[MN_Mike]

Germane to the discussion about Gov. Perry's vaccine mandate, it is interesting to see how the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons viewed the feasibility of the "opt-out."

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

You missed a long, nasty thread today with the Perrywinkles hysterically claiming that his mandate was not really a mandate because it was so easy to opt out. This certainly puts the lie to that.

[comebacknewt]

I think you guys can probably stop now.

You have won. Perry is damaged goods.

For better or worse (and it will be worse), your GOP Presidential nominee is --- Willard Romney.

[SecAmndmt]

I’m a supporter of AAPS...however:

1. Describing the “opt-out” as a “bureaucratic nightmare” is hyperbole. I’ve sent for and received the opt out forms twice; they arrived within a week each time. That being said, I agree that the rules have been set up to make it as difficult as possible to opt out. I do not believe that it was the intent of the TX legislature to make it so. The agency responsible seems to have decided on their own to do this.

2. Private Catholic schools in Texas do not accept the conscience exemption. Their policy is in violation of the law, which was changed around March 2009 and as I understand it now encompasses all licensed private school and day care facilities. The Vatican’s “position paper” (not sure what else to call it) on vaccines is that despite the fact that several vaccines were cultured on (or contain) aborted fetal tissue, Catholics are advised to take them anyway.

[TexMom7]

Yes it is real interesting since it is dated 2005.

The Exec Order was made in 2007 and Tx legislature killed the order 6 wks after that. Perry included specific instructions that it was to be made an easy opt out.

It never went into effect so this article is irrelevant.

[EDINVA]

You realize that none other than Ron Paul is listed among American Physicians and Surgeons foremost members? This wasn’t any kind of setup now, was it? It’s ok with me if you’re a Paul follower, but the source and any biases they may have is always important in these discussions.

[TexMom7]

Took me a long time to trace down the original article. It was written in 2005. The reason Perry put that (see my bold section regarding the opt out in the post I made earlier with copy/paste of the executive order) was for the very reason the physicians in the article are stating.

[CharlesWayneCT]

EVERYBODY needs to go to the link, and read this thing. It is hilarious.

My favorite is the 1st bullet, about how it is apparently virtually impossible to actually follow the opt-out process.

This is because it is so very complicated that I guess the people at this web site (who seem like very intelligent people) can't figure it out.

Which is what makes it so gut-bustingly funny, when you actually READ their treatise on how "hard" it is.

Essentially, the reason it is nearly impossible for the average texan to use the process is that they actually have to ASK for a form (which the state kindly prints out for you WITH all the information filled in). Then they have to WAIT for it to come in the mail.

Then it gets harder, because they have to check off which vaccines they are opting out of (the web site actually MISSED that step), and then they have to SIGN the paper.

After THAT, they have to turn it in with their other papers when the kid goes to school.

You can all see how horribly difficult that is. However, they did miss that you can request the form online, which makes it slightly easier.

Apparently, it was also brutally hard for them to figure out the process. I decided I would see how terribly hard it was.

So, I went to google, and typed "Texas vaccine opt-out".

I got a link to an ONLINE web form. It took me 30 seconds to fill out the form with ALL of the information on my two children ("all" means nothing but their name, birthdate, and my address -- something the people at the web site thinks is a horrible lot of information to have to remember).

You then hit "enter" (or maybe "submit", I can't remember.

Then you wait. The state takes the request, prints up the form with all the information filled in for you, and mails it to you. (the web site actually COMPLAINS that getting it by mail is burdensome. I guess they thought it would be better if you had to go down to the office and pick it up).

Now, compare the two processes -- getting your kid vaccinated, or opting out:

VACCINATION PROCESS:

1. Request a list of required vaccines from the school.
2. Obtain the "vaccination record" form.
3. Schedule a doctor's appointment.
4. Drive to the doctor.
5. Fill out your insurance paperwork for the doctor.
6. Provide the vaccination record form to the doctor.
7. Watch your kid get shots.
8. Get the vaccination record back from your doctor.
9. Drive home.
10. Watch your child for signs of reaction.
11. Make copies of the vaccinatoin form.
12. Take the vaccination form to school

OPT-OUT process:

1. Google "Texas vaccine opt-out"
2. Click on link to online form request.
3. Fill out online form request.
4. Submit online form request.
5. Watch mail for form.
6. Mark which vaccines are opted out on form.
7. Take form to bank, sign and notarize.
8. Take form to school.

Note: It is EASIER to OPT OUT of vaccines in Texas, than it is to GET the vaccines.

Like I said, go to the link and read it. It will give you a good laugh. It's clear these people have no idea what REAL paperwork is. They probably have never had to fill out the "free or reduced lunch request" paperwork.

Addendum: I just took a temp job as a halloween haunt monster. As part of my "processing", I had to fill out 15 pages of forms that are required by the government, mostly to see if the employee qualifies for one or more government credits for hiring the "right kind" of worker.

So accepting a job was about 14 times HARDER than opting out of a Texas vaccine program.

[WFTR]

Thanks for the link. The whole Gardocare issue make Perry supporters into hypocrites if they go into the “government can’t force us to buy goods or services” argument. Perry’s executive order would have forced everyone in Texas who bought health insurance to buy a policy that included the HPV vaccine.

[dforest]

What bothers me the most here is that Perry could not get this through the legislature, so he decided he knew better and used an Executive Order to force it. And when the people rebuked him, he didn’t like it.

This, in itself, is just one of the huge list of reasons I despise Obama. His admin uses the EO to bypass Congress way too much.

While Perry is good on some things, this is a character flaw IMO.

Discussing whether or not the vaccine is good or bad is not the issue.

To those that are upset the issue came up at all. It was going to come out sooner or later. No way was Perry going to be able to keep this under wraps on the way to the WH.