Bush Country?

Who would have thought that the first state to require the hpv vaccination in girls ages 11 and 12 would be Texas?

I certainly would not!

I don't really care if Governor Perry is helping out a friend from Merck or if he thinks he will save $$ not treating cervical
cancer. Insurance companies should cover the cost for most girls and the state of TX and the federal government will cover the cost for uninsured girls. If Governor Perry has to justify saving the lives and/or reproductive lives of women in his state by touting
"the potential to significantly reduce cases of cervical cancer and mitigate future medical costs" in order to make the order more palatable, that's just fine with me.

I am not worried that Republicans were able to save face because the executive order meant no one had to vote against a bill that was, in fact, in the best interest of the children.

And for all those parents who are afraid that getting a vaccine will make their daughters promiscuous, well, you can rest assured because you have the opt out clause. When your daughters get cervical cancer or genital warts, you can explain to them your holier than thou beliefs, but at least the rest of the girls will be safe.

Even the NY Times editorial board congratulates Texas on taking this necessary step forward in the name of health in the face of the moral majority.

I never thought I would say it, but I wish we had a Republican governor like that in California.