The GOP Will Stop at Nothing to Score Political Points, Even if It Means Prolonging the Pandemic
While data continues to show that people in Trump counties are dying disproportionately from COVID-19, largely due to lower numbers of people getting vaccinated in these areas, Republicans continue to try to make political hay out of a devastating pandemic.
Below are the most egregious examples of Republicans continuing to spread misinformation,ignore science, and oppose vaccinations, just to score partisan political points:
Senator Ted Cruz (TX) vowed to shut down the government over vaccines, joined by Senator Mike Lee and other Republicans, intent on harming the economy, slowing the country’s recovery and return to normalcy, and putting their constituents’ lives at risk all to score political points. Senator Cruz said requiring students to get vaccinated in order to attend school was an “abuse of power”, something that schools have done for many, many, many years.
One of the doctors promoted by Senator Ron Johnson (WI) at his “hearing” (chock-full of conspiracy theories, lies, and misinformation) last month appeared on the Alex Jones show this week, where he said the pandemic could be ended tomorrow with bombs and assassinations. Has Senator Johnson denounced him? Of course not.
Senator Johnson also spoke out in support of the Canadian trucker protests which shut down border crossings, speaking out against vaccines.
Governor Ron DeSantis backed a proposal that would cut funding for schools who required masks for in-person learning. Rather than allowing districts to make their own choices about how to safely educate their students, DeSantis decided to punish students and educators instead. DeSantis also faced calls to withdraw his pick for Florida’s Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, ahead of his full confirmation vote.
Ways Republicans Are Prolonging the Pandemic
- Republicans Are Paying People Not to Get Vaccinated: Republican governors and legislators across the country have changed their unemployment insurance rules to allow workers who are fired or quit over vaccine mandates to receive benefits. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has offered cash bonuses to unvaccinated police officers who quit or are fired from police forces in other states. CDC data shows that unvaccinated adults are 97 times more likely to die from the virus compared to vaccinated and boosted individuals.
- Republicans Are Refusing to Promote Booster Shots: Republican governors including Gov. DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma have been scornful or silent about booster shots that have been proven to provide significant protection against the Omicron variant. Asked whether he had received a booster shot, DeSantis demurred saying, “So, I’ve done whatever I did. The — the normal shot, and that at the end of the day is people’s individual decisions about what they want to do.” Data shows that Florida had 33% more deaths per capita than California during the Omicron surge, showing Florida was more vulnerable to Omicron because of its decision not to promote booster shots. Oklahoma Governor Stitt announced that he has no plans to get boosted, telling a reporter, “I’m perfectly healthy.” Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee used their official Twitter account to spread false information, asking: “If the booster shots work, why don’t they work?” The tweet was later deleted.
- Republicans Are Blocking Vaccine and Testing Requirements: The National Academy for State Health Policy found that nine GOP-controlled states have passed laws requiring exemptions for the federal vaccine mandate, or banning private companies from requiring vaccination altogether. Several states have made it easier for workers to claim exemptions from vaccine mandates, allowing them to decline on philosophical grounds or requiring businesses to accept all requests for religious or medical exemptions without proof.
- Republicans Are Launching Congressional Attacks on Vaccines: Republican members of Congress have made dozens of attempts to undermine vaccines, including blocking or rolling back vaccine requirements. Every Republican member of the Senate has joined an effort led by Sen. Mike Braun to overturn the federal vaccine or test mandate using the Congressional Review Act, and nearly every Republican member of the House and Senate signed on to an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to overturn OSHA’s vaccination or testing rule. Republicans like Rep. Nancy Mace and Sen. Ron Johnson have taken to the airwaves on Fox News and the Senate floor to promote the false idea that “natural” immunity acquired by getting sick is better protection than immunity provided by vaccines.
- Republicans Are Rolling Back Local Public Health Powers: Republicans in at least 26 states have passed laws that permanently weaken government authority to protect public health and more than 20 states have banned proof of vaccination requirements. In Arkansas, legislators banned mask mandates of all kinds. In Idaho, elected county commissioners can now veto countywide public health orders. And in Kansas and Tennessee, school boards, rather than health officials, have the power to close schools.