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Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

npr.org

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Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#41

Post by yupper32 »

giantg2 wrote: post #5
AnimalMuppet wrote: post #2

The article doesn't say whether there's a medical exception. Not everyone can get the vaccine; having that cost your job is both heartless and (probably) illegal.

And let's not forget that people with natural antibodies are being fired from their private sector jobs too. We seem to be focused on measuring output rather than outcomes. Other countries are giving recovered people the same status as the vaccinated since they have the antibodies. But I guess that makes too much sense...

This is just a talking point coming from people who don't want to get the vaccination. Those people who don't want to get the vaccination largely exist because of misinformation, not because of any real risk (read: very very very very minimal risk) that comes with taking the Covid vaccine.

Everyone (who can) should take the covid vaccine, regardless of their antibody status.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#42

Post by gizmo686 »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #2

The article doesn't say whether there's a medical exception. Not everyone can get the vaccine; having that cost your job is both heartless and (probably) illegal.

Federal agencies are still subject to the ADA, which Biden cannot waive without Congress. While the ADA appears to allow for vaccine requirements in general, it still requires reasonable accommodations for those who cannot get a vaccine.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#43

Post by ZetaZero »

woodpanel wrote: post #15

Regardless of where you stand with this policy, you gotta give it some Kudos: It's a very efficient way to cleanse your entire bureaucracy of doubters. I can't think of another example where a democratic republic, which by definition includes a spectrum of opinions, has its whole bureaucratic hierarchy re-aligned with the ruling party's platform. Maybe this is due to the fact, that this is inherently undemocratic?

Maybe this is due to the fact, that this is inherently undemocratic?

SCOTUS ruled that mandatory vaccines are constitutional back in 1905. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobson_v._Massachusetts

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#44

Post by standardUser »

nostromo wrote: post #9

> but vaccine hesitancy — particularly among white Republicans This sort of quip really makes me distrust NPR. White people are more vaccinated than blacks or Latinos, but the journalist couldn't help but try to throw in a dunk on their favorite bogeyman. https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/percent-of-total-p...

The difference in vaccination rates among Democrats and Republicans is much, much larger than any racial gap. Numerically, they are calling out the largest group, which seems reasonable. What strikes me as unnecessary is adding "white". Removing that word doesn't change the factual implications of the statement.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#45

Post by rajin444 »

unchocked wrote: post #11

Good. There is no better use of state power than ensuring public health. Supreme Court resolved this in 1905 w/r/t smallpox.

The smallpox vaccine worked (works) much better than the covid vaccine. I don't think this is an honest comparison.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#46

Post by swader999 »

unchocked wrote: post #11

Good. There is no better use of state power than ensuring public health. Supreme Court resolved this in 1905 w/r/t smallpox.

They've got only 21 days of funding until the debt ceiling is breached. So you may still lose your pay regardless.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#47

Post by landryraccoon »

core-utility wrote: post #30
unchocked wrote: post #11

Good. There is no better use of state power than ensuring public health. Supreme Court resolved this in 1905 w/r/t smallpox.

And where does the line for public "health" get drawn? Who draws it, the ruling party in power? Everything is health based if you want it to be.

This argument is so tired. It applies to almost every single service provided by any government anywhere.

New traffic regulations? Everyone needs transportation to get somewhere. Controlling transport controls everything. This is a road to tyranny, etc, etc..

New worker's regulations? Everyone needs a job in our economy! Controlling wages controls people's lives! This is authoritarianism, etc...

New taxes? Everything you need to survive could be taxed! When does it end?? etc, etc..

The most minor policy change anywhere runs into this utterly inane argument. Updated food standards? Building codes? Public hearing to add a stop sign? When will this government overreach end???

It's tired, it's pointless, it's been said millions of times by the same libertarian/anarchists for a century. It adds nothing new to the conversation.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#48

Post by whymauri »

strict9 wrote: post #37
nostromo wrote: post #9

> but vaccine hesitancy — particularly among white Republicans This sort of quip really makes me distrust NPR. White people are more vaccinated than blacks or Latinos, but the journalist couldn't help but try to throw in a dunk on their favorite bogeyman. https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/percent-of-total-p...

"As you may know, an FDA-authorized vaccine for COVID-19 is now available for free to all adults in the U.S. Do you think you will...?" # Definitely not get the vaccine | white: 65%, hispanic: 13%, black: 13% # Wait and see | white: 50%, hispanic: 27%, black: 14% # Unvaccinated adults | white: 57%, hispanic: 20%, black: 13% "Partisanship also plays a major role with more than half (58%) of the “definitely not” group…

Some more relevant data here: https://archive.is/RrzbZ

>Polling data from the Kaiser Family Foundation released [0] Wednesday morning (week of August 4th) makes obvious the disparity in the importance of each group. It estimates that Black Americans make up about 13 percent of the unvaccinated population and 13 percent of the group that says it will never receive a dose of the vaccine. Republicans, by contrast, make up more than half of each group, including nearly 6 in 10 of those who say they won’t get a vaccine.

[https://archive.is/NL5qA]

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#49

Post by rajin444 »

michaelt wrote: post #40

As a part-time libertarian, one of the frustrating parts of the pandemic has been discovering how many people need the nanny state to step to stop them punching themselves in the face. Near the start of the pandemic, I thought the most intrusive state powers would barely be needed. Why would you ever need to make a vaccine mandatory? What rational person would refuse a lifesaving medicine offered to them for free? We…

> What rational person would refuse a lifesaving medicine offered to them for free?

Somebody who has already had covid. They've already taken on risk - why expose themselves to more?

Your argument of people acting rational breaks down in a lot of cases. Plenty of people have self destructive behaviors (many with externalities that affect others) that we are ok with.

Re: Biden to mandate coronavirus vaccine for federal workers

#50

Post by question000 »

core-utility wrote: post #30
unchocked wrote: post #11

Good. There is no better use of state power than ensuring public health. Supreme Court resolved this in 1905 w/r/t smallpox.

And where does the line for public "health" get drawn? Who draws it, the ruling party in power? Everything is health based if you want it to be.

I mean he answered these questions. The line is drawn here.
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