As the COVID pandemic continues to surge through the ranks of the nation’s unvaccinated, President Biden is taking more aggressive steps to quell the viral storm that has taken so many lives. Despite how easily the suffering and grief can be prevented, there are still far too many people being infected, hospitalized, and dying than need to be.
Studies show that the majority of the unvaccinated are those attuned to the disinformation disseminated by Fox News and their anti-vax accomplices in the Republican Party. And the majority of those suffering the most severe consequences from exposure to COVID are the unvaccinated. Upwards of 90% of hospitalizations and fatalities are in that group.
Biden’s initiative seeks to halt the progress of the coronavirus and its evolving variants with a six step plan that he introduced in a speech to the nation on Thursday. As reported by CNN…
“President Joe Biden on Thursday imposed stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff in a sweeping attempt to contain the latest surge of Covid-19.
“The new requirements could apply to as many as 100 million Americans — close to two-thirds of the American workforce — and amount to Biden’s strongest push yet to require vaccines for much of the country.”
There was noticeable distress in Biden’s plea to the country (video below) due to the resistance in certain political circles. He expressed that in his speech saying that…
“‘We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,’ Biden said, his tone hardening toward Americans who still refuse to receive a vaccine despite ample evidence of their safety and full approval of one — the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine — from the US Food and Drug Administration.
“He said vaccinated America was growing ‘frustrated’ with the 80 million people who have not received shots and are fueling the spread of the virus. And he acknowledged the new steps would not provide a quick fix.”
Key to Biden’s plan is a Labor Department directive aimed at increasing the share of vaccinated workers. It’s a solution that doesn’t mandate that anyone get vaccinated, so long as they get tested regularly. But expect the right-wingers in the GOP and on Fox News to complain that it’s a violation of their freedom anyway. And that may be why Biden explicitly called out Fox News during his speech when he spoke of the workplace features on his plan:
“Tonight I’m announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule that will require all employers with 100 or more employees, that together employ over 80 million workers, to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated, or show a negative test at least once a week.
“Some of the biggest companies are already requiring this. United Airlines, Disney, Tyson’s food, and even Fox News. The bottom line: We’re gonna protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated coworkers. We’re gonna reduce the spread of COVID-19 by increasing the share of the workforce that is vaccinated in businesses all across America.”
The inclusion of Fox News in this address is Biden’s attempt to bring in a sector of the American people that ordinarily wouldn’t pay any attention to what he has to say. After all, Fox’s most watched programs have actively disparaged vaccines and other virus mitigation efforts. Tucker Carlson told his viewers that vaccines don’t work and “they” aren’t telling you. Sean Hannity has sowed vaccine doubts by pretending to support the science, even while insisting that no one should listen to him. Laura Ingraham mocked Biden for following CDC guidance.
What makes this especially difficult is that the Fox News disciples have been programmed to reject science. That may still be the case. But it was still necessary for Biden to give this a shot. Considering the fact that Fox News viewers are the biggest obstacle to a return to normalcy, they need to be reached in order for any plan to work.
Let’s hope that they can finally set aside their political prejudices and willful ignorance long enough to care about the lives of their families, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and country. It may be a long shot, but it’s one that must be taken.
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Biden lays out his plan for many employers to require coronavirus vaccinations or have workers undergo regular testing.
“Some of the biggest companies are already requiring this,” Biden says. “Even Fox News.” pic.twitter.com/JbgSHbsuhC
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) September 9, 2021
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.
