The Back to Basics PAC continued its on-air challenge to Governor Rick Perry with a new ad, titled, "Why?" Jason Embry is reporting there is $850,000 behind the ad.
Parents of three girls have sued Gov. Rick Perry to protect their daughters from inoculation with a vaccine against human papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer. The John Doe parents claims Perry signed an illegal executive order that requires girls in sixth grade and above to be vaccinated before they can enroll in public school. Perry's Feb. 2 order caused a furor among conservatives, some of whom say that inoculating girls against the sexually transmitted virus will encourage them to have sex. Critics also say the order violates the state's "abstinence only" sex education policy. And they claim Perry was influenced by a $5,000 political donation from Merck, which makes the vaccine. And they claim the governor does not have authority to issue such an order, bypassing the Legislature.
Todd Hill also wrote a post at the time, titled, "I Won't Stand With Rick Perry." He said it well in 2007 -- I'll let him say it again today:
Executive decision making without the advice and consent of the legislative branch of government is dangerous precedent to set. Especially when it includes essentially using your power as governor to play the role of a father for millions of Texas parents and their children. How far are Texans willing to go in allowing state or federal government to make such personal decisions as individual child healthcare? Are we really that gullible to allow this much government intervention into personal decision making?
This case is brought by a group of concerned Texas parents, all of whom have school aged daughters in Texas. These parents challenge Governor Rick Perry's recent issuance of an unlawful executive order by which he has mandated that school-aged girls, as a condition of admission to school starting in the sixth grade and beyond, receive a new vaccince that purportedly protects against a sexually transmitted disease, and certain of its alleged effects.
Parents of three girls have sued Gov. Rick Perry to protect their daughters from inoculation with a vaccine against human papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer. The John Doe parents claims Perry signed an illegal executive order that requires girls in sixth grade and above to be vaccinated before they can enroll in public school. Perry's Feb. 2 order caused a furor among conservatives, some of whom say that inoculating girls against the sexually transmitted virus will encourage them to have sex. Critics also say the order violates the state's "abstinence only" sex education policy. And they claim Perry was influenced by a $5,000 political donation from Merck, which makes the vaccine. And they claim the governor does not have authority to issue such an order, bypassing the Legislature.
(A perspective from the previous State Democratic Party Chair. - promoted by Matt Glazer)
A great deal of heat has been generated in these brisk winter days by Gov. Rick Perry's unilateral executive order that 10- to 11-year-old girls must be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus, or HPV, with a drug called Gardasil, whose sole manufacturer is the German pharmaceutical company Merck.
Like many Texas fathers of young girls, I was taken aback by how cavalierly the nominal head of the state's GOP, the party that claims to believe in personal responsibility and less government interference in our personal lives, had trotted out this controversial proposal. And like many, I had watched Mr. Perry's career closely enough to suspect that private gain rather than public good might have more to do with it.
Some speculate that he hoped to bury the story by releasing it late on a Friday as Super Bowl weekend got underway. Who would pay attention or even remember it by Monday? Known as "the news dump," this is Republicans' preferred method of leaking stories with the least amount of damage to themselves.
But it didn't work out that way, did it? And the religious right Mr. Perry has so assiduously courted was left to wonder if "in God We Trust" has now been replaced by a new state government slogan: "In Merck We Trust."
While we can all agree that young girls will benefit greatly from this vaccine, there is also the oh so obvious connection between Perry and Merck, the maker of the drug. But maybe Governor 39% actually did something worthwhile this time. This is the same man who signed an abortion bill and a same sex marriage amendment in a church, so he is no saint in my eyes. But requiring school children to be vaccinated to prevent diseaseis a good thing. Considering HPV affects 20 million people of both sexes in this country, it is a problem that goes unnoticed but not unwatched. With 80% of women acquiring the virus by age 50, the chance of getting cervical cancer is there.
This is actually not the first time that Rick Perry has signed an order regarding vaccination.
