Joel Pett for July 23, 2011

There is a difference between birth control and abortion.

An honest person might point out that the increase in the national debt over the first two years of the Obama administration is less than the increase over the last two years of the Bush administration. What is even more telling is the debt accumulated in the first year of the Obama administration was a carryover from the last year of the Bush administration, in particular the ill-conceived, badly bungled TARP program.

Yet another example of mindlessness on Tower’s part…just post the opposite of reality.The Republicans block birth control. The Republicans block abortion. The Republicans block sex education. So what is Tower’s predictable response? To say that the Democrats are “forcing your followers to breed like rabbits”. Sigh.

“perhaps people would would take responsibility for themselves”Sure, Eddie, it’s well proven that keeping teenagers ignorant about sex will cause them to avoid it. Now go back to your Vatican, and stop trying to turn us into your idea of a theocracy.

By the way, Eddie, I couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t use the word “abortion” in your reply to Rock, which is obviously to what he was referring. Oops! Sorry, guess we weren’t supposed to notice that.

Is that all you think sex education involves, Harley? Guess your parents kept you out of it, huh?But to answer your question, teaching teenagers how to use condoms will indeed “help them make better decisions”.And while I’m sure on your planet sticking your head in the sand regarding teenage sexual practices is the way to go, here on Earth we have to deal with reality.

Here’s a current example of the Harley Approach (also embraced by Texas Governor Rick Perry):Texas lawmakers cut sex ed from two six-month courses to a single unit of “abstinence only” education. But early indications showed that the program wasn’t working. In fact, teens in almost all high school grades were having more sex after undergoing the abstinence only program. By 2007, Texas had the highest teen birth rate in the nation.Nevertheless, the program continued. By 2009, 94 percent of Texas schools, which at the time were educating more than 3.7 million students, were giving no sex ed whatsoever beyond “abstinence only,” a curriculum that includes emphasizing that birth control doesn’t work.Instead of providing fact-based information, the programs use fear and Jesus — over-emphasizing the risks of sexually transmitted diseases leading to cervical cancer, radical hysterectomy and death, together with Christian morality. One Texas public school district’s sex ed handout is entitled “Things to Look for in a Mate:”I. How they relate to God A. Is Jesus their first love? B. Trying to impress people or serve God? Another public school district uses this:Question: “What does the Bible say about sex before marriage/premarital sex?” Answer: Along with all other kinds of sexual immorality, sex before marriage/premarital sex is repeatedly condemned in Scripture (Acts 15:20; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13,18; 7:2; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7). The results? Teen pregnancy in Texas went up — higher than before “abstinence only,” and more than 50 percent higher than the national average. Even more troubling was that repeat teen pregnancy went up — to the point that it, too, led the nation.http://tinyurl.com/3bnee9f

“DOLLAR FOOLISH—WHO GOT US INTO TRILLIONS IN DEBT THE PAST TWO YEARS, KENT?”Who racked up nearly 5 trillion before that, Howie?

Tigger, it’s not clear who you’re talking to in your “Why do you hate…” post. If it is me, then “hate” is the wrong word to use. But I am both upset and disappointed in many of Obama’s actions. I’ve said many times that he appears to be a very slow learner when it comes to dealing with the Republicans.

It’s interesting to me that any critical comment by a “lib” is automatically “hate”, but those same righties come on with a deluge of hate-filled terms and it’s “okey-dokey”. The fact I disagree with some of the things Obama has done, and yes, nearly everything “W” did, isn’t “hate”, but observation and critical review. Now, starting TWO needless wars, deserting from the National Guard when he had HIS chance to serve in a very different time, with different rules, still doesn’t make “disgust”- at despicable and cowardly behavior- “hate”.

Back to the ‘toon, a daughter then son, then vasectomy, is an intelligent decision based on analysis of real-world facts. Having a bazillion kids is stupid. Making someone ELSE have a bazillion kids because YOU don’t believe in either birth control, family planning, sex education, OR “abortion” is criminally stupid.

Where on earth do I “bash Christian values”? Via the article I quoted I pointed out that the methods used in Texas have failed miserably…is that what you mean by “bash Christian values”?In your hurry to make up things I never said, you seem not to have noticed I’ve said nothing against teaching the ideas of personal responsibility. I think, in fact, that’s an excellent idea…but not, as was done in Texas, to do it to the exclusion of other knowledge, knowledge that is obviously needed as shown by the results in Texas.In an ideal world if all teenagers had perfect parents who raised them perfectly, then you might have a point. But we have to deal with the real world.

100ish condoms = $10.1 month of Birth control = ~$20 – 50 dollars.Birth control shouldn’t be so expensive. But in the end reducing unwanted pregnancy should be a win-win for everyone. Unfortunately there’re those who feel that birth control in any form is immoral.

I’m almost old enough for social security, and I have no kids.So I have not been the cause of having to build more prisons, etc.Younger people are going to have sex, and if they can’t afford birth control, or idiots make birth control unavailable or unlawful, you will cause more of the problem you rant against.Get real.

^ Well said, and I will be back tomorrow.

I don’t see the gov’t that brought US $Trillions of Debt capable of getting better results on preventing Teen Pregnancy than Parents. Now, I would be willing to pay for cutting the Tubes of every pregnant teenager and castrating the father. Now that I think about it, all the parents of the 2 Teens should be neutered. I don’t mean to scare people into doing the right thing. I am for morality. But we can’t wait for perfection- we must stop the breeding of stupids. Taxpayers can’t afford any more on welfare. Now, if they signed away their ‘Entitlement’ to gov’t assistance for life- they could keep their Tubes.

Clark you really do an injustice to the name of Clark Kent. You should change your nom dequa to Bozo The Clown. However that would be humiliating to all professional clowns!

Can’t argue with your last sentence, Howie.

Harley, come back to our planet, where many, many people don’t “hold out for committed long term relationship”, and tell us what you’d do to avoid results like Texas.

Harley, I can’t tell if you’re really as dense as you appear, or if you’re just unwilling to admit that your so-called solution fails miserably when applied to the real world.To waste time answering your rhetorical question, of course you’re not wrong in teaching your children, or others, that abstinence is not a bad thing. But you are wrong if that’s as far as you take it, and the Texas results prove it.You’ve been asked multiple times how you’d improve those results, and all you come back with is more of the same.

“The biggest problems with libs is they think they can elect and govern morality and behaviorism.”That’s a particularly ironic statement, given the Republican penchant for legislating their morality, and forcing government into people’s bedrooms.By the way, you never told me where I “bash Christian values”?

“abstinence = free Holding out for a committed long term relationship, making your own informed life changing decisions when you can handle the reality of those action, one being a potentially another life = priceless” Well said

“And that is the problem is it not? As long as mommy government is around to pick up the tab it will stay broken! Why fix it?” … Well said. And spend spend spend that gov’t credit card until the PEOPLE take it away and get a Balance Budget Amendment.

"" should government agencies and schools step in to fill in the gaps?" Have you seen our public school failure rate? I do not trust them to tell my kid that 1+1 = 2 let alone have them educate my child when it come to the morality of sex. "…Well said. How about Planned Parenthood? They can tell everyone how great abortion is. NOT!!! Consequences get results. What about jail time on weekends for the guardians & parents & parent’s parents & parent’s parent’s parents.

Well Doc, he didn’t actually run away…more like ran in circles while flapping arms. Harley, do you speak out loud in the same manner you send us your thoughts @ GOCOMICS? If so, I can imagine you torture the drive thru register folk…

So you’re saying two individuals in a LOVING, COMMITTED relationship would never want to have sex without having a child???

And people like Harley vote. That’s why states like Texas exist.