Good News - Marco Rubio agrees with HRC - vaccines vital

[downtoearth]

Looks like someone is on track to be a moderate Republican candidate and seems pretty level-headed about vaccines! (bolding below is mine)

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Marco Rubio: All Children In America Should Be Vaccinated
 

Posted: 02/03/2015 2:28 pm EST Updated: 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON -- Breaking from several of his potential rivals for the White House, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that parents should "absolutely" vaccinate their children to preserve the health and safety of those around them.

"Unless they are immune suppressed for medical exceptions, but I believe all children should be vaccinated," Rubio said following a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Cuba, which he chaired.

"Absolutely, all children in America should be vaccinated," he added.

The Florida Republican cited his grandfather, who was disabled by polio, as an example of why vaccinations are necessary.

Rubio's comments on the issue stand in sharp contrast to those of his Republican colleague Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.). The libertarian-leaning senator said Monday that parents should have some degree of choice in the vaccination of their children because it is a matter of personal freedom.

"The state doesn't own your children; parents own their children," Paul said.

Paul also claimed that he has "heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children, who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines."

Rubio shot down that notion on Tuesday.

"There is absolutely no medical science or data whatsoever that links those vaccinations to onset of autism or anything of that nature," he said. "And by the way, if enough people are not vaccinated, you put at risk infants that are three months of age or younger and have not yet been vaccinated, and you put at risk immune-suppressed children that are not able to get those vaccinations."

Other potential Republican candidates for president, such as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, said parents should be allowed "some measure of choice" in regard to immunizations for their children. His office later clarified that "there is no question kids should be vaccinated."

The debate comes amid a growing measles outbreak in the United States. There are at least 102 reported cases of measles in 14 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/marco-rubio-vaccinations_n_6606692.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

[heyjude]

Thank god.

[downtoearth]

Now if we can only get him to believe the science behind the fact that changing laws can help slow climate change....

www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2014/may/14/has-marco-rubio-backtracked-climate-change/

[penguingrrl]

Good to hear that there is someone rational in the GOP! So far I've actually liked what I have seen of Rubio. Anything to scare me off? He seems fairly moderate and intelligent.

[ttt]

Did they tell the other Rs to say these stupid things so that Rubio can sweep in all reasonable?

[mrsdewinter]

Good for him.

I also think the notion that anyone "owns" a child is abhorrent.

[dawnzersong]

Feb 3, 2015 15:49:22 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Good to hear that there is someone rational in the GOP! So far I've actually liked what I have seen of Rubio. Anything to scare me off? He seems fairly moderate and intelligent.

www.politico.com/story/2013/07/marco-rubio-lead-sponsor-anti-abortion-bill-94691.html

www.politico.com/story/2015/01/sen-marco-rubio-same-sex-marriage-114061.html

talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/marco-rubio-lilly-ledbetter-fair-pay-law-is-nothing-but-a-giveaway-to-trial-lawyers

www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-rubio-denies-climate-change-20140511-story.html

[penguingrrl]

Feb 3, 2015 16:39:19 GMT -5 dawnzersong said:

Feb 3, 2015 15:49:22 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Good to hear that there is someone rational in the GOP! So far I've actually liked what I have seen of Rubio. Anything to scare me off? He seems fairly moderate and intelligent.

www.politico.com/story/2013/07/marco-rubio-lead-sponsor-anti-abortion-bill-94691.html

www.politico.com/story/2015/01/sen-marco-rubio-same-sex-marriage-114061.html

talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/marco-rubio-lilly-ledbetter-fair-pay-law-is-nothing-but-a-giveaway-to-trial-lawyers

www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-rubio-denies-climate-change-20140511-story.html

Wow, I only needed to read the URLs to be cured of thinking he was somewhat rational. Holy shit!

[secretlyevil]

Don't be fooled, Rubio IS NOT moderate.

[ttt]

Why are we even having this conversation??? Why should "vaccines are good, preventable deadly diseases are bad" be a ''moderate" position?? This is a prime example of how totally extreme views are pulling our conception of "moderate" to places they shouldnt be!

AAARRRFGHH!!!

[NewOrleans]

Um.

[Deleted]

I'm really glad this is becoming more of a conversation now, even if there will be pandering to the anti-vaxxers by some candidates. I know Mitch McConnell came out and said yes to vaccinations because he had polio as a kid and realizes, hey, it really sucks to have polio.

[anonymous]

Feb 3, 2015 19:17:12 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

Don't be fooled, Rubio IS NOT moderate.

This. I've also seen him on panels related to HIV policy in the US and he did not come of looking good