What is Rick Perry's big problem right now? We heard it in last night's debate, when Michelle Bachman slammed him for attempting to innoculate 12 year old girls from the HPV virus, which can protect them from a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer. In the 19th century view of the Tea Party, this is Big Brother telling little girls to start having sex as soon as possible, now that it's safe to do so.
And it is a little puzzling that a Christian conservative like Perry would support such a policy. But Bachman suggests a reason- his former Chief of Staff was a lobbyist for Merck, which makes the vaccine, and was donating money to the campaign. [By the way, I loved Perry's response- "they gave me $5000- if you think I can be bought for $5000 then I'm offended". My reply: OK, governor, what would it cost to buy you? Do I need $100,000?]. So the irony is fascinating: Perry was convinced by his old Chief of Staff, a lobbyist, to propound this very sane policy (protecting women from cervical cancer sounds pretty good to me), and now he's getting creamed for it by the anti-science nuts who are his main constituency.
Similarly, he's catching heat for being compassionate toward illegal immigrants. He proposed that they be able to attend UT schools at in-state tuition rates. The xenophobic Republican party won't put up with that any more. Why would we want our illegal aliens educated and productive? Much better to keep them in low-wage jobs with no way out, so that they can be a drain on society!
Of course Mitt Romney has the same sanity problem. He signed universal health care in Massachusetts, and now must pay for his moment of sanity. Noboby would care if Obama hadn't just managed to pass it nationally.
Poor Republican politicians. They keep pushing to the crazy Right, only to find their party has already shot past them even further into CrazyLand.
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