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Rick Perry’s pro-life decision

Much has been made of Rick Perry’s executive order about Gardisil.  This news story provides some insights into how Perry’s action demonstrates how he put his pro-life viewpoints into action.

That…is a powerful story.

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COMMENTS

  • republitarian

    It brings tears to my eyes.

  • tankertodd

    Or for small pox. Or chicken pox. Then the jackbooted health nazis will jab us for whooping cough. Or mumps.

    What happened to our freedom to catch diseases and pass them to others without their consent? What about our rights to foist our diseases onto others?

    I tell you, if they start forcing us to vaccinate our children, our nation will collapse. (Oh crap, that’s coming true).

    I don’t recall the Constitution saying anything about vaccination. Like wow. Ok, so airports aren’t in there either, but hey… Oh, and so what if conservatives aren’t speaking out about eliminating the *existing* vaccination programs. And they aren’t discussing why polio and chicken pox no longer exists. Details, details. And never mind if a vaccination is for the protection of the commons, not just the individual. And never mind it’s proven, and there is no free market alternative. Or that vaccinations are one of the few government programs that seems to work. And never mind those who *don’t* vaccinate whose choice impinges on *my* freedom to be preventable disease-free.

  • Locked and Loaded

    .

  • RonLewenberg

    Most mandatory or opt out vaccination programs were created by law. Governor Perry thought himself a philosopher king or progressive ruler who saw a program for the good of the people and a wrote a dictate, er Executive Order. This is exactly the type of progressive meddling that conservatives opposed. But the anointed Perry has spoken and it is now good. Or was, since he kind of, sort of, changed his mind.

    What other liberty, restraint on government, or value shall we sacrifice for the election of the Al Gore supporter?

    “Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.” Senator Daniel Webster

  • Bill S

    I should have included it in the post.

    http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=8354516

    I’ll update the diary also.

  • californiagold

    One thing I’ve learned about Governor Rick Perry is that in spite of his flaws, he has been consistent on pro life issues. The next president will have the potential to reshape the supreme court – which means overturning Roe v Wade. I feel confident that Perry would nominate judges in the mold of Clarence Thomas or Scalia.

    Whereas, if Mitt Romney were to become president, I do not have any confidence that he would pick solidly pro life judges. Why ? Because his record as governor suggests he cannot be trusted on life issues. The election is far too important to take a chance on Romney on the issue of abortion.

    Check out this video to see the real Mitt Romney in action.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFMdK0TWtks&feature=related

  • onemovoter

    It will make Bachmann look really small. Not that Bachmann has already done that, but this puts an exclamation mark on it.

    Of course Palin will have egg on her face too.

    Seems that writer that lived next to her is finally putting out his book soon.
    The Daily Caller- Palin book alleges fetish for black men and cocaine use

    I’m sure most people will dismiss it but it’s the same crap that Perry is having to deal with.

  • pttx333

    just going to post it when I saw you already had it up. Boy, this should vindicate Perry to a huge degree with those who think only of smearing him. The tears are still flowing over this sweet story and video.

    http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news%2Fin_focus&id=8354519

  • easyb

    The fact that he followed through on this after the fact without any press or likelihood of political gain at the time shows a compassionate man.

    Would BHO do such a thing?

  • aesthete

    I like Rick Perry as much as the next guy, and support him out of all potential candidates, but that video and its contents have no bearing on whether Perry’s initial instinct vis a vis Gardasil was the right one. It’s a purely emotional appeal that, even if you take it on its merits, falls apart as an argument for Perry quite easily:

    1) One anecdote among millions tells us literally nothing. Politicians use such anecdotes all of the time because they will create sympathy — many times, finding and cultivating supporters who have such anecdotes over time to unveil them as public arguments for/against their policies. ObamaCare, if/when it is fully implemented, will have hundreds of such anecdotes, with a smiling Barack Obama alongside to tell us all about them. There are a fleet of ready-made anecdotes for ARRA, and likely will be for this upcoming stimulus plan. If Roe v Wade is repealed, you better believe they’ll find the best “rags to riches” story out there, and show how the pregnant girl who was later successful in life wouldn’t have been successful if she’d had to take care of a child. It’s not clear that this was the case with Perry, but it’s pretty clear that one of his supporters took it upon himself to get this cheap appeal to emotion out on the news.

    2) You can’t have it both ways: either Rick Perry did not have strong preferences one way or another, and learned from his mistake with pushing the vaccine when he found out more about it/gave it further thought, or he supports the vaccine policy that he initiated from a “pro-life” standpoint. If the latter is true, and he operated from deeply-held core principles, then he flipped on his “pro-life” principles based on… apparently nothing but a rebuke from the legislature. Convenient. If the former is true, then that’s fine. Less fine is trying to pretend like this was a deeply spiritual thing based on foundational principles.

    3) It never passed. The video, which details a bond between a 30-year-old woman dying of cervical cancer and Governor Perry, has a point where it’s revealed that the woman in question thought that her purpose in death was to convince others to support Perry’s bid. Not only did this not happen, Perry himself acknowledged the error of his ways quite publicly and quite often. This renders the story ineffective, because it dilute’s Perry’s current attempts to emphatically state that what he did was a mistake. Worse, it makes it seem as if whoever assembled the video was in too much of a rush to defend Perry to notice this obvious discrepancy. This just makes the Perry campaign look heartless.

    Do I think Perry’s a jerk? No more so than other politicians, and probably somewhat less than the average in that category. Are the allegations of impropriety vis a vis Merck true? Anything’s possible, but those who have stated such have offered precious little to substantiate the statement other than innuendo. OTOH, whoever was involved in this little production deserves to be fired not only for making a campaign prop out of a human being, but for doing it so ineffectively: if the message Perry wishes to send at present is that it was a mistake, then it makes little sense to dig up stories which make Perry out to be a strong, enduring supporter of what he attempted.

  • onemovoter

    because that rant of yours is all over the place except for what really happened with this issue.

    In Texas politics, if the entire legislature turns against you because they turn yellow from so many people calling up to complain, then there isn’t much you can do. You can still try to lobby, but at that point, it’s a lost deal.

    Perry said repeatedly that he wish he had included the legislature and informing the people so that the inclusion of the Gardasil would still be there, instead of having the issue poisoned by what he did.

    I see this video as backing up exactly what happened and why it happened the way it did.

  • mine

    It was just too much nonsense for me to bear. Perry wanted to force all school girls to take the HPV vacination which would benefit a campaign contributer. The HPV is a sexally transmitted disease. In effect, Perry was forcing all school girls to take a vacine against STDs. Why would he do this? Does he think all school girls are sexually active? Is he trying have the State pay to remove the consequences of immorality? Or is it because of donations? And it took the overwhelming opposition from theTexas House to overide Perry’s position. Look, there is much to like Perry, but on this he is wrong wrong wrong. Perry supporters look weak pathetic and immoral when they attack those who call out Perry on this. He must admit he was wrong and apologise. If anyone thinks this will not be a defining issue he has to deal with, they are kidding themselves. Apologise Rick Perry. Admit you were wrong. and then you can move on. This issue is horrible.

  • onemovoter

    Because Perry did say he went about this the wrong way when the legislature and people let him know. If you can’t admit that he apologized, and move on, then you obviously aren’t being truthful here. Of course saying he was “forcing” when there was an opt-out blows your case.

    Also you do know that Oral sex is still sex right? Despite what Clinton tried to argue on that issue. Well according to the CDC, Oral sex is a common way of getting the disease. And ever since Clinton, we’ve had a large increase in younger people having oral sex.

    Did you also hear that Palin took Federal money so that all of Alaskan girls could get the shot for free? Also nearly 30 states now offer an option or make it mandatory to get the shot. More and more info is coming out about this issue.

  • aesthete

    was not to include the legislature? Because my impression was that the mistake was the mandatory vaccine, and that the way that he handled the legislature was ancillary to this issue. (Then again, Perry’s mea culpa was rather vague.) Would the vaccine have been hunk-dory among Texan social conservatives and libertarians if it had come from the legislature instead of from the executive? My problem isn’t with Perry — he’s fine, and I support him. It isn’t even the vaccine issue — I disagree with Perry, as far as I can tell, but that isn’t the issue here. Rather, my problem is with whoever came up with a crass emotional appeal that doesn’t make sense, and that reduces someone’s life to a campaign photo op and an attempt to humanize Rick Perry. It’s similar to Obama’s attempts to make the victims of the Giffords shooting All About Him, and it’s tasteless. Whatever over-enthusiastic Perry supporter pushed this angle should think about taking a moral inventory.

  • pttx333

    had to have been made prior to July 21, 2007, because that is the day she died. The whole story was prior to that date. The tv station is ktrk, an abc affiliate in Houston. Just a little more info for you.

  • bk

    Think about the epidemic of tens of millions of cases of post-pubescent late-stage mental retardation that we’d be stuck with. So what if a few thousand women die needlessly each year instead.

  • evilleramsfan

    Either you are intentionally oversimplifying the issue and are acting as a political stooge or you are not intellectually capable of wrapping your mind around the issue. This has been discussed and rediscussed ad infinitum here and there are a number of good articles about how you are wrong in so many ways.

  • ragstoriches

    Look, the time for a vaccine is *BEFORE* you get the disease. Vaccination after you’re already infected with what is increasingly tied to almost all cancers doesn’t really do you much good, does it?

    I agree, Executive Order is not the way to legislate and Perry was wrong to do so. But his intentions certainly appear to be nothing but the best – trying to prevent a horrendous death before it became an issue.

    HPV is tied to throat cancer, skin cancers, cervical cancer, mouth cancers, and even lung cancer. If you think it isn’t going to continue to be found to be a primary factor in other cancers at this point, you’re ignoring current research.

    Wanting to protect young girls (and now young boys, as well) from a potentially deadly disease is hardly an act worthy of the excoriation he’s received thus far and the denigrating remarks from Mrs. Bachmann.

    And it isn’t just about those girls, it’s about my sons and yours – the ones who could end up with an STD that later causes cancer and kills them because some girl was a little too free and empowered by her sexual instincts and wasn’t protected against HPV.

    He was wrong in his methods, not in his desire to protect life from the liberal view that sex with any and everyone is acceptable.

  • Scope

    ignore the fact that there was an opt-out, and continue on with your “forced” language, you make your self look very silly and foolish. Your instance on Perry being motivated by “donations,” rather than erring on the side of life, is equally as rediculous. The only language missing from your post is “those innocent little girls” and “crony capitalism.”

    Rick Perry has been saying he was wrong with his EO back in 2007, on the debate stage again Mon. night, and yet again in a press conference here in VA yesterday, in a state that mandated the vaccinations, and the mandate was never lifted here in VA. How many more times do you need to hear him say it?

    It is more than a little disturbing to hear some continue to slam Perry for this issue, while giving a pass to Bachmann for her many gaffs and faux paus, in which she neither apologized, nor even admitted to. It seems that keeping the Guardasil issue alive, blown out of pro-portion, and keeping the focus on Perry’s mistake as long as possible is the ploy Bachmann is using to avoid answering some serious questions that she has never given any reasonable explanation for.

    Since entering Congress, Bachmann has managed to gain almost $250,000 in taxpayer funds for the “family farm” which she has reported personal income from on her Congressional financial reports. Bachmann lied and said that she never personally profited from those funds, even though it is in black and white that she did.

    Bachmann’s counseling business along with her husband got $30,000 in federal grants, again taxpayer money, in order to train their employees, but insisted that she and her husband did not personally gain from those funds, and stupidly went on to say that the business actually lost money on those employees as they were not bringing income into the business while completing that training. How stupid does she think the people are?

    Bachmann outright lied and said that she has never taken any earmarks, yet it is on record that she has requested over $60 million in earmarked requests. From what I’ve read, a staffer of hers said that Bachmann only asks for the serious and important earmarks for her district. Again, how dumb does she think the people are?

    You can forgive Bachmann for some very serious charges, and for some dishonestly answered questions, yet you want to keep Perry in the spotlight as the demon because he made a mistake that he has manfully and humbly said he was wrong about, and on several occasions. Isn’t deflection what the liberals do?

  • Craigpennsylvania

    I am writing this as someone who will support the Republican nominee, and who has not decided for whom I will vote in our primary next spring.

    Some simple points:

    1. Perry signs EO
    2. EO has an easy opt out
    3. Perry feels anger from voters
    4. Perry rescinds EO
    5. Perry said he was wrong and apologized for signing EO. He did so before policy was put into place

    Can anyone point out where another politician has made such a mistake and been adult enough to admit it?

  • Scope

    and from what I read in the article, I can’t say that I’m convinced that the author really has much if any proof about the awful allegations. Thing of it is, just as many want to crucify Perry and make him appear to be a criminal for taking a $5,000 donation from Merck, there too will be people who will take what has been written in the book as gospel, especially the liberals.

  • Raven

    In case you missed it, it was his support for Al Gore that sent to the GOP. He didn’t like where Gore went after that campaign vs his personal beliefs.

    Further, do you not want someone who can admit error and who changes his mind and his position when that error is shown to him?
    Everyone makes mistakes. Good leaders admit them and fix them. Just as Governor Perry did.

  • Scope

    has been blown far out of proportion, by the likes of Bachmann and Malkin, among some others, that need desperately to take the focus off some very serious Bachmann denials, and outright lies, and to put the negative focus on Perry, the one who knocked Bachmann of her top tier pedestal.

  • pttx333

    who are complicit as well. I’m very disappointed with some of the Fox hosts giving them waaaay too much air time to continue their rants. Malkin? I thought better of her than what she is saying – I won’t make that mistake again. And Palin – what is her issue here? Didn’t she take federal funds for the drug in Alaska? Or am I living a really strange nightmare here? It appears to me that the women are hysterical and just throwing out whatever comes to mind. I really do wish they would go away to lick their wounds. Particularly with Bachmann, I truly feel after watching her these past few days that she doesn’t have the temperment to hold any office of significance.

  • SoFiMil

    received almost no attention. That’s MSM priorities for ya.

  • Scope

    that the so called “Conservative women”, including Malkin and to a large degree Coulter have been the ones with their panties in an emotional bunch, and have been on the attack against Perry for issues that should not be major issues at all? Another one is Pam Geller. Malkin grabbed hold of her idiotic charges that Perry is some kind of radical Islamist, Sharia supporting sympathizer, and even when it has been more than proven that he is nothing of the sort, she still went on and on about it. Now Malkin can’t stop with the smears and phony accusations as to the Gardasil issue. You know there is more coming down the pike with the immigration issue, and who knows what else.

    When Palin did her Sept. 3 Iowa speech, or should I say screech, she was the first that I know of to start on the Crony Capitalist meme against Perry, as well as her warnings to watch what donations candidates take, as that is who they will be beholden to. She also went on about career politicians. If anyone had any doubt that she was referring to Perry, she removed all that doubt on Greta’s show on Mon. night after the debate.

    If I was going to make a wild guess, and get into conspiracy land, I would say it seems there is a concerted effort, on the part of the “conservative women” to use the term coined by Rush many years ago, the feminazi’s. Problem is, he was referring to liberal women at the time. Is there really any difference between what those early Jane Fondas and Helen Reddy’s did, to marginalize men into effeminate whimps, and what the current so-called conservative crop are doing? All of a sudden, it’s only mom’s (those grizzly’s) that have any child rearing responsibilities, good sense, and ability to do what is right and good for this country. The dad’s have been relegated to a bunch of uncaring, unemotional, unconcerned uneducated, loser status. Who the hel1 is this Perry male who dares to knock the grizzly’s off their pedestals? He must be marginalized at all costs. And they mean to do just that by any and all means necessary.

    They make me puke.

  • smitch61

    It is an issue for Perry, cannot get around it. Palin is not in the race, however; should she decide to enter, you might want to check the facts. The question is executive order, and of course how much money the drug company funneled in. Should he win the primary, I will vote for him.

  • smitch61

    Is a different animal altogether, and is not sexually transmitted. That sounds like the ” we have auto insurance” argument.

  • pttx333

    Every single word you said about the b*tches – the kindest word I could think of at this time – is the truth as I see it. I’m beginning to wonder if these “conservative” women even know what it means to be one. Yes, they have emasculated their men (any men, in fact) and the men just walk behind them saying “yes, dear.” Good Lord above! It is disgusting to me. Rush is always right, they are feminazis and are puke-worthy. In fact, Scope, I wonder if I will ever vote for a woman as it stands today. The ones I seen so far on the political stage sooner or later show their true colors and it “ain’t” pretty.

    Your conspiracy guess isn’t far-fetched to me. It would seen there is a concerted effort to knock Perry (or any other strong man) off the podium just to show him who’s boss, if for no other reason. I can read them from a mile away. I actually feel sorry for a lot of the guys who put up with them – this is not what God intended at all. Oh, that leads me to another issue – do they read the Bible or have any understanding of it? I am a woman, full-blooded and proud – neither a shrieking shrew nor a doormat. Look what the NOW nags have wrought! And the mothers – I would have smacked my daughter had she ever behaved as do these women.

    It is really telling – Pam Geller, Malkin, Palin, Bachmann, et al. No difference from Jane Fonda, Helen Reddy, Gloria Steinam and so on. This is extremely troubling – would love to be in a position to confront them head-on. Wouldn’t that be fun? Bottom line, the guys are going to have to remember that it is no lady behaving in such a manner on the podium and to treat her accordingly. That is my view. The nags can’t have it both ways – b*tch and moan and then pull a poor pitiful Pearl routine. Uh uh, no sireee.

  • pttx333

    because they see nothing wrong with it! Why is that not MURDER in their minds? I don’t get it. The partial birth abortion in particular is beyond comprehension. We are a world gone so far astray …

  • APA Guy

    Bachmann’s ridiculus attacks and outright lies are nothing short of self-serving in a political sense. Palin is really no different, as she is simply waiting in the tall grass for Perry to stumble. If he did, she’d miraculously find her will to run for president.

    I really can’t speak for Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter. While I sense they are shock jocks intent on making a dollar and a cent in this game, I can’t see them going out of their way to damage the country while doing so. My sense of it is this primary season will likely weed this nonsense out fairly quickly…starting with Bachmann.

  • pttx333

    I’ve truly become so disgusted with the lot of them, particularly Bachman at this time, that I would love to take them down a peg or two. Apparently, they have all bought into the stupid theory that for a woman to be strong she must behave like a total shrew! NOT SO! They are behaving like little girls still in junior high, and it isn’t becoming. Strength comes from character, not front standing around beating your chest.

    Thank you for speaking up. You guys are so entitled after putting up with some of the females I’ve seen.

  • Kyle-MI

    He has never proposed to do anything similar.
    Sounds pretty settled to me.

  • pttx333

    don’t believe it is only because they do not WANT to see anything other than their view. Period.

  • Bill S

    The event happened in 2007. And in case you didn’t actually watch the video, which it seems you did not, Perry did most of this without any press around – the family of this woman shared the story and personal photos with the press 4 years later.

    Get off your high horse.

  • renl57

    “Can anyone point out where another politician has made such a mistake and been adult enough to admit it?”

    They don’t.
    For the reason you just stated.

    The politician gets no credit for admitting a mistake. Instead, he gets blamed because he has officially confirmed he made a mistake.

  • smitch61

    The apology is fine for me, I personally do not think it should be an issue, I know it is an issue for others and that is all I meant.

  • refudiateobama2012

    This was never about the efficacy of Gardasil. It was always about the ethicacy of Perry’s actions.

  • renl57

    Of course her attacks on Perry are “self-serving.” She’s a rival candidate, seeking the same party nomination that he is seeking. And she has the best chance of being nominated if Perry fades.

    You sound very much like Obama’s supporters in 2008 responding to Hillary’s charges: “How dare Hillary say such things about our Messiah From Chicago?”

    Real men don’t whine.

  • Ann_W

    But I would like to add a semi-defense of the other women (I haven’t actually seen their spiels on this). Gardisil was a different issue for conservative moms way before we heard anything about the Perry controversy.

    Best case scenario Gardisil only protects against a few strains of HPV. It misses some other cancer causing strains. And of the ones it does fight, it isn’t 100%. So a discussion I had with a neighbor was about her belief that if you give the vaccine to your daughters you give them a false sense of security with STD’s, and kind of imply consent for sexual activity. (A study found that teens whose parents let them go on the pill believed they had permission from their parents to have sex.) Add in a high condom failure rate and all kinds of emotional issues w/ sexual activity and the conservative position has been that abstinence is the true safe sex option.

    So aside from all the other issues discussed in relation to Gardisil conservative women may have already been prepped to see it as stepping on parental rights and possibly encouraging teens to be more irresponsible.

    I have recently seen an amazing, beautiful friend with three kids die from cervical cancer, so I’m not sure which side I’m on with this isssue. However, I just wanted to suggest that for the commenters there may be more here than just the selfishness you guys are suggesting.

  • pttx333

    when someone keeps droning on and on about the same old tired and buried story, it will be some troll just throwing out stuff to keep it afloat and to skew and twist things around to what doesn’t even closely resemble the truth. (Boy, that was a long sentence! ;-) )

    At any rate, there have been so many out-and-out lies thrown about, half-truths or lying by omission that it becomes so monotonous. This is going to be a brutal campaign but conservatives must hang together or our country is lost for good. I just don’t see any other way out of our mess.

  • levinfan90

    Is this what “pro life” means to Perry fans now? If this HPV vaccination idea was just clean-as-a-whistle Gov. Perry erring on the side of life, in his favorite phrase, how is Obamacare not equally pro life? After all, the Dems only passed it because they care for human life…right? Same logic.

  • APA Guy

    …than anything else.

    Toss rotten spaghetti against the wall until something sticks…is that a conservative virtue?

    It is not “whining” to point out that one selfish narcissist is dishonestly attacking the conservative Republican front-runner in order to bring him down (as if she is next in line or something). REAL men don’t justify a self-serving woman trying to derail an historic opportunity to unseat a Marxist just to score a few cheap political points.

    Wise up.

  • APA Guy

    …than anything else.

    Toss rotten spaghetti against the wall until something sticks…is that a conservative virtue?

    It is not “whining” to point out that one selfish narcissist is dishonestly attacking the conservative Republican front-runner in order to bring him down (as if she is next in line or something). REAL men don’t justify a self-serving woman trying to derail an historic opportunity to unseat a Marxist just to score a few cheap political points.

    Wise up.

  • jjhlh1

    that makes me even more impressed with Rick Perry. It’s obvious he has good intentions on this issue, unlike his rivals (particularly Bachman) who use it for demagoguery. I also like the fact that Perry didn’t mention this poor woman’s death during the debate, probably out of respect for her memory. More people need to see this.

  • APA Guy

    incorrect science and “facts” on a liberal news outlet just to try to prop up her candidacy. I’m sorry, but I see nothing but desperate bomb-throwing out of Bachmann…something that will end her campaign (and Romney’s, if he persists) in the end, mark my words.

  • irishgirl

    You haven’t been paying too much attention. Perry has already apologized and admitted he went about the whole situation the wrong way, etc. It is WAY past time to move on and address more pressing issues such as jobs, SS and immigration. You might want to brush up next time before posting.

  • pttx333

    but not when we talk about the aforementioned political females. They know full well what is what and are using it only for their own gain. When Palin was governor of Alaska, she accepted federal funds for the drug – this is not anything new in the least.

    Now, back in 2007 in Texas when this took place, I too was upset with the mandate. However, it didn’t last very long, was never put into effect, no one ever got a shot from it, Perry apologized and that was it. His main goals here were: 1) to help the spread of cervical cancer and 2) since the drug was very expensive, if it was a mandate insurance would pay for it. Not to mention, the mandate always had an opt out.

    I believe there are currently 16+ states who do require the shots be given, some without an opt out. But the Texas order that never went into effect has been a moot point for over 4 years.

    If you haven’t seen the video and story behind the video, please go to the link elsewhere in this diary. It took place before a young woman died in 2007 but after the executive order was rescinded. If nothing else, it is a sweet and sad story.

  • pttx333

    Lies and half-truths are absolutely deal breakers regardless of where they come from. You are dead-on about Bachmann, Romney and Santorum – Santorum got into the fray also that night. And Palin? She isn’t thinking either.

    I just do not know what they are thinking! It seems to me that they don’t have the mental ability to see where their road leads. And to keep pounding it into the ground is just mind-boggling to me.

  • pttx333

  • streiff

    here I thought all of our posters were from the USA and I find one from Saudi Arabia.

  • APA Guy

    nt

  • streiff

    it will only hurt him in the primary with a small number of voters. No Romney supporter is going to be affected by this if they can swallow RomneyCare. The person fatally injured by this is Bachmann.

  • APA Guy

    These clods want to control EVERY aspect of our health care…including vaccinations. Would they argue against their pown positions? Possible, I suppose, but not likely.

    I agree that Bachmann hurt herself with this, but not so much how she behaved during the debate as how she behaved on liberal media shows intent on destroying ANY credible conservative GOP candidate. She now finds herself bleeding support beyond repair, IMHO.

  • porkandcheese

    “Governor Mitt Romney, who touts his conservative credentials to out-of-state Republicans, has passed over GOP lawyers for three-quarters of the 36 judicial vacancies he has faced, instead tapping registered Democrats or independents — including two gay lawyers who have supported expanded same-sex rights, a Globe review of the nominations has found. Of the 36 people Romney named to be judges or clerk magistrates, 23 are either registered Democrats or unenrolled voters who have made multiple contributions to Democratic politicians or who voted in Democratic primaries, state and local records show. In all, he has nominated nine registered Republicans, 13 unenrolled voters, and 14 registered Democrats.”
    - Boston Globe 7/25/2005

  • Locked and Loaded

    I had to read through mostly Perry jabs to find out you are a Bachmann supporter. Is that how you hope to help her into the WH, or is it by extolling the virtues of Obamacare? Never mind that question, please just give me a brief rundown of the reasons you support Bachmann now, and her qualifications for the office of President.

  • Tbone

    or pathologically ignorant. Either way, the only purpose your post serves is to demonstrate one or the other.

  • Tbone

    voting for Democrats.

  • Matthew Morris

    There sure are some impressive women around here…

  • lineholder

    I think Bachmann could have responded to a situation in a number of ways. In this particular case, it looks like the choice she made was politically expedient and politically advantageous to herself, first and foremost. It’s one of the things that I despise the most about politics in general, that politicians are badly prone to put what is politically expedient/advantageous first and foremost when that it isn’t necessarily the best choice or the wisest choice to make in the long run.

    As to the EO issue, which is THE underlying issue involved in this, that’s a double-edged sword that is often misused. When it does happen, then it can undermine individual freedoms.

    The good intentions part of using an EO for a societal purpose I get only too well. My mama died relatively young from estrogen-receptor positive breast-to-bone cancer. Back then, there wasn’t any genetic marker testing procedures that might have identified her as being in a high risk category. These tests do exist now.

    After watching what she went through, there’s a very emotional kind of well-intended response that could end up dictating my attitude and actions, if I let it, i.e. that all females should have mandatory genetic marker testing done.

    However, on a rational level, I know that mandatory genetic testing could turn out to be a Pandora’s box to many evils, including a means for those who favor population control to impose mandatory testing on our society as a whole, even within the womb prior to birth. Even though my intentions in the here and now could be good and honorable, this type of usage of an EO sets a precedent that could be misused in days or years to come.

    In this context, Perry has said that he was wrong in the way that he went about this, and I’ve found nothing else at this point to indicate that he has been the type of person to go overboard with EO usage in a negative manner. On that basis, I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

    But the usage of EOs, and the possible manner in which they can be misused, does and always has bothered me.

  • Matthew Morris

    This is clearly insight into the authentic Rick Perry. I must confess, as a Texan, my attitude towards Perry has been impacted by various negative press over the years. I have rarely taken the time to investigate too thoroughly because he is (was) still going to be my pick. On the vaccine EO issue, I have always been perplexed by it all, but have just given him the benefit of the doubt. It’s not like I would support KBH or a Democrat over him.

    Still today, I am perplexed about why they went the EO route. But I am no longer perplexed about Perry’s heart and motivations on the matter. Seeing and hearing him discuss the matter in interviews, debates, etc. has alleviated any doubts I have had about his motivations. And this video (or this story and the photos) seals the deal. Not only is it insightful concerning Perry’s motivations on this issue, but it is insightful as well into the man himself. Very uplifting.

    As to the EO, well that is what Perry says his mistake was, and that is what he has apologized for. Does it raise questions about in what circumstances he might let emotions cloud his judgement? Yes, to a degree. But he is still my first pick, by far.

    On a related note: Does Michelle Bachmann’s recent behavior raise questions about in what circumstances she might let emotions cloud her judgement? Oh yeah! Big time. Show Stopper. Deal Breaker.

  • Ann_W

    not Bachmann. She does seem pretty transparent w/ her selective upset on this issue.

  • Ann_W

    My friend that died was a heart-ripping story. Her youngest child is four now, her oldest is almost eight. They have beautiful brown eyes from their mother and their dad is trying to figure out how to parent and support the family at the same time. Good people can disagree about governmental intervention in this; and I guess any extra awareness of this horrible disease is good.

  • Ann_W

    I’m sure Perry would be a million x better president than the one we’ve got. I just was trying to say that emotions and selfishness may not be some people’s motivation for opposing this. (I was trying to exclude defending Bachmann, though.)

  • runner12

    had the Perry campaign released it or if it was of recent origin. But as Bill S. pointed out, it occurred in 2007. It also appears that it was the decision of family and friends to release these photos to defend a Gov. who sat with a young woman as she died.

    Should he have gone through the legislature? Yes. But I am even more inclined to give him grace on this poor decision after seeing this video.

    Thank you for sharing this, Bill S.

  • Scope

    they are self defeating when you have to make stuff up, use a victims info as gospel even when what they are saying doesn’t even make sense, twist candidate contributions to make it look like the false charge of “crony capitalism, and keep saying those same things when they have been fact checked and disputed, over and over again. It hasn’t been lost on many that she used and is continuing to use her”innocent little girl” leftist rhetoric. I take it you are talking about Bachmann, who is not competing against another candidate Perry in any competitive credible manner, she is trying to slay the dragon that knocked her off her shaky perch, and having nothing to lose at this point is willing to even put her house seat in jeopardy.

    There is no question that as long as Bachmann keeps the focus on her overblown and phony moral high ground issue against Perry, the longer the media doesn’t insist on her answering to her lies she told about her real “crony capitalism” she personally benefited from as a Rep. in Congress, who controls the federal taxpayer dollars. I suspect she won’t have to worry about answering to those proven lies, as she will be gone long before anyone puts any spotlight back on her.

  • Scope

    That is the title of an article by Matt Lewis at the DC.

    He brings up the fact that he poined out some at least newsworthy items about Bachmann back in May, long before Perry ever got into the race, and it seemed that Malkin, and really not many others found it something to even look into to.

    Aslo, as Lewis points out, Malkin may have an argument against Perry for the Government mandated injections, but she clearly goes off the rails, and as deeply into anti-vaccination conspiracy theory area that Bachmann has.

    Before the Bachmann Gardasil crusade, Malkin also picked up some false, and unprovable information put out there by Pam Geller, in her quest to paint him as a radical islamist, sharia loving sympathizer. That was another issue where Malkin refused to back down, even when the information was exposed as fraudulent.

    To say she is selectively upset just about the Gardasil issue is an understatement. And, I still have to wonder why she has no interest in finding out the truth about the charges against Bachmann that Lewis, and some others have brought up long before Perry even entered the race.

    There can be no question that Malkin has seemed to have found her hill to die on, conducting an anti-Perry campaign from her website, and doesn’t seem to care that she is losing her own credibility in that venture. What the heck is she going to do if Perry wins the nomination, and better yet, the presidency?

  • Repair_Man_Jack

    Bloggers are human. They not only evaluate people, they also have their personnal likes and dislikes. Malkin obviously senses something she flat-out hates in Perry. Time will tell what it really is. What she’s tossed out there so far isn’t it.

  • pttx333

    know which one. Doesn’t pass the smell test with me. It has to involve $$ in my view – you don’t throw away everything you’ve worked so hard for on such a proven silly issue, at least in the grand scheme of things it is silly. Not to mention totally moot. This bears a lot more digging, and I’m sure that someone somewhere is doing just that.

    Second, I really don’t think that Malkin will be the White House biographer if Perry is President, or that Bachmann will have a cabinet position. How ’bout you on that? LOL

  • RonLewenberg

    “In case you missed it, it was his support for Al Gore that sent to the GOP. He didn?t like where Gore went after that campaign vs his personal beliefs.”
    Al Gore was a liberal in 1988, far to the left of Reagan.

    I’d like to see him explain why using an executive order for this was inappropriate and an abuse of authority. I would like to see him explain why he thought going through the legislature was a bad idea then, and why it is a good idea now. And the Texas State LEgislature getting angy isn’t a good excuse.

    Right now I don’t see any change of mind or contrition. He’s just sorry he got caught.

  • mine

    You Perry supporters do your candidate no favours with your mean spiritedness. Michelle Bachmann is a wonderful person. Mitt Romney is a wonderful person. Herman Cain is a wonderful person. When you demean the other candidates like that you demean your candidate. There is a lot to like about Rick Perry. His supporters are not one of them. I will be fine with him as the nominee, but you guys should beware not to turn him into poison. Stop the mean and nasty and just answer the questions as will all the other candidates. Give the other candidates the same lattitude you are giving Rick Perry on this issue.

  • Bill S

    Care to provide a quote from the referenced comment that proves “mean spiritedness”? Or are you just projecting because you have no response to Scope’s comment?

  • Bill S

    Or listen to the radio. Or watch TV. Because the man has admitted pretty much on a daily basis that he made a mistake on this.

    Maybe you’re too mean-spirited to accept that.

  • http://applescorneroftheorchard.blogspot.com/ Pomme

    Very rarely, in today’s world, does an apology come without pushback.

    It speaks more that you aren’t willing to forgive, even if you still verify future decisions, than it does that he admitted his mistake! Especially since he’s apologized daily!

  • mine

    Don’t know how I missed it but that’s the way it is. Been to busy actually to pay as much attention to the prmaries as I would like.

    But I don’t understand the debate from Perry supporters. They are not saying he was wrong. Essentiallly they say it is all about him being a good caring man. Perry isn’t defending what he did, so why are his supporters? It a dreadful thing he did that puts serious doubt as to his values and judgement. Perry himself appears to be saying it so why don’t his supporters.I ‘m not going to go over every post on this site, don’t have time but I haven’t read any supporters saying what he did was scandalous. I don’t think any supporters are comdeming what he did, only defending his decsion. I don’t get it.

    Maybe his supprters could think about giving the other canditidate the same amount of slack they are giving Perry on this issue.

  • mine

    As an example. Or the post just below. Just be a bit respectful of the other candidates please, because some of us find it offensive.

  • snowshooze

    Maybe he didn’t realize he was a Republican??
    lol…just a guess.
    The Democrats have evolved drastically over the years.
    JFK was very different.
    Look, he worked with them until he just could take no more.

  • Bill S

    I said “provide a quote”.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    Nobody is cutting Perry any slack (except maybe perry4prez). He’s been kicked around at RS as much as anybody, use the RS custom search and learn something.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    Perry wanted to force all school girls to take the HPV vacination which would benefit a campaign contributer.

    Perry did nothing to “force” anybody to do anything. What he did was an EO with an “opt-out” that allowed parents who were opposed to the vaccination to not take advantage of the program.

    The HPV is a sexally transmitted disease. In effect, Perry was forcing all school girls to take a vacine against STDs. Why would he do this? Does he think all school girls are sexually active? Is he trying have the State pay to remove the consequences of immorality?

    Again, nobody was being “forced”. In fact, according to medical experts, the reason the vaccination is done at 12 is because girls are typically NOT sexually active and the vaccine neutralizes the effect of the HPV because of that.

    Or is it because of donations?

    $5,000? Get a life.

    Look, there is much to like Perry, but on this he is wrong wrong wrong. Perry supporters look weak pathetic and immoral when they attack those who call out Perry on this. He must admit he was wrong and apologise.

    First of all, Perry admitted he was wrong and apologized. Do some research before you make wild charges and make a complete fool of yourself. Second, just where do you get off accusing Perry supporters – who are obviously better informed than you are – “weak”, “pathetic”, “immoral”? Especially “immoral”. I’d ask for the tortured logic you manufactured to reach that conclusion, but I really don’t care. Because it would be “weak”, “pathetic” and “uninformed”. And, nobody is “attacking” you. All Scope did was point out that Perry apologized and that you’re wrong.

    If anyone thinks this will not be a defining issue he has to deal with, they are kidding themselves.

    OK, this isn’t “mean spirited”. It’s “stupid”.

  • mine

    The only reason this didn’t happen was because of the veto proof opposition from the Texas House. If not for that, it would have passed. He was angered at what the House opposition.

    When this happened, I couldn’t believe he was doing it. Everyone was outraged. And at the time he didn’t care. It’s good to see the apology, but people are right to ask about his judgement and values. What are his values that prompted him to push this? I do note many of his supporters actually defending what he did…

  • mine

    And I’m not sure why you think I report to you but suggest you look for “b*tches” and “feninazis” on this page and other comments in reference to first Bachmann, now Palin, Mulkin, Coulter etc. These women are all wonderfull, good people. Perry supporters are whack when these start attacking these good conservative women this way. What Perry did was heinous and he himself appears to have acknowledged this. His supporters have got to recognise that as well.

  • gekster

    I ain’t heard of that.

  • aesthete

    To clarify, then, the following is true:

    1) The issue that Perry has reversed himself on was going over the head of the legislature, not the Gardasil mandate itself.

    2) The person(s) who arranged for this to be a local story was the family of the young woman who died, and the speaker holding the photograph is either a family member or a close friend.

    3) The local news story was not a recent one, but rather was a repeat of one told years ago.

    If the above is true, then I didn’t understand the issue, and would like to apologize for mischaracterizing it as something else. Thanks for your time, all.

  • aesthete

    was due to a time lapse between the date of vaccination and the date of effectiveness having been believed*, at the time, to be somewhere between 2-5 years. IOW, a girl getting vaccinated at 15 would still potentially be at risk for the given strains of HPV until she was 18-20.

    *Of course, part of the controversy was that it hadn’t been properly tested on young girls at that time, but IIRC that was the untested belief at the time.

  • Bill S

    A) It’s my diary.
    B) I’m a moderator on this site and if you’re gonna accuse people, you’d better have a good reason.
    C) I’ve seen a heck of a lot more mean-spiritedness out of Ron Paul supporters (which we had to kick off the site wholesale) and increasingly from Palin supporters.

    If you don’t like the way people are behaving here, send an email to the Contact link. Or leave. Either works. But don’t use generalized accusations like that while you’re here.

  • Aaron Gardner

    I think you invest too much hope in Bachmann. I liked her, but she isn?t going to go anywhere now. At what stage do we say hmmm?. Its like doing the draw in sports. We pick our favorite team to win more often than they do because we want them to succeed. But it ain?t going to happen.

  • mine

    This page is all about a video explaining what Perry did. Its a defense. It said his critics didn’t understand. It said it was a good thing he did. And Perry supporters love the video. I hated the video. Its why I’m posting on it even though I an very busy and have only been able to take a cusory look at what’s happening.

    Iwas outraged at the time Perry signed the EO and thank goodness the Texas House stopped the nonsense. It still hits a raw nerve with me.

    BTW mbecker908, you write great posts. Shame we are going to disagree on this though. Funny thing is that although I love Bachmann,I’d still be very happy with Perry. In fact I like all the leading candidates and some who are not leading. We have a pretty good bunch of people here.

  • mine

    I hadn’t realised you were so important but thanks for bringing it to my attention.

  • gekster

    an assinine maroon.
    (I still want to know what a feninazi is).

  • Scope

    is as guilty on the Gardasil issue? From what I’ve read, around these parts, is that Palin took federal money in order to pay for those Gardasil shots in AK? I know you think she walks on water, but wasn’t that water she walked on as filled with Gardasil, and the federal money to pay for those shots? So should she enter the race, do you think it fair for her to have to answer to her Gardasil support, with taking federal money to pay for those shots fair game on Palin? It’s a fact she took the money smitch.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    one of these days, when you figure out how rational thinking and argumentation works, maybe you’ll write a good post too.

    We don’t disagree on this. You are 100% wrong. Third parties are nothing more than an election vehicle for the least favored candidate of those voting for the third party candidate.

  • silentcal2012

    He endoresed the NARAL hero Rudy Guiliani in 2008. Rudy, the only pro-choice candidate in the race.

  • californiagold

    Mitt Romney was/is every bit as pro choice as Rudy. Romney went out of his way to show his support for the pro choice position during his term as governor.

    Sorry, but I’m bot buying Romney’s opportunistic conversion to the pro life movement.

  • silentcal2012

    Talk about it all you want, like RomneyCare. Everyone knows and Romney has been consistent for over five years.

    Perry is a shiny new toy. A guy who isnt what voters think he is.

    I guarantee few in the pro-life community know that Perry dissed, Huckabee, Fred, and McCain to back Rudy.

    It will get out in due time.

  • californiagold

    Perry probably realized Fred Thompson’s campaign was dead, Huckabee was a tax raising big spender. and that McCain was a sure loser in the general election.

  • RonLewenberg

    Thank you for paying attention to one word and not the message:

    “I?d like to see him explain why using an executive order for this was inappropriate and an abuse of authority. I would like to see him explain why he thought going through the legislature was a bad idea then, and why it is a good idea now. And the Texas State LEgislature getting angy isn?t a good excuse.”

  • kevinj84

    ?Al Gore was a liberal in 1988, far to the left of Reagan.”

    Ronald Reagan was far to the left of Ronald Reagan when he supported FDR and the New Deal. Maybe you Paulines should try a new line of attack, or at least learn some history before bring up Ronald Reagan, who by the way Paul dumped, as well as the Republican party, in the ’80s.

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    thing to use to attack Romney.

  • runner12

    I understood the point you were trying to make and if it had been one of those scenarios where it was a campaign schtick, your analysis would have been correct.

  • Raven

    Did you also miss his explanations of Why he did it? Explanation given at the time he issued the EO, when he defended it, when he rescinded it and several times since. I guess you did, because you are demanding them.
    The legislature refused to pass a bill making the vaccination mandatory, opt-out or not. If the vaccination was opt-in, insurance carriers would not be required to cover it, and thus most would not, including the stat’es insurance plans (Medicaid and SCHIP), leaving the vaccination out of reach for the people most in need of it. So he issued the EO with an opt-out.
    It was not done out of logic or good sense but from emotion. Something which was pointed out to him by the Legislature. When he realized his error, he corrected it before it ever went into effect and Admitted he was in error.
    Problem solved, end of issue. And because he was able to admit his error and its root cause, it’s unlikely to happen again.

    So what’s your problem?

  • Raven

    Or do you just want a big, “I’m sowwy, Mommy!” and a hug from a sad, crying Governor upset that he caused a booboo?

  • californiagold

    Up until now Mitt Romney hasn’t had an opponent who has exposed Romney’s long and liberal record as governor. In 2008 Romney’s campaign never gained traction so McCain never had to spend much time going negative on him.

    In 2012 it will be different. The Perry campaign will turn up every last detail of Romney’s record as governor. Once the voters realize that Romney isn’t the conservative Karl Rove claims he is, Romney’s campaign will be over.