CNN)Debate about a bill before the Texas House about improving care for foster children quickly broke down into a heated argument about vaccinations on Wednesday, with one of the state's most conservative lawmakers saying vaccines weren't important for public health.
The anti-vaccination forces ultimately won, voting to bar doctors from vaccinating foster children during initial examinations. When one Republican tried to get an exemption for the human papillomavirus vaccine, tempers flared.
The vote signified a major victory for the growing influence of the tiny but well-funded anti-vaccination crowd in Texas, one political observer said.
"It's analogous to a very tiny tail wagging a very massive dog," said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University. "The anti-vax forces are a tiny group that holds an exceptionally minority position on the effectiveness of the vaccinations but are influencing public policy."
The debate came after Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, introduced a bill to reform the state's foster care system. Wu seemed surprised when conservatives questioned him about a provision requiring foster children to get prompt exams from doctors to determine whether they've been abused, neglected or abandoned.
"Is it your legislative intent to allow them to force vaccinations with this?" asked Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington.
"My legislative intent is to allow doctors to make decisions that they feel are medically necessary," Wu said.
Rep. Bill Zedler, vice chairman of the ultraconservative Texas Freedom Caucus, then introduced an amendment to prevent doctors from giving vaccines to foster children during the exams, saying the measure "would protect children from medical procedures that are not pertinent to their immediate medical needs."
He said the state should not overrule parental rights in such cases. Soon, he was being questioned by Tinderholt -- a Q&A between two of the state's staunchest conservatives.
"If your amendment is not passed, could this potentially be dangerous to some of these children?" Tinderholt asked.
"That's exactly right.," Zedler said.
The questions ended when Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, took the microphone. He questioned Zedler's motives and wondered why he was injecting a vaccine debate into a bill about reforming child services.
"You would agree that a vaccination is important for the public health -- for the general public health?" Walle asked.
"No, I would not agree with that," Zedler shot back.
"Why wouldn't you?" Walle asked.
Zedler: "Because ..."
Walle: "So you don't think vaccinations are important?"
"Because the vaccination is only for that child -- to protect that child," Zedler said.
Walle interrupted: "But the vaccination is not just to protect that child, obviously, but also to protect the public from spreading of diseases that can be deadly. Is that not correct?"
"Well, no," Zedler said.
How many people have to literally die before conservative anti-vaxxers realize they are wrong?
This is what happens when you start forming public policy on things other than evidence and science.
Op fails to mention elected democrat officals living in san antonio that believe vaccinations cause autism. (Nico lahood)
But yeah its only republican mornons running texas thst velieve vaccinations do not help..
Ideology, like religion, trumps life, science, facts, everything
You're a moron. I love Texas.
There's an odd counter skein running beneath all this. Remember the Rick Perry HPV mandatory vaccination cluster ?
The vaccinations cause autism movement is re ed no matter what party it's coming from, tbh.
Anti vaccine sentiment is just as prevalent on the left. It also exists all over the globe and has since the 1700's but yeah RG...GOP bad.
Anti-vaccines may be bi-partisan when it comes to the lunatic fringe who hold those views, but there's only one political party openly catering to those people at the moment.
Yeah when Jill Stein tried to cater to that crowd she was slapped down pretty hard.
Once the guy with the sole study admitted his science was for the most part that ship sailed. I still have some girlfriends who buy it though.
Liberal anti-vaxxers are coming from a place of genuine stupidity.
Conservative anti-vaxxers are coming from a place of morally bankrupt politics.
I'm not sure which is worse tbh.
Indeed, there are moron Democrats who believe that.
They don't control any branch of government. All 3 branches in Texas are run by people with the magic "R" behind their names.
That would depend on which is easier to cure someone of, IMO.
Do you belive vaccinations should be compelled by force?
If so, and parents choose not to, whats the punishment?
Last edited by D_Admiral; 05-15-2017 at 01:17 PM.
Yea i remember that one, van de putte voted against
mandatory HPV scandal was yet again, BigPharma corrupting the corrupt Perry.
Had NOTHING to do with science or health, only about enriching Perry's BigDonor.
Are you against hpv vaccinations?
Not really, although a case can be made that people who don't are actively endangering the rest of us.
If parents choose not to, then simply make them pay for their kids education elsewhere, i.e. a tax penalty.
Anti vaxxers should be euthanized for the good of humanity, imo, fwiw.
Any mandatory vaccines should be provided FREE, and any kid sickened, injured, or killed by mandatory vaccines (it happens) to be compensated by BigPharma (not taxpayers)
Texas Republicans ignore security threat in Oval Office, propose to criminalize immigrants instead
two Texas Republicans would still like you know that the real security threat to the nation isn’t his Orangeness and those thin loose lips, but those “bad hombre” brown folks:There’s a reason why the shameless senator from Texas was bestowed with the “Biggest Hypocrite on Immigration” award by immigrant rights group America’s Voice several years ago.
Two key GOP lawmakers are crafting a bill that would
punish sanctuary cities,
force parents of undo ented teens to wear electronic ankle monitors so their children don’t skip deportation hearings, and
establish five-year minimum prison sentences for immigrants who illegally re-enter the United States after having been deported,
according to a congressional aide and a draft of the legislation obtained by The Washington Post.
The bill by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), which was still being reworked on Monday, also would
increase detention space and
boost the number of immigration judges on the border to speed deportations.
Cornyn’s history is littered with nice remarks about wanting to fix our broken immigration system, all the while politicizing the nameless migrants who died crossing the U.S./Mexico border in search of better lives
by filming an ad at their graves.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/5...28Daily+Kos%29
Ethnic cleansing in TX, and racist/xenophobe Sessions is executing ethnic/racial cleansing at the national level
Nice ing country.
TX Repugs and the assholes who elect them ING SUCK.
"the Texas House of Representatives approved a limited "bathroom bill" that would require public high school students to use restrooms that match the gender on their birth certificates. The measure now goes back to the Senate, which previously approved a broader version mandating that standard for everyone using public restrooms.
Abbott had made the issue a priority for the legislative session. Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers also have proposed bills or amendments allowing "religious liberty" exemptions for lawyers, pharmacists and nurses.
Opponents of the bills, who say they target vulnerable children, are outraged. One critic on Twitter called it "discrimination Sunday."
The battle, and the rhetoric, should only heat up before the legislative session ends next week."
Yah morons
my son is allegic to oats because of vaccinations
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