The New Front in Nanny Statism

Expect this to become the newest front in the Nanny state's battle against personal responsibility.

"An Associated Press examination of states' vaccination records and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that many states are seeing increases in the rate of religious exemptions claimed for kindergartners.
"Do I think that religious exemptions have become the default? Absolutely," said Dr.
Paul Offit, head of infectious diseases at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia and one of the harshest critics of the anti-vaccine movement. He said the resistance to vaccines is "an irrational, fear-based decision."

There are legit religious reasons to object to vaccinations if you are of that particular faith (which I am not BTW). I personally believe that all of the inventions and progress we have made are due to the talent that God has infused into each and every one of us. I also recognize that there is a greater good that is served by the innoculations. As the article states...

But public health officials say it takes only a few people to cause an
outbreak that can put large numbers of lives at risk.

However, what worries me is this attitude.

"When you choose not to get a vaccine, you're not just making a choice for yourself, you're making a choice for the person sitting next to you," said Dr. Lance Rodewald, director of the CDC's Immunization Services Division."

Now if immunizations work, then the only people a non-vaccinated person will affect would be another non-immunized person right? Not necessarily and that goes to the crux of what the people who are against the vaccines are saying. I know a couple of people in this "movement" and their reasoning (again, I don't fully agree with it but I understand it) for not vaccinating their children stems from the possible side effects that these drugs have. Now if you have ever seen any of the advertisements for new drugs you have no doubt see the long list of potential side effects - some of which can be calamitous. Their argument is certainly compelling.

Captain Ed interviewed David Harsanyi, the author of "Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning America into a Nation of Children" on his Blog Talk Radio program today. While most of their discussion turned to centered on food choices and exercise in the realm of universal health care, the vaccine issue certainly could fit into the discussion. If the government is paying for "your" health care there is certainly no reason why they can not (or will not) tell you what vaccinations that you will be required to take (since the vaccine is cheaper than paying for the cure to the disease).

We have this think in the Constitution called the "Establishment Clause". Universal healthcare forcing immunizations on specific religions will fall in direct violation of the Establishment Clause. This will be one more thing that will need to be ironed out before Universal Healthcare becomes a reality.