RON PAUL SAYS PARENTS SHOULD BE FREE TO RISK THE HEALTH OF THEIR CHILDREN

By Pamela Putz / The Schalotte / December 26, 2011

NBC Today has repeated a special report on the carbon monoxide poisoning of children that play ice hockey and figure skate in indoor ice arenas. The carbon monoxide is released by the use of gasoline-powered ice resurfacing Zambonis and by gasoline-powered ice edgers. A number of children have had to be hospitalized. Not only have children been sickened, but adults have been poisoned as well.

The Today Show reported that in the past year alone 250 people have been seriously poisoned by CO fumes in ice arenas. Former Ice Capades star, Linda Davis, was interviewed and stated that the cumulative exposures she has experienced since she started skating at the age of 6 have caused her to have memory lapses and lung damage so severe that she’s required to use a respirator.

NBC also reported that there are currently no federal laws requiring clean air in ice arenas and only three states, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, regulate air quality in their arenas. It was reported that many ice arenas continue to use gasoline-powered Zambonis because modern, battery-powered resurfacing vehicles cost twice as much to purchase. Officials from the EPA and four members of Congress declined to speak with NBC when contacted at their offices.

The Schalotte contacted Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul to get their reaction to demands for the federal government to regulate the carbon monoxide levels in indoor ice arenas.

Palin, who has billed herself as a ‘hockey mom,’ said carbon monoxide was not a problem in Alaska because most of the hockey is played on outdoor skating rinks. “As for indoor rinks, I would want to go slow with any government regulations because the overzealous bureaucrats at the EPA would put most indoor ice skating facilities out of business.”

Mitt Romney said his kids had played hockey and figure skated. “As a presidential candidate I am opposed to additional government regulations, but as a father I believe the government should step in to provide for the safety of our children.”

Ron Paul said, “As a libertarian I am opposed to government regulations. The government has no business intervening in the personal lives of its citizens. If parents want to risk the health of their children by letting them play hockey in carbon monoxide filled arenas, they should be free to do so without any government interference.”