We talked the other day about South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) vetoing an HPV vaccine bill, despite bipartisan support in the state legislature, despite the fact that she'd co-sponsored the bill when she was a lawmaker, and despite the fact that the proposal would save lives by preventing cervical cancer. If you missed it, Rachel's segment on this is well worth your time.
I bring this up again because South Carolina lawmakers had a chance to override Haley's veto, and made an effort yesterday to do so. Regrettably for everyone involved, the measure came up short.
The South Carolina House failed Tuesday to override Gov. Nikki Haley's veto of a bill intended to provide information on and access to a free vaccine that prevents a sexually transmitted, cancer-causing virus.
The House's 54-47 vote killed the bill, which called for informational brochures on the vaccine for human papillomavirus, known as HPV, to be provided to parents of sixth-graders. Parents could choose to have their seventh-graders receive the vaccine. The bill specifies those provisions depend on funding. A two-thirds majority was needed for the override.
The vaccine wouldn't have been mandatory, and any parent who wanted to opt out their kids would have been free to do so, but it didn't matter.
As mistermix vented in frustration, "[A] state with a teen pregnancy rate higher than the national average [pdf] won't need to worry about any of those sluts thinking they can have unprotected sex without the risk of getting HPV."
Before the vote in the state legislature, a letter was distributed to members from Dr. Andrew Kraft, director of the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. He noted that South Carolina ranks ninth nationwide for cervical cancer deaths, and that despite an FDA recommendation, less than 20 percent of those eligible in South Carolina receive the vaccine.
For Haley and just enough Republican policymakers, the facts didn't matter.
In this case, politics is trumping public health, and the consequences will be tragic.
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but, but, but that's like science stuff and like such!
This is all getting just too unbelieveable. Is this anti-health legislation an exercise in turning us numb to the needs of real people and making a better future for our children?
Nikki Haley, a woman general in the war on women. Some crappy leadership.
Yes, Haley is female. Vidkun Quisling was Norwegian. The collaborationist mentality is actually quite common.
Hmph - wherever there is an action to be taken that will "hurt some people," the GOP is there with bells on to get it done.
And trolls everywhere are there to cheer them on.
Rachel - you drank Merck's KoolAid. Gardasil is neither safe nor effective. It does not prevent cancer. It only Helps merck Pay for Vioxx. Please stop promoting this dangerous fraud. Over 100 young American women have already DIED from Gardasil.
http://prn.fm/2012/06/22/gary-null-nancy-ashley-gov-nikki-haley-rejects-gardasil-moment-sanity-sea-corporate-sponsored-confusion/
Debsthought ; It's not mandatory - read the bill . You can opt out and take the chance if you so desire.This tells me her action was politically motivated, and as Rachel has pointed out actually put her own bill on inoculation in.
We can all find a website that supports or denies any manner of claims .
Me I'll take Snopes who has built their reputation on the truth .
http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/gardasil.asp
Ah, yes. The "Gardasil kills girls!" story from Gary Null, including the auto collision where a girl vaccinated months prior was a passenger.
I wasn't aware that there was a pro-cancer lobbying effort. There must be one somewhere, since the Republicans are supporting it with their votes.
If you want to find out about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine, go to hsionline.com. Scroll down and click on "Sexual Health". Type Gardasil in the search box. Go to page 5 and read article from Jan 23, 2012, "Doctors may be as clueless...". Watch the video. Also read articles from Oct 10, 2011, "How much Gardasil..." and from Sept 27, 2011, "The pro-vaccine crowd..." You will discover that the Gardasil vaccine is a completely unnecessary vaccine. Women still need to get PAP smears because Gardasil only "protects" against 2 forms of HPV, and there are many forms of HPV that can cause cervical cancer. The 2 forms of HPV that Gardasil protects against can also be detected on a PAP smear. Cervical cancer is a very slow growing cancer. It can take up to two decades, 20 years, to develop after the initial infection with HPV. During that time, if women have regular physicals and PAP smears done, the pre-cancerous cells can be detected and easily treated to prevent the cancer from ever developing. No one knows how long the "protection" of Gardasil will last because no long term studies have been done. The truth is all the girls and boys being given Gardasil now are the the research subjects only they don't know it.
I adore Rachel Maddow - I mean seriously adore her. I think she is one of the smartest, most articulate people I have listened to and her show is great. HOWEVER, criticisms should not be held for just those we disagree with. What is driving me up the wall is the monologues are PAINFULLY long. I feel as if she thinks I am stupid and just cannot get the point so I must be beat over the head with it over and over and over. And then the actual conversation with the guest is so short I feel deprived of actual information. I have only one other complaint. PLEASE read Richard Gerrig's work on telling people lies. When you repeat lies that are told you are doing the liar a big, big favor. Even when people are told that what they are hearing is a lie, they later react to it as if they had been told the truth. You can report on these issues without showing the false ads and without repeating what their message is. It just takes a bit more work and thought.