European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 1, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                June 2007 stars and stripes Page 17 opinion candidates missed Hill votes leave a Trail by Jules Witcover Tribune Media services Washington in former vice president Al Gores new the assault on he quotes democratic Robert a bitter critic of the Iraq As observing from the Senate floor shortly before the invasion this chamber for the most silent dread fully there is no no discus no attempt to Lay out for the nation the pros and cons of this particular there is we stand passively mute in the United states Gore used the Byrd quote to launch his lament on the erosion of serious discourse based on fact and reason about the origins of the War and other Bush administration he suggested a contrast with the sort of serious debate that had traditionally unfolded in the Senate in the those of us who have served in the Senate and watched it change Over time could Volunteer a response to senator by ads incisive description of the Senate prior to the Gore the Cham ber was empty because the senators were somewhere he noted that Many of them were at fundraising events they now feel compelled to attend almost constantly in order to collect of it from special interests to buy 30second to commercials for their next reelection Gore said the Senate was silent because senators dont feel that what they say on the floor of the Senate really matters that much to the other who Are almost never present when their colleagues and certainly not the Vot because the news Media Seldom report on Senate speeches his indictment May come As a Surprise to Span watchers unaware that its Cam eras Are limited by Senate rules to focusing on the senator speaking except in certain but it is supported by a re cent Story in the Washington Post on the absence from the Senate of 2008 presiden tial candidates of both it reported that Republican John who trailed rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani in Campaign fundraising for the first Quarter of 2007 and was intensifying that had missed or of All Rol Call votes in the Senate this the other gop senator in the presiden tial Sam was the Sec on leading Senate with 52 Rol Call votes close behind on the democratic Side was Joseph with 50 and Christopher who was absent for Barack Obama missed Only 13 and Hillary Clinton Only 4 each is already doing Well in Campaign its not unusual for members of both the House and Senate to play Hooky from their Day jobs during reelection Campaign sea but the unusually Early Start by most of the 2008 presidential candidates reflects the expectation that some will seek unlimited funds by turning Down the Federal subsidy that goes to those who agree to spending even in the absence of obligations to raise huge amounts of Money for House and Senate races As Well As for presidential Gores Point on the relative paucity of Well attended debate on the floor of each body is except on the most critical rare anymore is the example of a serious colloquy Between two opposing legislators on Capitol Hill on the Fine Points of a particular Bill or More members of con Gress speak for the Span cameras in a lightly populated or Field supporting questions or comments from like minded the Advent of the along with program less Cable television filling time with talk offers a desired alternative to dramatic old style oratory for Busy particularly those seeking mass audiences in Pursuit of a presidential so the Outlook for Brown Dodd and the others is for Many More missed Rol Call votes in the months leading to the 2008 Prima Ries and caucuses in which their political ambitions will be met or who really being served by a Rush to vaccinate los Angeles times editorial when lobbyists for major drug companies embark on major pushes with the re sults Are Seldom though there is reason to Hope that a new Merck will significantly reduce the incidence of cervical can lawmakers nationwide moved with unseemly haste to require inoculations for All Young their Rush seems especially precipitous in Light of a new study that has raised questions about How effective the vaccine ultimately will in drug Gar Dasil has been shown to be Safe and effective at halting the two strains of human papilloma virus that most commonly cause cervical key to the vaccines effectiveness is administering it before a woman is exposed to the which is spread through sexual this explains the valid in Terest in providing the vaccine to prepubescent girls despite the Cost of More than per it has mostly been religious conserva Tives who have railed against requiring Gar Dasil vaccinations for girls entering Middle theres Little Merit to their argument that mandating the vaccine is an unconscionable intrusion on parental Huv is a communicable disease with often fatal it should be stamped out if but just because critics of the vaccine argued their Case on the wrong grounds does not mean they were after All the Early it has become less Clear that Gar Dasil will succeed in nearly eliminating a recent study in though there is reason to Hope that a new Merck will significantly reduce the incidence of cervical lawmakers nationwide moved with unseemly haste to require inoculations for All Young the new England journal of Medicine indicated that blocking the two primary Huv strains might create an Opportunity for other strains to so that the Overall reduction in cancers would be relatively in safety in the Gen eral population Over time often differs from experimental safety As the Merck painkiller Viox tragically Public health officials have not yet Grap pled with Complex issues surrounding if the vaccine prevents Only a couple of virus How Best to make patients aware that they Lack full Protection Given the High is the Public get Ting the Best preventive Medicine bang for its Buck is it right to use schools to Force the Issue unlike the Dis ease cannot be caught through casual con tact flush with initial promises about the drugs legislators in at least 24 from Virginia to introduced proposals to mandate Gar Dasil inoculations for those Bills swept aside legitimate at least until reports revealed that Merck had launched an aggressive lobbying Campaign to push mandatory since would be mandates have withered across the in califor a Bill by assemblyman de Hernan West to require the vac Cine has been softened to near Orrele giving state officials the Power to require it in four years if they find it has been Safe and the state Doest need if Gar Dasil proves itself Over Hernandez can introduce a Bill with real Teeth Gar Dasil still makes sense As an option for Many girls and Young but the Rush to Force a new vaccine on families has served mainly As a reminder to be Ware of even Well intentioned lawmakers bearing drug company prickly City by Scott Stantis bum a keep led Twe 1 two of Wuky use i