At least three Republican governor candidates embrace anti-vax talking points
27 replies, posted
https://www.salon.com/2018/10/26/at-least-three-gop-governor-candidates-embrace-anti-vaccine-disinformation
At least three Republican gubernatorial candidates have espoused anti-vaccination talking points on the campaign trail, even as medical groups plead for them to retract their
statements. Oregon Republican nominee Dr. Knute Buehler, an orthopedic surgeon, said he supports weakened vaccine laws at a televised debate last week.
“As a physician, I certainly believe in the benefits of vaccination but I also think that parents should have the right to opt out,” Buehler replied to a recorded question from a voter. “To
opt out for personal beliefs, for religious beliefs or even if they have strong alternative medical beliefs. And that has been beneficial. I think that gives people option and choice and
that’s the policy I would continue to pursue as Oregon’s governor.”
Three medical groups – the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, the Oregon Pediatric Society and the Oregon Chapter of the American College of Physicians – called on Buehler to
retract his statement, citing the scientific consensus that recommends a full slate of childhood vaccines, the Oregonian reported.
Buehler's campaign said he is standing by his statement. His opponent, incumbent Gov. Kate Brown, said at the debate that she believes "we probably give some parents a little
too much leeway” in exempting children from vaccines. Recent polling shows Brown leading Buehler by four to five points.
Buehler is far from the only Republican to embrace anti-vaxxer attitudes. A newly published video of Connecticut Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob Stefanowski shows him
telling a Tea Party group last year that he believes vaccine requirements should “depend on the vaccination,” NBC Connecticut reports. “We shouldn’t be dumping a lot of drugs into
kids for no reason,” he told an audience member.
Asked if he would approve of legislation that would alter the current vaccination policy, Stefanowski replied, “I would look at it. I don’t think we should be forcing people to inject a ton
of chemicals into their kids but I would want to see more about it.” A spokesperson for his campaign later clarified that “Bob does not advocate for any policy changes” in regards to
vaccines.
Stefanowski trails Democrat Ned Lamont by eight to nine points in recent polling. Oklahoma Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Stitt also sparked backlash earlier this year
when he said it was “absolutely wrong” to mandate that children must be vaccinated in order to attend public school.
“I believe in choice. And we’ve got six children and we don’t vaccinate, we don’t do vaccinations on all of our children,” he said in February, according to the Daily Beast.
Stitt leads his Democratic challenger, Drew Edmonson, by six to seven points in recent polling.
https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/220592/b5f0f9b5-c5ad-45a0-9408-68d376f43a55/image.jpeg
Obligatory in every anti-vaxx thread
but fucking anti-vaxxers are a super minority
why
fucking WHY
"To opt out for personal beliefs, for religious beliefs or even if they have strong alternative medical beliefs. And that has been beneficial. "
Should be illegal to be anti vax and blatantly lie like this when going for public office.
As a physician, I certainly believe in the benefits of vaccination but I also think that parents should have the right to opt out,” Buehler replied to a recorded question from a voter. “To
opt out for personal beliefs, for religious beliefs or even if they have strong alternative medical beliefs.
I have a strongly held religious belief that guns don't hurt people. Being shot at only reproduces that reaction because the person believes they're going to be hurt, kind of like a placebo. The "homicide victims" and "war casualties" are all crisis actors.
Scientific evidence that bullets shot from guns hurt people? Well, I have my beliefs and you have yours. Don't oppress me. What's wrong with choice? When has giving people options ever hurt anyone?
This guy's going to be super popular in Ashland. They're huge on anti-vaxx, makes going to the Shakespeare festival suck ass.
Remember to do your duty and vote against this fucker.
Sounds like he's had a few too many vaccines, if you know what I mean.
Between the courting of resurrecting dead epidemics, refusal to prevent the planet from killing us, the views on never letting a woman choose for herself, the vitriolic hatred for LGBT+ people and the need to incite nationwide violence and even terror plots just to have a better chance of staying in power for 2 more years, I think it's completely reasonable to start calling Republicans the Anti-Human Party.
People joke and point out the "family values," "pro-life" and "fiscal conservative" monikers as hollow masks, but seriously, their views are blatant and clear as day without any jokes needed at this point. Anti-Human stances define them entirely.
Because it's an anti-government talking point and thanks to decades of gerrymandering, redistricting, voter roll purging, etc. those minority voting blocs have a wildly disproportionate amount of voting power which helps the Republicans maintain control of the US governments in order to further the interests of their massive private donors
It's just how they operate
Still relevant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhk7-5eBCrs
This will only validate them and make them stronger lol
Between climate change, nationalism on the rise, and anti-vax gaining traction, I feel like the world is on a major decline
But every generation feels that way during their time, right?
Right?
two watermarks
Hey, why was the five year old crying at their birthday party?
Their mom is an anti-vaxxer, and they're having their midlife crisis.
Least the lil' guys wont suffer from Autism
These guys are a genuine threat to humanity
Because Republicans are thick as pig shit
I still can't believe things like vaccination and climate change are being considered as partisan issues. Both things that should be factually considered with truths in that vaccination is a net benefit in keeping people alive and everyone around them, and climate change being a real danger that everyone should work against to prevent our very world from just drowning off.
Why is the world just falling apart like this? How did people get this detrimentally stupid?
"Tired of experts"
Of course. The "pro-life" position has only ever been a shrewd ploy to guarantee them the Evangelical voting block. Most of the Republicans elected today would eat live babies if corporations paid them enough.
I call it loss of individualism through overindividualism. Social media makes everyone want to be special and unique, but all it does is put people into echo chamber bubbles where the in people are right and
everyone else is wrong. Especially with anti-establishment or anti-government things like anti-vax and Trump.
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