Fighting autism–this could be your child
Kim Stagliano is a very brave, witty woman who is raising three daughters with autism. Frankly, I don’t know how she does it. I have nothing but admiration for her, and all the parents across the United States like her.
Reading her blog, I happened across this videotape on the Imus Show Blog,
Republican Congressman Joe Barton is holding up a very important bill in congress, the Combating Autism Act. When an upset parent of an autistic child tried to attend a meeting that Barton was holding, supposedly with parents of autistic children, he was not only denied access, even though there was CLEARLY room for him to attend the small meeting, but Barton’s office called the police to have him removed.
In the video, a Barton aide gives excuse after excuse as to why he cannot be admitted into the meeting. Then they CALL THE POLICE, even though all this father wanted was to TALK TO HIS ELECTED CONGRESSMAN!!!
See the problem? I found this article this morning.
What to do? Approve the funding.
But in Washington, where nothing comes easy, Rep. Joe Barton has other ideas. The Texas Republican is blocking the bills in an ill-conceived strategy to rally support for his efforts to overhaul the National Institutes of Health.
As chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Barton can single-handedly hold up legislation, even bills with a sponsor list a mile long. The congressman wants the Senate to pass the National Institutes of Health Reform Act, which would give the agency’s director more discretion in allocating research dollars and would develop a new reporting system to share research.
Barton says he’s trying to take the politics out of funding disease studies. That’s a worthy goal. But using a political maneuver to trumpet taking politics out of the process is a shaky strategy.
So, basically, by his little manuevers, and in attempting to TAKE THE POLITICS out of funding disease studies, he is affecting MILLIONS of lives, adversely, by PLAYING POLITICS. Rep. Barton, while your original concept may have been well-intentioned, it has moved beyond stupidity now, and it is time to wise up.
Pull your head out of wherever it is stuck and release this bill!
I would ask everyone to please email Rep. Barton and show their displeasure. I know I intend to do so.
Visit the CombatAutism site for more information on how you can help.
From the CombatAutism site:
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (TX) still refuses to release the Senate passed Combating Autism Act from his committee for consideration by the full House this session. He is practicing politics as usual and has stated publicly (on CNN) that he will not consider the CAA until and unless the Senate passes his NIH Reform bill. Chairman Barton, Majority Leader Boehner and Speaker Hastert must hear from us and also their colleagues in the House that this is unacceptable!
We need your help today!
Studies show that 1 in 166 children born every day has autism. Do the math (I know, I know, I hate math, too. But in this case, let’s make an exception.). This is an epidemic. This could be YOUR child. Speak up.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:33 am
Chilling, arrogant bullshit. How entirely infuriating. The video gives the watching public the perfect example of why term limits are a must for some. How long term politicians become unreachable to their constituents. It also demonstrates the power of the internet and what the determination of one frustrated parent, constituent, citizen can do.
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Aren’t politicians grand. Sadly most of them, at some point in their careers, are going to hurt deserving people to promote their own selfish interests, mainly re-election. I try to keep up on politics and it boggles my mind to read some of these proposed bills. Most, if not all, come with riders that end up greasing a contributor’s pocket. Usually there is so much bureaucracy within the organizations that propose to help that most of the funding is gone before it gets to the problem.
Another issue that is poorly funded and held up by right-to-lifers is research into Parkinson’s disease. This is a personal issue for me and it pisses me off that some people can be so restrictive. Let one of their relatives get this disease and you’d hear a different tune. This disease should never be wished upon another but if they could experience first hand knowledge for a month then we’d be much closer to a cure.
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:32 pm
Recently there was a study of autism which showed that TV may be the cause of the increasing number of cases.
It sounds crazy, but in a weird way it does make sense. The growing brain of a child is somehow affected and overstimulated by the TV.
I live in Amish country. I have never seen or heard of an ustistic amish child.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1548682,00.html
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:38 pm
I can spell. Really.
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:16 pm
The other thing that is believed linked to Autism is childhood vaccinations. Amish don’t take them either (I believe - I could be wrong.)
November 4th, 2006 at 9:55 am
Most Amish children are vaccinated. Its a must to attend public schools. And a lot of them attend public schools.
November 4th, 2006 at 10:55 am
I didn’t think most Amish children attened public school. And there are ways to get around having to be vaccinated.
November 4th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
In some areas no, but where I live lots of them do.