Johns Hopkins’ “Where’s Unvaccinated Waldo”
Of the 21 states with vaccination rates of less than 50% of eligible adults (as of this writing), all but three were carried by Donald Trump in the November election (the three: Nevada and by squeakers, Arizona and Georgia, which two states have GOP-controlled legislatures and governors). We’re still watching legions of healthcare workers, first responders and employees who interface with the general public fight vaccine mandates. Where religious exemptions are permitted, the vast majority submitted boil down to simple personal choices and preferences, a pile of those based most on form letters from self-anointed “clerics” representing fringe “religious groups.” Hardly legitimate.
Those who still insist that they have a personal right to reject vaccine mandates, many under the misguided belief that they have constitutional rights that support their position, are self-righteous and exceptionally vociferous. The United States Supreme Court has long since ruled that reasonable governmental mandates in times of medical crisis do not violate the Constitution (Jacobson vs Massachusetts, 1905, a case that has been reaffirmed several times by the Court). These resisters were vastly more numerous in the pre-Delta variant scourge, a disease that now takes down children and is dramatically more infectious than the earlier Alpha variant. Experts are predicting 100,000 additional deaths by December.
In red states, serious infection rates are so high that more than a few have run out of ICU beds, a few out of any hospital beds at all. One Mississippi man, seeking surivial-driven assistance for a life threatening non-COVID medical emergency is reported to have contacted 43 hospitals (some outside of his home state) in a vain search for treatment. He died before an appropriate hospital admission could be effected. Desperate individuals in northern Idaho, a hotbed of Trumpist vaccine resistant, but very sick, individuals have flooded neighboring Washington State for hospital treatment. Deathbed regrets from vaccine resisters seem to have had little impact on conspiracy theory resisters, stupidly even willing to try a horse de-wormer as a COVID treatment.
Still, the GOP embraces the policy of “no mandates,” catering to their populist base. Those squeaky wheels protesting that only parents could require children to wear masks or, where eligible, get vaccinated, are still what the Republican Party believes is what will win them elections. Governor Ron “I’m the next Donald Trump” DeSantis is continuing to threaten to fine Florida municipalities and school districts who dare defy his “no mask, no vaccine mandate” executive orders. Even as other countries will not Americans to enter without vaccination proof.
Apparently Republicans are fixated in time. The weariness of lockdowns and masks that ran through the country until mid-summer began to fade when (1) the Delta variant was the resoundingly biggest COVID cause out there and (2) over three quarters of adult Americans had received at least one COVID shot. The GOP saw the new vaccine mandates as a red cape waived in front of an angry public that surely would resist such sweeping orders. But there was a huge change. Now it was more than exhausted doctors, nurses and medical techs complaining about workloads, which they had every right to do. The mere lack of hospital capacity was also taking its attitudinal toll. The majority of Americans were angry at the unvaccinated now.
As the economy began to slow again, as job placements dropped in half, that three quarters of adult voters who had been vaccinated were getting angry too. At the selfish and ignorant individuals who believed their right to resist vaccination and masking was ironclad. Now, the resisters were being blamed for economic woes. They were the ones blames for placing innocent school children at risk with GOP anti-mask/vaccine mandate rules. And the vaccinated were now very much the majority. Republicans missed that powerful reversal in American attitudes. Squeaky wheel resisters were only seen as noble in their dwindling peer group… dwindling as some joined and got vaxxed… or others who just died. Oh, and the GOP itself was beginning to be blamed too. The “big lie” was sliding from relevance.
Having a golden opportunity, based on the bizarre California recall rules where a Republican gubernatorial challenger with way less than a majority vote could usurp a Democratic incumbent, the GOP let a well-known and well-financed extremist – Trumpier-than-Trump Larry Elder – carry their banner into that recall fray. Desperate Californians, who might not have voted at all, rallied in unprecedented numbers.
Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik (September 15th) summarized: “As my colleague Steve Lopez eloquently observed a few days before the election, many of the fixes they [GOP candidates] were selling — ‘tax cuts, restoring the death penalty, releasing fewer prisoners, school choice, harsher policies on immigrants, loosening coronavirus protocols, relaxing environmental protections, police enforcement of homeless encampments — are red-meat talking points rather than viable solutions to the state’s most vexing problems.’
“That was certainly true of their approach to the pandemic, which began and ended with plans to undo Newsom’s initiatives in favor of the approach of such a paragon of scientific-based policies as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Over the last seven days [prior to the recall], according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida ranks sixth worst in the nation in COVID cases per 100,000 population; California ranks 47th.” GOP policies, led by super-Trump Elder, literally terrified vast hordes of Californians into voting. Incumbent Democrat Gavin “I love French Laundry dinners” Newsom held on to his elected office by a staggering landslide (his supporters almost doubling those attempting to unseat him).
As younger generations continue to be added to the voting rolls, their priorities drift farther and farther from GOP platforms: take immediate and vigorous action to stem climate change, deal with huge student loan debt burdens, make housing affordable, make it easier to vote, expand diversity and learn to get along. The vocabulary of an increasingly out-of-touch “party of ‘no’” – “cancel culture,” stop voter fraud, stop creeping socialism, Trump was legitimately elected, keep taxes for the rich low, ban critical race theory, support liberal gun laws – are almost a foreign language to these younger Americans staring a very difficult future in the face.
And for all Americans, Biden’s foreign policy missteps (based on similar Trump missteps) will ride that consistent wave that foreign policy seldom determines presidential election outcomes absent the immediate threat of another global war. Add that women cannot be particularly overjoyed at the relative success Republicans have had in red state legislation dealing with women’s bodies. Mostly old men telling women what to do.
Republicans have a little more than a year to figure out a plan for America other than blame others and support mindless culture wars. They dramatically miscalculated almost every step along the way on this pandemic; if the pandemic is still here by the next election, the vaccine resisters (representing a Republican platform) will be blamed. Republicans still can do it; do not count them out, but if they shut down the government over a deficit cap, you can bet the Democrats will have yet another brick to throw in the mid-term race.
The GOP not so oddly mirrors Fox News demographics (median viewer is 65)… and seems to be a Party of mostly male legislators, congressional office holders and governors. The bias towards its base slides even more heavily male… and definitely white. In their eyes, the GOP has two choices to maintain elective power: 1. Make sure that those who oppose them are marginalized at the ballot box or 2. Change. They have so far rejected change.
I’m Peter Dekom, but a lot can change in the polarized American political arena in a year…
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