The bald fact is that the thimerosal in infant vaccinations has caused an epidemic in autism, ADHD, speech delay, and other neurological and developmental problems. A bit more on this below, but I'm not writing to argue the point -- read David Kirby's "Evidence of Harm" and then we can debate all you want.
So far this issue is shaping up to be a disaster for progressives. So far, with the recent exception of Robert Kennedy, Jr., the conservative right has been leading the way on the this issue. If progressives fail to grasp what's happened (huge failure of government oversight followed by coverup leading to a generation of damaged children), then Republicans are going to use this as one more example of the evil of big government and the hopelessness of trusting governmental regulation at all.
One of the very biggest cheeses of the vaccine world, Maurice Hilleman, advised his boss at Merck that the amount of thimerosal was way beyond safe levels thanks to the increase in the number of mandated vaccines, but Merck kept quiet and did nothing. The FDA and the CDC failed to do the proper (9th grade) calculations, and when analysis of their own data showed an association between the age of the child, the dose of thimerosal received, and a host of neuro problems, they covered it up. Sound shocking? Here's the document that convinced me, and changed my perception of doctors and the CDC forever:
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/library/IOM%20Simpsonwood%20in%20bold.pdf
Now obviously the Dems are solidly behind public health and the vaccine program, and hurray for that. But this story is now breaking nationwide -- in just the last few days, it's been in Rolling Stone, salon, WYNY Fox News, Scarborough, Montel Williams. Kennedy is slated to be on ABC News with Jennings tonight to speak about this. I'm urging Kossacks to educate themselves on this issue, starting with Kennedy's article
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/7395411?rnd=1119469399125&has-player=true&ve
rsion=6.0.12.872
The wing of the Republican party that's inextricably tangled with corporations wants this story to disappear -- big Pharma is fatally liable of course, but other industries spewing mercury are nervous about this story becoming known as well. The ultimate issue here is, which party are people going to trust with the health of their children? That would be the Dems, unless with this one issue, we screw it up for good.