Quote (excellence @ Sep 14 2021 03:00pm)
free healthcare and education and maybe a $250 gift card to target for starters
re: covid numbers whose fault is that? biden ran on saying he would ‘shut down the virus’ and gave a “mission accomplished” announcement in May? many of his voting cohorts (minorities, recent immigrants, young people) are among the highest unvaccinated rates
We tried that, right? For the first time in my life, I got free fucking healthcare and corporations throwing free shit at me left and right. If an American can't accept THAT, it's time to bring down the hammer if it makes sense to do so. Biden bringing the hammer down on his constituents is a good thing.
Quote (Black XistenZ @ Sep 14 2021 03:00pm)
36% of passionate, hardened opposition against a policy is enough to lead to very bad outcomes if you roll over them, particularly on a topic as emotionally charged as bodily autonomy.
I disagree that America's hyperpolarized, gridlocked political landscape should be used to relativize the popularity of positions or policies.
Side note: Oregon is a very inelastic state which reliably votes for Democrats, but not by overwhelming margins. GWB came within 7k votes of winning it back in 2000. ;)
Tbh, I'm not sure how I would act if I were in Biden's shoes. Shit has already kinda hit the fan when the vaccination campaign stalled too early and opinions on the vaccines hardened. Now, only really bad options are left.
For the record: I wouldn't mind a blanket vaccine mandate for which Biden/Democrats take full responsibility. I prefer a different approach, but I could live with that.
What absolutely rubs me the wrong way, however, is this cowardly hiding behind employers or event organizers/shop owners to impose pressure on the unvaccinated along the lines of you don't have to get vaccinated, but you'll be ostracized from good jobs and all forms of social life if you don't. Your ""choice"".
Why is that unacceptable? I believe in a man's god given right to make horrible, moronic decisions when it comes to his own life. If people are unvaccinated despite better knowledge, catch the virus and die, then so be it. The nation's average IQ and gene pool could use a boost anyway.
Too fucking bad! Deciding policy due to the whims of a minority is insane in most circumstances. Unless there is a national security risk, something is blatantly unconstitutional, or people are apathetic, we should give the vocal minority the finger. Should we remove the 2nd amendment? Ban abortion under all circumstances? Abolish gay marriage? Give everyone a free sex change? At some point, it's time to shut the fuck up and do what's best for society. In a hyper-polarized society, if nearly 60% of people agree on something, you should strongly consider enacting that policy.
I don't think it's "cowardly hiding" given that there's nothing to fear. The policy is popular, remember? This is about efficacy and the limits of government power.
It's unacceptable because we don't live in a vacuum. We can't isolate the unvaccinated from the rest of society. We can't force the unvaccinated to pay everyone's medical bills. We can't sue the unvaccinated for liability.