Democratic presidential candidates support mandatory vaccines at gunpoint; Republicans support free choice

(NaturalNews) In politics, everything is so 10 minutes ago, because political promises and campaign statements can often change in a very short period of time.

Take likely Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. She was for vaccine choice and vaccine truth before she was against it.

In recent days, after a pair of like Republican presidential hopefuls were chastised by the mainstream, Big Pharma-owned corporate media for daring to suggest that parents should have a choice in whether or not to vaccinate their own kids, Clinton took to Twitter to put her name to the issue.

"The science is clear: The earth is round, the sky is blue, and #vaccineswork," Clinton wrote on Twitter, adding: "Let's protect all our kids. #GrandmothersKnowBest"

The tweets come in response to new vaccine controversy following an outbreak of measles that has spread to 14 states and has affected more than 100 people, many of them who were never vaccinated against the disease (but also some who were).

Let the flip-flopping begin

As noted by The Washington Post:

Clinton made her remarks on Monday night, hours after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R) went in the other direction by giving credence to the fears of people opposed to vaccinating children.

Christie called for "some measure of choice" in the matter, and Paul said that he thinks most vaccines should be voluntary, citing "many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines."

In 2008, during her failed bid to win her party's nomination against then-Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, Clinton sang a different vaccine tune. Asked in a questionnaire by an autism awareness group -- which says there are documented instances of the condition being caused by vaccines -- whether she would support research into finding what in vaccines may be causing autism, the then-U.S. senator from New York pledged that she would.

"I am committed to make investments to find the causes of autism, including possible environmental causes like vaccines," she wrote, according to the Age of Autism a web-based publication covering the condition.

As for her political nemesis, Obama said in 2008, in response to the publication's inquiry, that he supported looking into a vaccine-autism link if that's where "the science and the facts lead us." He also supported removal of mercury from vaccines: "I support the removal of thimerosal from all vaccines and work to ensure that Americans have access to vaccines that are mercury free."

In recent days, and in response to GOP candidates' statements, Obama was singing a different tune. "The science is, you know, pretty indisputable. We've looked at this again and again. There is every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren't reasons to not," he told NBC's Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Democrats, then, now appear to support widespread vaccination of children, and would likely back measures requiring them, using the power of the state. But at least two Republican candidates have come down on the side of parental choice, even if they have chosen, as parents, to vaccinate their own children.

Oops! Walking back that statement

During an interview on CNBC, Paul argued that there are health issues tied to vaccinations that deserve consideration, rather than just a top-down, government-mandated approach.

"I've heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," Paul said. "I'm not arguing vaccines are a bad idea. I think they're a good thing. But I think the parents should have some input."

In a follow-up email to CNN, Paul spokesman Sergio Gor added, "Dr. Paul believes that vaccines have saved lives, and should be administered to children. His children were all vaccinated. He also believes many vaccines should be voluntary and like most medical decisions, between the doctor and the patient, not the government."

Christie has since walked back his comments, telling reporters that he and his wife had vaccinated their children, describing that decision as "the best expression I can give you of my opinion." He added that they believe doing so is an "important part of making sure we protect their health and the public health," the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Sources:

http://www.washingtonpost.com

http://www.ageofautism.com

http://www.theepochtimes.com

http://gantdaily.com

http://www.mercurynews.com