DNC Takes Immunization Politics to an All Time Low

[Guest guest]

If anyone wasn't sure who to vote for before, this really makes it a lot

easier now. Consider, Drs. Orenstein and other " health " bureaucrats

normally do not participate in partisan political fights. They always

remain neutral in the hope that they will be held over by the new

administration. Here we see Bush ahead in the polls, so why would they

put their heads on the chopping block? There's only one answer: Because

they think Gore is more pro vaccine, or they think that Bush is too weak

on vaccination.

----gary

--------- Forwarded message ----------

From: " Dawn " <prove@...>

<Undisclosed-Recipient:@lion.esosoft.net;>

Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 01:10:53 -0500

Subject: [PROVE] DNC Takes Immunization Politics to an All Time Low

Message-ID: <007b01bfe96d$b5363940$ae9fbed0@...>

The Democratic National Committee Takes Immunization Politics to an All

Time

Low

Please forward this to anyone who cares about their basic human right as

a

parent to decide what immunizations are given to their children.

Brace yourselves for a juvenile, irresponsible, and unacceptable display

of

partisan politics. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is warning

people

not to travel to Texas for fear of ill-health based on a surveillance

number

of toddler immunization rates taken completely out of context. The DNC

release and a related media article are posted for your viewing below.

The number the DNC refers to from a CDC report represents the percentage

of

children who received ALL DOSES of ALL VACCINES. The DNC misrepresents

this

number to imply that all other children are completely unimmunized. For

instance, a couple of years ago when the CDC published Houston's rate of

immunization as 66%, if you looked at all the individual vaccines in the

4:3:1 series, the rates were in the high 80 and low 90 percentiles. Even

though the CDC has decided not to disclose these individual rates this

year,

with an overall rate of 67% in this 1999 report, the individual

vaccination

rates are most likely very comparable. In other words, most of the kids

who

don't have the full course of CDC recommended shots are only missing one

DPT

or Polio booster - they've got everything else. Because they are not

FULLY

immunized with everything though, they get knocked out of being counted.

What the DNC didn't say was that by the time children enter kindergarten

in

Texas the statewide immuniztion rate is 99%. The idea that some two year

old toddlers missing a booster shot here or there makes Texas an

" epidemic

breeding ground " is ludicrous. If this were truly the case, that would

mean

that the vaccines must not work in everybody else. They can't have it

both

ways.

What is so unfortunate here is that the Democratic National Committee's

expoitation of children's health using unfounded fear and

misrepresentations for political motives undermines the advances of our

movement advocating the basic human right to informed consent to

vaccination

for ourselves and our children. Children across the country are being

needlessly injured by known vaccine reactions that are not disclosed to

the

parent as possible prior to vaccination.

Parental involvement with the Texas legislature made Texas the first

state

to reject participation in a National Vaccine Tracking System. The

National

Vaccine Tracking system is merely the foundation for the computerization

and

tracking of all our personal medical records by the federal government to

seed a dangerous nationalized health care plan. Additionally, Texas was

the

first state to respect the right to medical privacy concerning

immunization

records by requiring written parental consent in order for a child to be

included in a statewide immunization tracking system (a law signed by

Governor Bush). I can stand tall and say I am proud to live in Texas!

Please consider letting your legislators know exactly how you feel about

this.

Sincerely,

Dawn

PROVE(Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education)

P.O. Box 1071

Cedar Park, TX 78630-1071

(512) 918-8760

prove@... (email)

http://vaccineinfo.net (web site)

-----------------------------------

from: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/597903

July 8, 2000, 12:00AM

Dems' 'warning' called insult to all Texans

By R.G. RATCLIFFE

Copyright 2000 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

Using the familiar tone of an emergency broadcast, the Democratic

National

Committee posted an Internet warning Friday against traveling to Texas,

claiming Houston's low childhood immunization rate makes the state

unhealthy

for potential visitors.

Ray Sullivan, a spokesman for Texas Gov. W. Bush's Republican

presidential campaign in Austin, called the DNC warning an insult.

" This sort of childish, partisan prank is insulting to Texans of all

political parties, " Sullivan said. " The truth is Texas is a better

educated,

healthier and more economically vibrant place than it was when Governor

Bush

took office. "

The report released Thursday by the federal Centers for Disease Control

and

Prevention in Atlanta said that only about 67 percent of Houston children

between 19 and 35 months of age received childhood vaccinations for

disease

in 1999. City health officials did not dispute the report, but said the

city

is making progress in improving the record.

The DNC warning is an audio file at www.democrats.org and begins by

sounding

an emergency broadcast tone. The warning then goes on to criticize Bush.

" Persons considering travel to Bush's Texas should be aware that

the

Center (sic) for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday

that Houston, Texas, has the lowest immunization rate of any large city

in

the country and health officials fear the nation's fourth-largest city is

ripe for epidemic, " a male voice says.

He tells potential visitors to contact Bush to see how he plans to

improve

the city's immunization rate.

" Bush's Texas has been deemed an epidemic breeding ground, " said

DNC

Communications Director Quinn. " We highly recommend those traveling

to

Bush's Texas immediately check to ensure their immunization shots

are

current before entering the state. "

Walt Orenstein, a physician who oversees the CDC's national immunization

program, said Houston's low immunization rate puts the nation at risk,

and

that a national resurgence of measles between 1989 and 1991 started in

Houston.

taken from:

http://www.democrats.org/news/releases/rel070700.html

News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 7, 2000

CONTACT: Backus

(202) 863-8033

State of Texas - Travel Advisory Warning Into Immediate Effect

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) today warned against travel to

the

State of Texas.

Persons considering travel to the State of Texas should be aware that the

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday that

Houston, Texas has the lowest immunization rate of any large city in the

country, and health officials fear the nation's fourth largest city is

ripe

for epidemic.

" It is something that the government and community need to address

immediately, " said Walt Orenstein, a physician who directs the CDC's

national immunization program. [Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7-7-00]

" Texas has been deemed an epidemic breeding ground, " said DNC

Communications

Director Quinn. " We highly recommend that those traveling to Texas

immediately check to ensure their immunization shots are current before

entering the state. "

More than 30 percent of Houston children between 19 and 35 months of age

are

without immunization and the average rate for Texas is below the national

average of 80 percent. In fact, Bush cut state funding for immunizations

from $99.8 million for 1996-97, the first budget signed by Bush, to $74.7

million for 1998-99, to $67.8 million for 2000-2001. [Texas Budgets,

1996-97, 1998-99, 2000-2001]

" Where's Governor W. Bush while Texans, mainly children, are not

receiving the most basic health services? How could he let this happen?

He

seems to be spending a great deal of time traveling around the country

championing the causes of his special interest friends. Are they more

important than Texas children? " questioned Quinn. " With kids heading back

to

school in less than two months, we urge Texas residents to demand answers

from their Governor about what he plans to do to rectify this sorry

situation. "

To hear the warning about the Texas travel advisory from the " DNC

Emergency

Broadcast System " click below:

Listen Now [RealAudio] Download [MP3]

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee

-----------------------------

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