Brace for HPV executive orders
We’re used to these in Illinois, although Gov. Blagojevich hasn’t thwarted the legislative process since last October. Get ready. Change the names, and this may be in your state’s future:
AUSTIN, Texas Feb 2, 2007 (AP) — Bypassing the Legislature altogether, Republican Gov. Rick Perry issued an order Friday making Texas the first state to require that schoolgirls get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.
By employing an executive order, Perry sidestepped opposition in the Legislature from conservatives and parents’ rights groups who fear such a requirement would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way Texans raise their children.
Beginning in September 2008, girls entering the sixth grade meaning, generally, girls ages 11 and 12 will have to receive Gardasil, Merck & Co.’s new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV….
Of course, the quid pro quo:
Merck is bankrolling efforts to pass state laws across the country mandating Gardasil for girls as young as 11 or 12. It doubled its lobbying budget in Texas and has funneled money through Women in Government, an advocacy group made up of female state legislators around the country.
Perry has several ties to Merck and Women in Government. One of the drug company’s three lobbyists in Texas is Mike Toomey, Perry’s former chief of staff. His current chief of staff’s mother-in-law, Texas Republican state Rep. Dianne White Delisi, is a state director for Women in Government.
Perry also received $6,000 from Merck’s political action committee during his re-election campaign.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/02/02/tx.cervical.cancer.ap/
[Hat tip: Reader Michelle P.]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
The man *calls* himself a conservative. Heck, I don’t see how he can do this and call himself a Texan. We have a proud history of doing things OUR way, overbearing political dictators be damned!
As a left-wing pro-choice American, I can’t help but see the bright side of your opposition to this life-saving vaccine: Only the daughters of you religious terrorists will die of cervical cancer and liberals will begin to outnumber you in even greater numbers than they do now. Way to go! Yay you!
Yet another reason to home school your children.
How ridiculous that any parents would want to protect their children from a possibly life-threatening disease, rather than keeping said children ignorant and hoping they will avoid premarital sex.
You know what is really sad? It has been known for years that HPV can cause cervical cancer. It has also been know that HPV is transmitted from skin to skin pelvic contact (condoms do not stop it).
Why is it that our daughters have been taught in Planned Parenthood designed sex ed classes that condoms stop STDs and that sex can be rendered “safe”.
Do you know anyone who has cervical cancer from HPV? Don’t you think this little factoid would make them a little testy?
Seems the only time this sort of thing warrants exposure in the media is when a buck can be made by the pharmaceutical whores pimping our teenaged daughters.