Laura Bush Rebukes President On Abstinence-Only Requirement For AIDS Relief
Laura Bush Rebukes President On Abstinence-Only Requirement For AIDS Relief
In 2003, Congress passed the President’s Emergency Programme for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which provides HIV/AIDS drugs and funding to 15 countries plagued by the virus. However, President Bush and the conservative-controlled Congress tacked a restrictive provision to PEPFAR requiring that one-third of prevention funding go to promoting abstinence education.
Last month, the House rejected the policy, passing legislation that would allow Bush and future presidents to waive the abstinence-only provision. In response, Bush threatened a veto, claiming “he would veto any legislation that weakens current policy and laws on abortion.”
In an interview with CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux this week, First Lady Laura Bush disagreed with her husband’s right-wing agenda, stating that she believes condoms are “absolutely essential” and supports waiving the abstinence-only provision. Watch it:
While the U.S. spends the most money on AIDS relief, the abstinence-only provision hinders programs that could use more money for treatment.
Furthermore, a Government Accountability Office report in 2006 found that 12 of the 15 “focus-countries” were forced to reduce spending on HIV/AIDS prevention in order to meet the abstinence requirements. Programs backing safe-sex practices subsequently lost necessary funding.
UPDATE: The Center for Health and Gender Equity has more on Laura Bush’s statements.
Transcript:
MALVEAUX:And while the First Lady defends the administration’s commitment to abstinence, she also supports people using condoms.
BUSH: Men wear condoms, and not every girl, or woman, can get their partner to do that. Now I’m not saying that condoms aren’t absolutely essential, they are, and it’s very, very important.
MALVEAUX: With Democrats in control of Congress, Representative Nita Lowey has won House approval for an amendment for this coming year’s AIDS funding that would allow the president to waive the one-third requirement. I asked the First Lady about it, and she said she found that idea perfectly fine.
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Laura Bush has more class and dignity than Hillary ever will.
July 4th, 2007 at 3:50 pmCHENEY/BUSH 2008!!!
July 4th, 2007 at 3:58 pmPlus there was a study that proved that:
Abstinence education doesn’t work
July 4th, 2007 at 3:59 pmAbstinence-only education programs meant to teach children to avoid sex until marriage failed to control their sexual behavior, according to a U.S. government report.
Where is the ThinkProgress Headline that reads:
BREAKING: Al Gore’s Son. Bust With Drugs.
???????????????????????????????????????????
July 4th, 2007 at 4:01 pmEven Laura doesn’t like him.
Talk about “losing your base”.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:01 pmPIP/CT 2028!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 4th, 2007 at 4:02 pmLaura Bush has more class and dignity than Hillary ever will.
Comment by Jessie Saxton — July 4, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
CHENEY/BUSH 2008!!!
Comment by GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS — July 4, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Two of the biggest idiots on earth.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:03 pmComment by GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS — July 4, 2007 @ 4:01 pm
Don’t you get it? Global Warming planted them on his son, Mr. President!
July 4th, 2007 at 4:03 pmWhy does TP cover Paris Hilton but not Al Goracle’s son being busted with drugs?
July 4th, 2007 at 4:05 pmCT,
Oh, yes.
The big conspiracy!!!
July 4th, 2007 at 4:06 pmSounds like Laura has changed her mind about the “ABC” policy on AIDS: Anything But Condoms.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:08 pmI wonder if the Goracle will pull some strings to get is son off the hook…
July 4th, 2007 at 4:10 pmComment by GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS — July 4, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
“The Defense calls Global Warming as its next witness”
July 4th, 2007 at 4:15 pmugh, people have sex, get over it.
@drock: no, I don’t want my daughter to be having sex at 11, and I will hopefully raise her to think for herself and make good decisions. However, there are a lot of youths who don’t have the benefit of a sound family structure, and who are having sex at an increasingly young age. It is imperative to provide those adolescents with both sound education AND preventitive measures, so that if they do decide to have sex they can reduce the risk of contracting and spreading deadly diseases. Teaching abstinence as the only choice is ignorant of reality, and leaves adolescents defensless against harmful disease.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:18 pmThiassi
I would be more worried about where his daughters are. That sort of projection ain’t a good sign.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:18 pm“Your honor, the defense would like to introduce into evidence Exhibit A – “The Assault on Reason” (Pg. 210, Para. 2).”
July 4th, 2007 at 4:21 pmLaura Bush has more class and dignity than Hillary ever will.
Comment by Jessie Saxton — July 4, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
And this relates to the topic…Again the basis for your firm belief please.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:24 pmGAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS
1: Nothing new, Al Gore Jnr was busted in 2003 too.
2: Young people do stupid things sometimes, whoever they are related to. It doesn’t change Gore Snr’s stance on anything and it doesn’t really even reflect on him, save that his son may be a bit of a screwup. The same could be said of Bush Snr.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:28 pmWhere’d this come from… ?
Comment by dbadass — July 4, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:30 pmDubya procured an abortion for a girlfriend in the dark days before Roe vs. Wade. Laura Bush knows people have sex and mistakes happen. She’s not about to pretend the world is perfect like her husband does.
As for Al Gore’s son. I’m not sure what the troll’s point is. Gore is not in public office, he’s not running for office, and he hasn’t used his influence inappropriately to get his son off the hook. And this is not the first time his son has had trouble with the law.
If you think there’s a double standard, think again. All the stories involving the Bush girls, either Dubya’s or Jeb’s, have happened while these Bushies held public office and often involved suggestions that political influence was used to get charges dropped.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:30 pm“god why did i come back here.”
Comment by drock
The good news is, you don’t have to stay!
July 4th, 2007 at 4:31 pmIsn’t America great?
Happy 4th of July!
Al Gore’s son was stopped for going 100 MPH in a Prius! I doubt that he was getting 51 MPG highway.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:33 pmjust thought id boost the comments and give you guys a different point of view. your comments have been weak ever since the drudge link. once again the left cant handle that though. good news i will be back to see the commi, progressive thinking just to keeps my mind boggled a the stupidity of others. happy 4th. thank a veteran today. thats what America was founded on and will always be.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:38 pmAl-ee III reportedly had two prescription bottles containing four different types of pills – all illegal. There was also the scent of Mary Jane.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:39 pmHow unfortunate. My wife and I are in 100% agreement on reproduction rights.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:41 pmHow bad for America that the leader and his wife could be so unhealthily opposed in this area.
Al-ee III reportedly had two prescription bottles containing four different types of pills – all illegal. There was also the scent of Mary Jane.
Comment by CT_V1, Dean of Dissent — July 4, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
And this relates to the story at hand how?
July 4th, 2007 at 4:45 pmPickles is a chain smoking pill popper…so much better than Hillary.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:46 pmIf only Babs had forced GHWB to wear one. Crap.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:49 pm“…..just thought id boost the comments and give you guys a different point of view”
Comment by drock
I fail to see anything different than the sludge which spews from you and all your kindred bottom feeders.
The problem with being a bottom feeder, is that all the heavy metals and chemicals concentrate in the muck, and you get a much higher dose.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:52 pmdrock, 4:38 pm: “happy 4th. thank a veteran today. thats what America was founded on and always will be.
At least you capitalized America…
But really, America wasn’t founded on veterans. It wasn’t founded on thanking veterans. It was founded by people who wrote the Declaration of Independence. Read it sometime, and then have an educated person explain the big words. It will explain to you why you are so “boggled”…many of the same issues our founders listed for declaring their independence from a tyrant are in front of us today, in the form of the new King George from Crawford, TX.
Or don’t read it, and just stay “boggled”.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:53 pmComment by bob (not the hacker)
I suppose that since abstinence is the topic, it’s a great idea to create “shock awareness” about the need to abstain from drug use.
Happy 4th, bob.
July 4th, 2007 at 4:58 pmComment by Emerald — July 4, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
Good post!
July 4th, 2007 at 5:00 pmJane-thank you. And Happy Independence Day!!
July 4th, 2007 at 5:04 pmI’m boggled at this story. The whole world knows of AIDS, or GAIDS in your neck of the woods. San Fran is it? What do you want people to do, put the condom ourselves on these people. its not that hard to be abstinent. or i guess it is in this case. Its just a solution thrown out there which is more than libs can think up. You complain about the problem than when a solution comes up that makes sense such as don’t have sex which causes aids you get stirred up. And yes Vets is what our country was founded on. It took bravery to stand up to a tyrannical country and win our Independence. thats why we celebrate today and the war we won to be here breathing. If they just sat back and didn’t want war we would still be drinking tea and all have European accents. who knows.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:06 pmComment by Emerald — July 4, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Happy Independence Day to you, too! And keep up the patriotic duty of fighting the trolls! :-)
July 4th, 2007 at 5:08 pmps, if you preboil the brats in beer before they go on the grill they are less likely to split.
Comment by bob (not the hacker)
Wise words, bob, but I don’t care much for sausage. Got any tips for hamburgers?
July 4th, 2007 at 5:10 pmComment by bob (not the hacker) — July 4, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
Bill Clinton is going to hell because he smoked grass.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:11 pmGot any tips for hamburgers?
Comment by CT_V1, Dean of Dissent — July 4, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
I do, CT.
Don’t over cook them.
In fact, only grill ‘em for about 5 – 7 min (depending on thickness), after that put bleu cheese on top and grill for another 2 min on low heat.
The cheese may not melt but that is ok.
DON’T OVER COOK!
July 4th, 2007 at 5:14 pmComment by CT_V1, Dean of Dissent — July 4, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
If you don’t get a mouthful of blood, raw meat, and grease in every bite, then you have over grilled.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:19 pmdrock
The reason why you are so boggled is because you never bothered to ask yourself just what made America, America as opposed to being just another country.
You never bothered to try and figure out what America, as a concept, is actually supposed to be. As such, the very concepts which should be at the heart of American idealism, simply confuse you.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:21 pmMr. President
Stop talking to yourself. Its creepy.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:22 pmComment by Mr. President
What good advice, Mr. P. And it’s good you know that too, because it’s been said that eating overcooked meat can actually up one’s cancer risk.
I’m actually going to cut-and-paste your advice and print it out.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:26 pmShame that George’s parents didn’t use a condom the day he was conceived.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:27 pmLooks like the better part of him ran down his father’s hind leg.
I’m actually going to cut-and-paste your advice and print it out.
Comment by CT_V1, Dean of Dissent
You should do that, because cooking burgers is really difficult.
Try not to blow yourself up lighting the grill.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:33 pmComment by gummitch
I don’t think that’s the point here. Enjoy taking things out of context?
July 4th, 2007 at 5:52 pmps, if you preboil the brats in beer before they go on the grill they are less likely to split.
Comment by bob (not the hacker) — July 4, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
Any advice that tells you to waste beer is bad advice. :) The brats taste better with a little split and a good washing down with said beer.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:59 pmAny advice that tells you to waste beer is bad advice. :) The brats taste better with a little split and a good washing down with said beer.
Comment by Yikes
Sheboygan?
Cooking with beer is never “wasting” beer. Just ask the Belgians. Or anyone who makes beer-butt chicken. Mmmmmmm.
July 4th, 2007 at 6:11 pmWhat do you want people to do, put the condom ourselves on these people. its not that hard to be abstinent. or i guess it is in this case. Its just a solution thrown out there which is more than libs can think up.
Comment by drock
And maybe your parents should have remained abstinent, too.
July 4th, 2007 at 6:33 pmhappy 4th. thank a veteran today. thats what America was founded on and will always be.
Comment by drock — July 4, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
You’re welcome. It was an honor and a privilege to serve.
July 4th, 2007 at 6:53 pmas far as burgers. make some quarter pounders. mash them to be about 3/4half an inch thick. throw on some salt and pepper, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. grill and keep dumping sauce on it. melt chese once its done. i guess we can all be friends here.
July 4th, 2007 at 7:23 pmSo the lady has a tongue? What has she been doing with it for the last 5 years?
July 4th, 2007 at 7:25 pmI’m sorry, but I just don’t get conservatives. They hate condoms because they are used on an erect pen!s. And they object to marijuana, why? Cause they just don’t know how to party.
The War on Sex, Drugs, and Rock’n'Roll is a farce. Chill out. Educate and regulate, but don’t moralize. If Bishop Desmond Tutu can feel comfortable with the use of condoms, why can’t George Bush?
July 4th, 2007 at 7:59 pmIn #59, dumb-as-a-rock pulls the usual rightwing troll stunt of digging up some outlandish comments by some obscure people and assuming that they represent all progressives/liberals. They don’t, nor has anyone here advocated sexual activitiy for 11 year olds. That’s from your own filthy mind, buddy.
July 4th, 2007 at 8:18 pmThis thread is about Laura rejecting her own husband’s pandering to the sex-negative fringe of his party. Next we will have the trolls telling us that sex is bad.
If you feel that is so, don’t have it. But if you want to have it, be responsible. It takes a little bit of critical thinking, and a respect for yourself and your partner, but even trolls should be able to muster that.
BTW-nothing quoted in #59 is in anyway untruthful. Only immature people, afraid of sexuality and unaware of their own physical needs and the universiality of same, would consider those statements (if taken within context-I have read the entire transcript, not just these cherry-picked pieces) in any way inappropriate for the high school audience that heard them. (See the Boulder High School inquisition by Bill O’Irrelevant for more information.)
July 4th, 2007 at 8:28 pmThat troll is probably still the same moron who’s been trolling here for the past few days… can we PLEASE ban him?
Anyway, Abstinence-only programming sucks. I’m glad Laura is standing up for that. Maybe she’ll finally register a disproval of his performance… heheheh.
July 4th, 2007 at 8:38 pmLooks like all he has left is Barney now.
July 4th, 2007 at 9:29 pmWhoa, TP is reaching again.
“Last month, the House rejected the policy, passing legislation that would allow Bush and future presidents to waive the abstinence-only provision. In response, Bush threatened a veto, claiming “he would veto any legislation that weakens current policy and laws on abortion.â€
C’mon guys. If you’re gonna try to get away with putting pieces like this together, at least leave out the links so there is some possibility that people will fall for it. On second thought, it was only meant to be believed by radical lefties so it’s ok. Nevermind. ;)
July 4th, 2007 at 9:55 pmBarney still loves the King. :P
July 4th, 2007 at 10:06 pm“Your honor, the defense would like to introduce into evidence Exhibit A – “The Assault on Reason†(Pg. 210, Para. 2).â€
Comment by CT_V1, Dean of Dissent
What’s your point, CT?
There’s more to morality than one’s sexual behavior — which is Al’s point.
July 4th, 2007 at 10:07 pmShame that George’s parents didn’t use a condom the day he was conceived.
Looks like the better part of him ran down his father’s hind leg.
Comment by celtic cynic — July 4, 2007 @ 5:27 pm
ha!!! – best comment so far!! – nice one dude
July 4th, 2007 at 10:51 pmWhoa, TP is reaching again.
“Last month, the House rejected the policy, passing legislation that would allow Bush and future presidents to waive the abstinence-only provision. In response, Bush threatened a veto, claiming “he would veto any legislation that weakens current policy and laws on abortion.â€
C’mon guys. If you’re gonna try to get away with putting pieces like this together, at least leave out the links so there is some possibility that people will fall for it. On second thought, it was only meant to be believed by radical lefties so it’s ok. Nevermind. ;)
Comment by upright left — July 4, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
Um, WTF? The links (which actually refer to the same article) confirm exactly what ThinkProgress says in the paragraph. Did YOU actually READ the article? I’m guessing you didn’t.
Let’s take what you quoted:
“Last month, the House rejected the policy”. In this case the “policy” refers to this point: “Contraceptives prevent abortion, plain and simple,” said Terri Bartlett, vice president for public policy and Population Action International. “Cutting off the flow of contraceptives to women and couples in impoverished countries makes no sense at all.”
His group said that since Bush reinstated what opponents call the “gag rule” in 2001, shipments of U.S.-donated contraceptives have been stopped to 20 developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.” So, the House DID reject the “gag rule” policy. I’d say ThinkProgress got it right. TP-1, UL-0
“…passing legislation that would allow Bush and future president to waive the abstinence-only provision.” From the article, “The bill, in another swipe at a favorite administration program, gives Bush and future presidents the right to waive current law that requires that one-third of U.S. aid for HIV/AIDS prevention be spent on abstinence programs.
Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., who helped draft the original abstinence language, said he was confident that the current administration would continue to promote it. But he warned that the country will get a new president in 2009 who could overturn the program.” So, again ThinkProgress got it right. (Note: The word “waive” means “to relinquish voluntarily”, “to refrain from pressing or enforcing”, or “to postpone”. In other words, the President–either now or in the future–can choose to enforce the abstinence-only policy or not, as he chooses. As Rep Weldon noted, Bush would likely choose to enforce the policy but another President might not.) TP-2, UL-0
“In response, Bush threatened a veto, claiming ‘he would veto any legislation that weakens current policy and laws on abortion’.” From the article, “Republicans disagreed and cited a letter to Democratic leaders from President Bush last month warning that he would veto any legislation that weakens current policy and laws on abortion.” Let’s see, Bush sent a letter to Democratic leaders saying he would threaten a veto. I’d say ThinkProgress got that quite right (that part was directly quoted from the article in the TP piece). TP-3, UL-0
Maybe you should refrain from criticizing something that YOU haven’t read. You went to bat and struck out, 1-2-3.
July 5th, 2007 at 3:36 amI think you misunderstand the objective.
The purpose of the abstinance-only policy *is not* to prevent pregnency.
The purpose of the abstinance-only policy *is not* to prevent the spread of STIs, including but not limited to HIV.
No.
The purpose of the abstinance-only policy is to *stop people from having sex with anyone other than their married partner*. Its that simple. Its an inherently morality driven policy. Those who push it believe, for a variety of religious and social reasons, that *sex* is inherently evil – it must be permitted only by married heterosexual couples, and even then kept hidden behind closed doors and never spoken of in polite company. It is their view that sex before or outside of marriage is the real plague on society. Preventing pregnency and STI transmission is a welcome side effect, but the real objective is to save the failing sexual taboo, and return to the days when chastity was not only a cherished virtue, but a social demand.
The big problem with this is that social engineering is very hard, and that telling people not to have sex is about as effective as telling them not to eat. Good luck getting them keep it up for any length of time.
July 5th, 2007 at 7:57 amAs much sin and debauchery as there is here in these 50 states and beyond, an “abstinence-only” policy regulation on funding for AIDS/STDs [or anything else] is ridiculous. We’ll just have to blame nature for providing us with the urge to merge. I am a firm believer that it’s a parent’s obligation to teach the child about sex, sexual responsibility, health and safety, etc. with support from educational institutions, the rest we have to throw in the air and hope the words don’t fall on deaf ears.
At what point does anyone [adult or child] get a break from the “idea” of having SEX? It’s everywhere! TV, music, cartoons, commercials…yet someone has the idea that kids are not going to have sex if you tell them “Wait until you’re married, it’s the right thing to do”. HA! More than 3/4 of us didn’t wait and more than that didn’t marry their first or fifth partner. Face it people, we can’t place legislative restrictions on human nature/behavior and threatening to deprive someone of resources unless they comply is inhumane. Even if that’s what ought to be done, we know it won’t.
If we’re going to place restrictions on “legislated resources†lets start at our local Child and Family Services (Welfare) offices. Not all people on public assistance are “slaves” to it, but there are generations of women who have child after child and never become independent of the system nor do they feel they have to. I would vote to put “a cap” on the number of children a woman can have who’s receiving public assistance, as well, to require MANDATORY academic and health-based education for pregnancy prevention and STDs and establish a program committing them to “give back” and become mentors to help others get off assistance. In such situations, I would agree with a stipulation of sorts, but you’ve got a better chance at seeing a pig fly or throwing a snowball across the banks of the River Styx before getting an abstinence-only policy approved.
And yet they will remain ignorant….
July 5th, 2007 at 3:16 pmIs this about Laura and Georgie? or Is it about What morality is ?Is it about people sentenced to death from aids( from the lack of condoms and education)? What I heard Laura Bush say in the newsclip was common sense-I am glad that she did that.First common sense policy (or compassion ) I have seen from the White House.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:53 pmDear Ladies and Gentleman:
Here in Europe, we do have excellent aids prevention educational programs advocating the use of condoms.
What makes us ex-Pats and Europeans so cynical about U.S.morality is that the “double standard” also creates all sorts of “alienated sexuality” things….. We notice where “table top dancing comes from” (Mormon Utah, for example) and that while the U.S. industry is incapable of manufacturing goods that can be exported to Europe, a good part of the measly U.S. exports to foreign countries primarilly consists of porno films, one of which is completed every 36 minutes in the U.S. (the shadow side of “puritan
ethics.”
Hell, even our German Pope Benedict XVI has eased the Catholic ban on contraceptives and now advocates the use of condoms to prevent AIDS.
Really. This restriction on U.S. aids prevention to “no sex”…. is costing the health and lives of millions of people which could be saved by the simple
distribution of condoms.
The policy is cruel, heartless and inhumane. I sincerely bid Bush a long life after he leaves office back on his ranch where he can get his jollies off by watching pig and cattle and cattle breeding. However, his obvious
delight in human cruelty covered up by psuedo moralism is not going to do him any good in the life hereafter. God, being merciful, will let him and Cheney set up a white house……. or outhouse, to exercise power and control over others.
And all the angels in heaven who don`t give a hoot about power and possession will be blissfully unawares of their machinations, I guess.
Of course, the POTUS IN THE AFTERLIFE will tremble at the
threatenings of protestant pastors in the afterlife, playing with the thunderbolt of “you`re going to go to hell”.
I don`t have to vote for them in this life, and am not particularly worried about ever meeting them in the life hereafter. And since there is no
“death penalty” in hell, Bush will not be able to enforce one, or commute sentances of other convicted felons like Scooter Libby.
The psychopath delights in cruelty to people socially, physically, and
and financially weaker than he is…… His AIDs policy as well as Iraq
only reflects that delight stemming from his sick “Lust of dominion”
“Herrsucht” or Power Addict in German.
Laura shows some sense of human compassion in contradicting that
cruel, borderline psychopath.
Good for her. I feel sorry for her co-alcoholic position she got herself in when she married the man. May she attend many more CoDa and Al Anon meetings to establish her own “Declaration of Independence.”
all the best to the sane humanists out there.
July 6th, 2007 at 5:47 amof social ostracism and
... I just don’t get conservatives. They hate condoms because they are used on an erect pen!s. And they object to marijuana, why?
It’s just jealousy and fear of losing control – Remember these are the folks who believe they’re in danger of hellfire for every sexy thought. Huckabee wants to ban mini skirts because they call attention to the ‘private parts’. And pot puts you on the slippery slope to uncontrollable addiction…
Europe and the UK are much more laid back and open about sexuality because they shipped all the Puritans over here.
July 6th, 2007 at 1:48 pm“Where is the ThinkProgress Headline that reads:
BREAKING: Al Gore’s Son. Bust With Drugs.”
Exactly why would anybody think that Al Gore III’s arrest is a significant issue that ThinkProgress needs to cover?
July 6th, 2007 at 3:12 pmAs far as I can tell, the arrest of Al Gore’s adult son (he is 24) has nothing to do with anything.
Al Gore is a public figure, but Al Gore III, so far as I know, is not. It is unfortunate that he seems to have some fairly substantial problems of substance abuse (which his father has discussed quite openly in the past) but his problems are really not relevant to any current public policy discussion — no more than George Bush’s daughters’ problems with alcohol are.
—–
Whereas Mrs. Bush’s comments on AIDs prevention education ARE relevant to an important public policy issue.
Mrs. Bush is just recently returned from an official trip to Africa, where she visited AIDs education centers. As an official representative of the US during that visit, her views on such topics are politically relevant.
Of course condoms are necessary. They better start having sex education earlier though. If all of you keep feeding your kids meat and dairy products with growth hormones, they’ll all be reaching puberty by age 7, like a lot are now. So… condoms? pregnant 8 year olds? what’s worse?
July 6th, 2007 at 4:42 pmIts about time one of the Bushs reliazied that the current way they think AIDS should be talked about and prevented is by allowing condums to be used as well face facts wake up everyone our young people are haveing unsafe sex because you think they are good littel boys and girls
July 6th, 2007 at 6:30 pmSome thoughts:
All the puritanical thinking from New England seems to have been sold off like an old rug to the South–which bought puritanism hook, line, and sinker. Smart move by New Englanders, typically dumb for Southerners…who can now say that their political philosophy comes from NEW ENGLAND *grin* That ought to make their head spin and explode, so we can remake the South in our own image.
On abstinence: Sure, GO FOR IT. Anyone who supports abstinence-only policy should live what they preach…permanently…with no exceptions for marriage…INCLUDING their 2nd, 3rd, or 7th marriage. No breeding allowed, period. Abstinence-only will die off like the Shakers. End of story.
On boiling brats in beer: Let’s just forget that “brat” is short for “bratwurst”….and let’s boil as many BRATS–preferably Bush brats or generic Repugnantcan brats–as we can, in their own beer. THAT would not be a waste of beer!
July 6th, 2007 at 9:56 pmPassed in 2003, PEPFAR required that one-third of the global prevention program’s funding go to the promotion of abstinence only education. In 2006, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the abstinence programs were actually “undermining the global efforts to prevent 7 million new HIV infections by 2008,” the Center for Health and Gender Equity reports.
July 7th, 2007 at 3:37 amAbstinence Education Does Not Work
Thank you Laura…finally…a voice of reason and logic in the White House.
July 7th, 2007 at 5:55 pmAnd clearly not pundit driven, but from the heart…spoken like a mother of two daughters…got it George? Wake up George! Helloo!
Augh, Jeez, What can one say about a country who elects Ronald and the Bush clan. There is no defense. This country was NOT founded on vets. but rather reason which we don’t seem to have any. Thank you Al for the book, good reading. Suggest “The Creature from Jeckle Island”
July 8th, 2007 at 6:40 pmS.D.G.
Cheney’s daughter, Gore’s son; what are the REAL issues here?? I’m hoping that, when a new administration is finally installed, maybe these kindergarten playground tactics will subside.
August 5th, 2007 at 7:47 am