Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Gummint Bad. Oogh.

Politics below the fold.





As I tweeted earlier:



What brought this on? Here's Rand Paul saying that vaccinations should be voluntary because of freedom, some other GOP lackwit saying that we shouldn't have an "oppressive government" enforcing vaccination, and that as a hypothetical example against "regulation", restaurants should be able to opt out of mandated handwashing, because "the Market will sort it out."

I always love stuff like that last one. The libertarian/rightwing types always make the Market's sorting-process sound like the most benign of forces, as if everyone considering attending the no-handwashing restaurant will find out about it beforehand and choose accordingly. Those of us in the real world know that in a case like this, "the Market sorting it out" would involve a bunch of people with shigellosis, but as ever, the Market is an inherent good that must be preserved even in the face of avoidable and unnecessary human suffering.

And yes, vaccinations should be required by law, with all that entails.

No candidate who thinks otherwise will ever get my vote, or even a hearing, on any issue. Period.

7 comments:

mylittlegeekery said...

I just... I just don't understand the madness that fuels modern conservatism.

Roger Owen Green said...

I have an anti-vax post in me. (No, I'm NOT anti-vax...)

Call me Paul said...

Tanya, even though recent anti-vax noise in the news has been coming from the right, anti-vax is actually not a politically divided issue. Studies have shown that anti-vax sentiment is pretty evenly spread across all political boundaries. Unfortunately, stupid can be found on both sides of the fence. And by both sides, I mean, in your neighbour to the left, your neighbour to the right, and, be very careful, in your own front yard as well. It's important to ask these questions of all the potential candidates, and be prepared to be disappointed by the answer you get from your own favourite.

Kelly Sedinger said...

Paul: the point here is that the political right in this country is finding political hay to be made in pandering to antivaxxers wherever they may be. It's yet another example of the right specifically making antiscience a major part of its campaigning. And as this issue evolves, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see antivax become as mainstream on the right as creationism.

LC Scotty said...

"And yes, vaccinations should be required by law, with all that entails.

No candidate who thinks otherwise will ever get my vote, or even a hearing, on any issue. Period. "

So Barack Obama will never get even a hearing on any issue, let alone your vote?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtl-ES7iLLI#t=3474

At 58 minutes, 1:12 and 1:18. Clearly the president does no support mandating vaccinations.

I don't often find myself in agreement with the president, but assuming he actually holds the position Earnest is claiming, then I think the president has it exactly right.

Aside from some narrow cases (compromised immune systems etc) you should vaccinate your kids. If you don't you're a dumbass. We have the right to keep your unvaccinated kid out of public facilities such as schools.

Perhaps I'm not understanding your position-do you favor strapping people down at gunpoint and vaccinating against their will??

Kelly Sedinger said...

I didn't see the President in that video. I saw the Press Secretary doing the usual kind of weaseling at briefings.

As for your final point, what IS it with libertarians and the way they ALWAYS frame government mandates with "Men with GUNS!" imagery? Seriously. Taxes = "Men with GUNS TAKING YOUR MONEY!" When you say "we have the right to keep your unvaccinated kids out of public facilities", are there "MEN WITH GUNS!!!" doing the monitoring and keeping the unvaxxed kids out? Good lord.

Lynn said...

The anti-vax movement is weird and scary. As usual a large number of people will have to die before people wake up and realize, "Hey, vaccines are a good thing after all."