in the long run, Perry’s HPV mistake will do him more good than harm. He looks manly, defiant and compassionate defending it. It lures people into his corner who usually aren’t, including us, and ultimately won’t chase away those who usually are.
Sure. I’ll be sure to save a link to your post as an example of “corruption for me, but not for thee” on the part of Palin supporters.
What state and city do you live in?
Uh-huh. So how large a city are you from?
Few understand this, as the issue has been distorted and demagogued.
All Texas high school graduates who have attended a Texas high school for at least 3 years are given the same college tuition rate.
If you were to try to keep illegals from receiving the same rate, who had otherwise met the requirements to enter college, you would have to investigate people of Hispanic heritage, period. That is what would happen if you tried to sort this out.
In Texas there are millions of Hispanics whose ancestors have been in Texas for generations...they do not even know of a particular ancestor who started it by moving to Texas, they only know that as far back as they are aware, their people have lived here, not somewhere else.
How would you like it if you were in that situation, and you were investigated because you were ready to enroll in college, because you looked Hispanic and your last name was.
And so were all your friends and relatives investigated.
No money is “spent” on them as illegals. Again, all Texas high school graduates who attended their school or schools for at least 3 years are given the same college tuition rate, for which their families have to pay. We don’t have free college in Texas.
I grew up in a city of about 50,000, but spend my formative teenage and young adult years in towns of 1,700 and 8,000, respectively.
I guess that was for me.
I live in the Houston metro-plex (population close to 6 million)
Bypassing the legislature shows a character flaw.
Apologies sre nice, but in this case, the people should have had a voice from the beginning.
He denied them that.
bttt
Are they so high you would stand by and accept four more years of Zero. I sat out the last election because I thought McCain would do the same as Zero just slower...I still believe that was true....but we can’t take another four years of this moron. Perry is no Ronald Reagan but he’s hit a note with a lot of people. I’ll take any of the candidates over Zero even Rrrr...Rrrr...rrrrom...you know who I mean!!
Oh, by the way, I guess you forgot that I had mentioned that there were local competitors who were cut out of the bidding process...
It is not clear that Perry UNDERSTANDS his RINO ways.
I read what he said, and it was nuanced ... for a RINO.
It is not clear Perry will not impose PerryCARE II.
Oh, I live in that awful, labor union Hell named Longview, Washington. That’s where the long shoreman rioted recently, blocked a train laden with grain and committed all sorts of vandalism.
Our U.S. Senators are both liberal Democrats who I thoroughly despise, and the Governor is two-term liberal witch who committed election fraud to ‘win’ her first term. Oddly enough she isn’t as publicly corrupt as Gov. Perry.
I’ve had it with both Parties, as there isn’t much to distinguish one from the other. Both play favorites and take money from donors, only to favor those donors with government contracts.
I want smaller government, less intrusive government in our lives, period.
So far no Republican candiates meet that ticket, and that includes the Governor of Texas.
“indylindy” — Did I miss your reply to Post #37?
Well, seeing as how you're one a' them fancy-pants city slickers, you obviously don't understand that corruption ain't okay for people in the big city, but it IS okay for people in little towns.
Perry wasn’t opposed to AZ’s bill to curb illegals. What he said was the bill wasn’t right for Texas at this time.
AZ has a much shorter border to defend, than the 1250 mile border that Texas has. And, the AZ border is not a river, but on solid ground where a fence may be built and better defended.
To try to fence 1250 miles of the Texas border along the river would require taking huge tracts of property from ranchers and farmers who depend on water from the river for their crops and herds.
Boots on the ground, with ROEs to shoot would be more of a detriment to illegal border crossings than a fence.
Somewhere, there’s a post to you as to why he went the executive order route. I believe it was a technical reason in order to expedite the opt out.
Also, I don’t know exactly the order in which everything played out, but the Texas Legislature only meets once every two years, while the governor is always the governor.
It shows no character flaw to issue an exective order, per se, they are legitimate in some instances.
The people had their chance to be heard before anything was done under the order.
You stated that he was the same as Obama.
You are flat out wrong, but you will never admit it.
So long. I won’t waste my time. My whole purpose is to post the truth. Which I did.
Then write Sen. Jim DeMint and ask him to change his mind about not running!
Last time we were there, Mt. St Helen's just wouldn't release the cloud bank so we could see it. The drive up to it was quite something to see.
What does the State of Indiana do regarding “opt out”? Don't they have a similar ‘opt out’ provision regarding the mandated children inoculations? Aren't you concerned about your state?
I have no idea who will be elected President next year, but I’m certain the Democrats know it isn’t going to be Obama. The Chicogo Tribune just ran an article recommending he not run for re-election. What a surprise!
As for Rfff...rrom, oh you know who we both mean; I suspect most folks recognize a phoney when they see one.
And you write like you need to ease off the caffeine, old buddy.
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