Think the delta variant is scary? Anti-vaccination Trumpers are truly terrifying

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Amanda Marcotte
@AmandaMarcotte
The delta variant is more contagious. But the real problem is not delta — it’s people who refuse vaccines.

Think the delta variant is scary? Anti-vaccination Trumpers are truly terrifying
No doubt delta is more contagious, but the main problem is still right-wingers who refuse to pull their weight
salon.com
10:58 AM · Jul 30, 2021

https://www.salon.com/2021/07/30/think-the-delta-variant-is-scary-anti-vaccination-trumpers-are-truly-terrifying/

*snip*

The delta variant is just a mindless virus. The real problem is our fellow human beings who, as political science professor Scott Lemieux wrote recently, confuse "free riding with freedom — letting people do what they want with no consequences even when the consequences are borne by other people as well." The problem, as I've written about more times than I care to think about, is political. Put bluntly, a huge percentage of Donald Trump's America is refusing to get inoculated, to stick it to the liberals and undermine Biden's presidency.

As far as trolling goes, this is a particularly risky way to go about it. While rates of hospitalizations and death remain lower than they were over the winter, there are still over 300 people dying a day of COVID-19 — and nearly all are unvaccinated. But, as a recent Politico article made clear, that just shows how much right-wing America is running on spite these days, with half of them choosing to roll the dice with COVID-19 rather than admit that Biden and the Democrats are right about anything, even something as scientifically inarguable as "vaccines keep you safe."

No doubt, the resurgence of mask recommendations and even mandates is minor compared to the severe social distancing requirements — which left many people adrift and lonely — needed to control the virus pre-vaccine. But what makes the current situation so frustrating is how unfair and unnecessary it is. This isn't about people pulling together to fight back against a natural threat to humanity. This is about people being asked to make more sacrifices so that a third of Americans — mostly Trump-voting Americans — can keep refusing to do anything at all.

To make it even more maddening, the people being the biggest crybabies about the new restrictions are the very same people who are the cause of the new restrictions. This was amply demonstrated on Thursday when Republican members of the House of Representatives threw a tantrum (which they called a "protest&quot over new mask requirements. Requirements, mind you, that they caused with their own unbelievably childish levels of irresponsibility.

*snip*

[SWBTATTReg]

1. I wonder if the states fully vested in fighting these COVID outbreaks should refuse to ...

continue to fund those states that are putting the rest of us in harm's way, e.g., stipulate that state funds sent to the Feds be not applied to any projects etc. within those states ignorant of the health needs of the rest of the USA. The 'blue' states weld huge economic power compared to those that do not, so isn't it time to slam the Fed. purse shut?

In a way, the Feds do this by rewarding states to expand Medicaid etc. so more of their populations can be covered by these plans, and yet rogue states refuse to help their own populations needing health care by stating that costs would outweigh the benefits etc. (a false claim, being that the Feds will shoulder a heavy chunk of the increased costs).

Perhaps more aggressive steps should be undertaken by slamming shut the Fed coffers to states insistent on endangering the health of the rest of the Country? In Missouri, we actually finally had to put the Medicare expansion on a ballot, and it passed w/ flying colors/overwhelming numbers, and the republican legislators still refuse to do so. Finally, over the last couple of weeks, the Courts decided that the voters and what they passed, are indeed valid and ordered the legislators to act...

The people voted. GOP lawmakers balked. Now a court has cleared the way for Medicaid expansion in Missouri (By SARAH KLIFF
THE NEW YORK TIMES JUL 24, 2021 AT 7:20 AM).

I love how the author states republican irresponsibility. An very apt indictment.

But what makes the current situation so frustrating is how unfair and unnecessary it is. This isn't about people pulling together to fight back against a natural threat to humanity. This is about people being asked to make more sacrifices so that a third of Americans — mostly Trump-voting Americans — can keep refusing to do anything at all. To make it even more maddening, the people being the biggest crybabies about the new restrictions are the very same people who are the cause of the new restrictions. This was amply demonstrated on Thursday when Republican members of the House of Representatives threw a tantrum (which they called a "protest" over new mask requirements. Requirements, mind you, that they caused with their own unbelievably childish levels of irresponsibility.