Re: Any Democrats out there?

[Guest guest]

Hi, this may be one of perception. I have gone to the Florida state capitol and the national capitol to lobby a number of times. Sometimes for autism services, autism health bills, vaccine reform, and whatever else I could throw in. Both sides say the same thing. We care and we wish we could do something. They rarely do. But I have had more success with Republicans than Democrats sadly.

Whenever we introduced legislation in Florida, the dems would kill it - was that because the Republican governor supported the bill and us? Maybe but the result was the same, fight the Dems. In Washington, I've had very little luck with either side but at least we had Burton. The dems have Waxman. It ain't looking good for your side. rofl

Any Democrats out there?

So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and mostof the bad guys Democrats in EOH?As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut), I've hada hard time coming to grips with this. Add that to the recent "head-in-the-sand" attitude towardinterviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my favorite Media mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the very least, believing it?-Jenni

[Guest guest]

Republicans have Bush and Frist. It's anything but rosy on that side....LOL

Ellen

Ellen SweeneyPresident, The Autism Autoimmunity Project of NJhttp://www.TAAP.info"TAAP into the Truth"Parents for Autism Autoimmune and Vaccine Education (PAAVE)http://groups.msn.com/parentsforautismautoimmuneandvaccineeducationParents of Kids/Adults with Autismhttp://groups.msn.com/parentsofkidsadultswithautismVaccine Liberation, NJ Chapterhttp://www.vaclib.org"Educate Before You Vaccinate"

Any Democrats out there?

So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and mostof the bad guys Democrats in EOH?As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut), I've hada hard time coming to grips with this. Add that to the recent "head-in-the-sand" attitude towardinterviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my favorite Media mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the very least, believing it?-Jenni

[Guest guest]

This is a very interesting question. I am a republican and proud of

it. I am also a father with a child who is autistic. I look at it

this way. The democrats don't want to hear it (vaccine connection)

because it undermines their idea of the good the government is doing

for the people in instituting the vaccine program. The majority of

Republicans don't want to hear it because it would offend their big

contributors, the vaccine manufacturers. Most Republicans also hate

class action lawsuits. I think the perception that the Republicans

are more sympathetic to our cause is because Senator Burton was

forced to look at it because of his grandson and Representive

Weldon's partner had an autistic son. We are truly stuck in the

middle here. Unless you have 1st hand experience with an effected

child you just tend not to care too much. I know I did'nt.

> Hi, this may be one of perception. I have gone to the Florida

state capitol and the national capitol to lobby a number of times.

Sometimes for autism services, autism health bills, vaccine reform,

and whatever else I could throw in. Both sides say the same thing.

We care and we wish we could do something. They rarely do. But I

have had more success with Republicans than Democrats sadly.

>

> Whenever we introduced legislation in Florida, the dems would kill

it - was that because the Republican governor supported the bill and

us? Maybe but the result was the same, fight the Dems. In

Washington, I've had very little luck with either side but at least

we had Burton. The dems have Waxman. It ain't looking good for

your side. rofl

> Any Democrats out there?

>

>

>

> So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and

most

> of the bad guys Democrats in EOH?

>

> As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut), I've

had

> a hard time coming to grips with this.

>

> Add that to the recent " head-in-the-sand " attitude toward

> interviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my favorite

Media

> mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.

>

> Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the very

> least, believing it?

> -Jenni

>

>

>

>

>

> -------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

>

[Guest guest]

Polital affiliations seem not to matter to me at all anymore. I

just want my son back. I don't care who makes this " their issue " as

long as someone picks up the football and runs with it

> > Hi, this may be one of perception. I have gone to the Florida

> state capitol and the national capitol to lobby a number of

times.

> Sometimes for autism services, autism health bills, vaccine

reform,

> and whatever else I could throw in. Both sides say the same

thing.

> We care and we wish we could do something. They rarely do. But I

> have had more success with Republicans than Democrats sadly.

> >

> > Whenever we introduced legislation in Florida, the dems would

kill

> it - was that because the Republican governor supported the bill

and

> us? Maybe but the result was the same, fight the Dems. In

> Washington, I've had very little luck with either side but at

least

> we had Burton. The dems have Waxman. It ain't looking good for

> your side. rofl

> > Any Democrats out there?

> >

> >

> >

> > So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and

> most

> > of the bad guys Democrats in EOH?

> >

> > As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut),

I've

> had

> > a hard time coming to grips with this.

> >

> > Add that to the recent " head-in-the-sand " attitude toward

> > interviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my

favorite

> Media

> > mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.

> >

> > Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the

very

> > least, believing it?

> > -Jenni

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > -----------------------------------------------------------------

--

> -----------

> >

[Guest guest]

You know its funny because so far I've seen it the opposite within those

that I know personally. I tend to see a Dem/Lib side rising up in

protest of vaccines and requirements to vaccinate, and what is in vaccines.

I've actually been afraid to talk about some things regarding my son

within a close-knit republican group. However, after I've opened up I've

found peaked interest and now each time myself and my husband are around

others at conventions and meetings we are constantly asked how our son

is doing. I am becoming more positive about this, and we've come to know

more and more politicians, especially those starting out. Hopefully our

story will carry some impact with them as they progress in their careers.

Sadly, I wish this wasn't such a polarized issue, it's our kids we are

talking about, we all share that one common, and important, child(ren)

in our lives.

~

[Guest guest]

> Subject: Re: Any Democrats out there?

>

> This is a very interesting question. I am a republican and proud of

> it. I am also a father with a child who is autistic.

The left-right shoes don't fit our situation, those who get

politically involved soon realize. Unfortunately, money and its

corrupt influence often overrides ideology of all stripes. Money,

however, doesn't override our love for our children and our desire to

protect them. This is our common cause. You will find that the act of

working together in this common cause has the effect of humanizing our

image of our spectrum political opponents. Whatever negative

stereotype one may have had of selfish, cold-hearted conservative

republicans gets altered by Dan Burton and Dave Weldon, amongst

others. And how right are those tree-hugging lefties who warn us

about the corporate plundering of our environment? How does one deny

all our fish turning mercury, never mind our vaccines?

This mercury disaster reveals both the real humanity and the real ugly

underbelly of both democrats and republicans and that will replace our

imagined stereotypes. Autism strikes across the board. It gets the

grandchildren of Democrat leaders, too. At 1 in 166 its only a matter

of time before they answer the call. (I would not be surprized to see

Sen. Kennedy take a higher profile on our behalf, too, soon.)

Let our litmus test be: are you for or against vaccine damaged

children? or " Is this legislation for or against the children? " as

well.

Lenny

[Guest guest]

Touche' Ellen.

Maurine

Any Democrats out there?

So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and mostof the bad guys Democrats in EOH?As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut), I've hada hard time coming to grips with this. Add that to the recent "head-in-the-sand" attitude towardinterviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my favorite Media mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the very least, believing it?-Jenni

[Guest guest]

Quote: I wish there was just a party where people worked hard, were

morally upstanding and self-regulatory, helped others when they needed

it and didn't waste and pollute. I don't know that such a party will

ever exist.

It does! It's called the Green Party.

> > > Hi, this may be one of perception. I have gone to the Florida

> > state capitol and the national capitol to lobby a number of

> times.

> > Sometimes for autism services, autism health bills, vaccine

> reform,

> > and whatever else I could throw in. Both sides say the same

> thing.

> > We care and we wish we could do something. They rarely do. But I

> > have had more success with Republicans than Democrats sadly.

> > >

> > > Whenever we introduced legislation in Florida, the dems would

> kill

> > it - was that because the Republican governor supported the bill

> and

> > us? Maybe but the result was the same, fight the Dems. In

> > Washington, I've had very little luck with either side but at

> least

> > we had Burton. The dems have Waxman. It ain't looking good for

> > your side. rofl

> > > Any Democrats out there?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and

> > most

> > > of the bad guys Democrats in EOH?

> > >

> > > As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut),

> I've

> > had

> > > a hard time coming to grips with this.

> > >

> > > Add that to the recent " head-in-the-sand " attitude toward

> > > interviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my

> favorite

> > Media

> > > mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.

> > >

> > > Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the

> very

> > > least, believing it?

> > > -Jenni

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > -----------------------------------------------------------------

> --

> > -----------

> > >

[Guest guest]

Jenni,

Just my perspective but I think that we have " friends " on both

sides...

Kelli

>

> So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans and most

> of the bad guys Democrats in EOH?

>

> As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut), I've

had

> a hard time coming to grips with this.

>

> Add that to the recent " head-in-the-sand " attitude toward

> interviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my favorite

Media

> mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.

>

> Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the very

> least, believing it?

> -Jenni

[Guest guest]

Tim,

Ditto's from me...

Kelli

> > > Hi, this may be one of perception. I have gone to the Florida

> > state capitol and the national capitol to lobby a number of

> times.

> > Sometimes for autism services, autism health bills, vaccine

> reform,

> > and whatever else I could throw in. Both sides say the same

> thing.

> > We care and we wish we could do something. They rarely do. But

I

> > have had more success with Republicans than Democrats sadly.

> > >

> > > Whenever we introduced legislation in Florida, the dems would

> kill

> > it - was that because the Republican governor supported the bill

> and

> > us? Maybe but the result was the same, fight the Dems. In

> > Washington, I've had very little luck with either side but at

> least

> > we had Burton. The dems have Waxman. It ain't looking good for

> > your side. rofl

> > > Any Democrats out there?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > So, is it just me or are most of the good guys Republicans

and

> > most

> > > of the bad guys Democrats in EOH?

> > >

> > > As a life-long democrat (and something of a left-wing nut),

> I've

> > had

> > > a hard time coming to grips with this.

> > >

> > > Add that to the recent " head-in-the-sand " attitude toward

> > > interviewing from NPR and Air America (two of my

> favorite

> > Media

> > > mechanisms)and it feels like a kick in the gut.

> > >

> > > Are there any Dems in DC fighting for our cause, or, at the

> very

> > > least, believing it?

> > > -Jenni

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------

--

> --

> > -----------

> > >

[Guest guest]

I think there are plenty of Democrats out there. One of the things

about autism is that it is an equal opportunity disaster, And our

issues do not fit nicely into the Republican/Democrat or left/right

models that dominate in the media and powerful institutions.

The inability of the existing institutions to recognize the epidemic

and respond in any type of meaningful way shows how irrelevant these

old ways of looking at politics and the world are to our

communities' problems. I am working as hard as I can to get a

thimerosal ban passed in New York State (and it anyone would like to

get invovled please contact me, we can use all the help we can). I

find that party identification has almost nothing to do with whether

an elected official will help us or not. Initially, before I

contacted a legislator I would determine what party they belong to.

Now I don't because it doesn't seem to matter. It is clear though

that we do a lot better with female legislators, especially moms who

held their kids on their laps when they got vaccines.

In politics somebody famous once said there are no permanent friends

just permanent interests, and we have permanent interests. Whether

we have permanent friends we will learn in time. And I think we will

be very well served by avoiding alliances with any party, but we

should be open to working with all parties Republicans, Democrats,

Greens, Libertarians, whoever will do the right things. And the

elected officials who will work with us on some issues, like

thimerosal, may not work with us on other issues like ending health

insurance discrimination against people with autism.

And as we go forward we need to keep focussed on autism-issues,

that's how we as a community can become a powerful political force,

there are many other important issues, the war in Iraq, choice, etc.

BUt we should not let our differing opinions on these issue divert

us from the primary issues facing us, thimerosal, no health

insurance, inadequate education and paltry research dollars being

diverted in deadends like genetic research.

> >>> Can you imagine?? Bill Frist vs. Clinton...maybe we'll

all

> >>> have to

> >>> vote for Ralph Nader! ; )

> >>

> >>

> >> LOL, that's who I have been voting for. For my money, with

both the

> >> Dems

> >> and the Reps in the pockets of not just the vaccine and drug

> >> industry, but

> >> all the other corporations responsible for polluting our

planet and

> >> our

> >> bodies, what else can a person do?

> >>

> >> Avril Dannenbaum, tree hugger and mom to a child recovering

from both

> >> lead

> >> and mercury poisoning

> >>

> >>

> >>

> >>

> >>

> >>