"We've seen just a skyrocketing autism rate. Some people are suspicious that it's connected to the vaccines. This person included. The science right now is inconclusive, but we have to research it." --Barack Obama, Pennsylvania Rally, April 21, 2008.
Way to go Obama. Way to join McCain in dumb-ass-I-don't-bother-with-science-let-alone-logic-land. While it may be true that he was not referring to himself with the line "This person included," the rest of it still reads as if there is some scientific debate left open on this issue. There isn't. If vaccines caused autism then there would have been a drop in autism rates since 2002 when thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines. But there hasn't been. It's that simple. And when a candidate can't get the simple things right, I start to really, really worry about the complex issues.
And of course, Hillary isn't left out of this three stogies issue.
“I am committed to make investments to find the causes of autism, including possible environmental causes like vaccines…. We don’t know what, if any, kind of link there is between vaccines and autism — but we should find out.”
How hard is it to actually figure this out? Are they really unaware? Are they really that irrational? Do they think it's better to lean this way to not alienate the few voters who actually cling to this non-existent issue by finding a wishy-washy middle ground that let's them save face while paying lip service to science? I guess I am most disappointed in Obama if this latter question is the case, since his message is supposed to be about changing the way we do politics. He just forgot to add "But not really."
The Rational Moderate
1 comment:
I believe they are tapping into the current collective consciousness, I've suddenly started seeing an influx of these anti-vaccine fanatics when I'd reading the paper, watching the news, or even driving, I mean there is a ribbon for everything now it seems. And what is the main point that all these silly buggers are making? That mercury in vaccines is causing autism, with two of the most outspoken idiots being Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy. I'm sorry that her kid has autism, it's a troubling disability, but why cling to this expired theory? Anyway, I totally agree with what you're saying, and I'm not sure these candidates actually believe what they are saying or even suggesting, they just have aides who are attuned to the national collective consciousness.
Post a Comment