Reported uptick in resignations deemed highly political too

February 23, 2016 1:24 PM

When a medical journal shared some "unflattering" observations about childbirth in Texas (contraception down, childbirth up), two years after Texas defunded Planned Parenthood, it caught the attention of the state Senate. Especially since two of the authors were employees of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. One of these two has since retired, although the particular verb describing his departure varies from publication to publication.

State Senator Jane Nelson's letter questioning the report's research methods, its financial supporters, and the inclusion of two Commission employees as authors: "It's one thing for an agency to provide data upon request. It's quite another to be listed as a 'co-author' on a deeply flawed and highly political report...."

(recently on MeFi: homunculus's links in a related thread.)

posted by colex (6 comments total)

I can't be surprised that the State of Texas is shooting the messenger when they point out the entirely logical consequences of drastically flawed policies. When are legislators going to learn that no amount of legislation is going to stop people from having sex?
posted by Archelaus at 1:48 PM on February 23, 2016 [10 favorites]

Senator Nelson's questions sound totally reasonable until you read the study and realize that the authors already took those concerns into account. Like you do.
posted by radicalawyer at 1:55 PM on February 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

There is only one acceptable co-author and His name is Jesus Christ.
posted by benzenedream at 2:24 PM on February 23, 2016 [9 favorites]

the entirely logical consequences of drastically flawed policies
Please remember that there is a significant (and above-average motivated) constituency for whom these "entirely logical consequences" are exactly what they wanted.
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:46 PM on February 23, 2016 [2 favorites]

This state y'all...I don't know what the fuck happened. The backlash after Ann Richards as governor has been so much worse than even I predicted.

Texas is a state where you can see what happens when the teahadists have more money than intelligence.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 4:44 PM on February 23, 2016

I'll tell you what, if a state or federal representative was standing over me and a loved one, reading any legislation out loud while the two of us were trying to get jiggy, I am pretty certain it would be an immediate libido killer.
posted by Nanukthedog at 4:46 PM on February 23, 2016