# What IS it with Republicans and not wanting to get vaccinated? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 8, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004 "2021-11-08T21:26:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/183 "2021-11-15T10:58:41Z")
So, wanting to write something a bit different I decided I wanted to explain what the Trump years… especially COVID… was like via an Old Testament-style pastiche. When done, the format was so obviously made for Twitter, I placed it there… hope y’all enjoy. (For those of you not used to Twitter, the link takes you to a 27 (or so) “tweet thread” which is read by clicking on the bottom tweet. The link is to the first tweet, they are all numbered, and the last tweet is a near carbon copy of the first tweet. You’ll see.) > ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/184 "2021-11-15T11:03:21Z")
It’s amazing how much of it you can ignore with no consequences. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/185 "2021-11-15T11:13:35Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > But I don’t see a consistent theme in any other country with a strong correlation between being Republican and being against the vaccine. That’s hardly surprising given that Republicans operate only in the USA. If you meant to say “right-wing”, however, I can present the example of Austria, where the far-right Freedom Party (the third-largest in Parliament, and until a couple years ago members of the ruling coalition) are tacitly anti-vax in much the same way that the American Republican Party are. That is, they’re not officially against the vaccine, but do vocally oppose most current and proposed pandemic control measures (curfews, lockdowns, mask or vaccination mandates, etc.). And individual party leaders often speak by invitation at mass public demos organized by others who are against vaccination in general or who claim that Covid-19 doesn’t exist at all. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/186 "2021-11-15T15:41:48Z")
I’ll add that the Conservative Party in Canada is somewhat against mandates, although not completely anti-vax. The current leader refuses to say which of his MP’s are unvaccinated, although when he made his new shadow (opposition) cabinet, several prominent anti-vax voices were left on the sidelines. Luckily for the Conservatives, there is a further right-wing party (People’s Party), where the far right anti-vax lunatics and whackos can comfortably live. These are the kind of folks that disrupt Remembrance Day services, and disrespect veterans because they think this makes them look good. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/187 "2021-11-15T20:31:15Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’ll add that the Conservative Party in Canada is somewhat against mandates, although not completely anti-vax. The current leader refuses to say which of his MP’s are unvaccinated, although when he made his new shadow (opposition) cabinet, several prominent anti-vax voices were left on the sidelines. I thought Parliament had recently introduced a rule banning all unvaccinated people from the premises. Or is this rule still under discussion? If it were implemented, it would make it obvious which MPs are unvaccinated. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/188 "2021-11-15T20:42:20Z")
I read Politifact regularly, and I am appalled at the sort of lies spread by Fox and Conservative Talk radio that are spread on FB, etc. When trump himself when to a GOP con and told attendees to get the shot, even he was booed. The lies are pushed hard, and the “stalwarts” are bombarded by them. I don’t think the radio hosts or Fox news believe them, but it is their way to stirring up the rabble- and keeping them stirred up until the next election. Last Week Tonight had a segment on some GOP nutcase who won on this sort of crap, so they will keep spreading it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/189 "2021-11-15T20:51:29Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I thought Parliament had recently introduced a rule banning all unvaccinated people from the premises. Or is this rule still under discussion? If it were implemented, it would make it obvious which MPs are unvaccinated. They have. And Parliament resumes November 22. This will be the day when we see who shows up, and who does not. O’Toole is not looking forward to that day. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/190 "2021-11-15T23:29:28Z")
**JIMMY CARTER**? I could _almost_ give you Barak since many called him elitist although I don’t think he is. But **JIMMY CARTER**? He’s not any of those things. You take that back! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/191 "2021-11-15T23:51:14Z")
LOL, in my defense, I couldn’t find one with Reagan and Trump, so I had to make do. In the alt-text of the tweet, it should read “Actor not available, stand-in is on far right”, but I think I fucked it up. And pretty much anyone that goes to Harvard is an elitist. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/192 "2021-11-16T03:49:31Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > LOL, in my defense, I couldn’t find one with Reagan and Trump, so I had to make do. Well you could have photoshopped it. These days, everybody understands (or should understand) that seeing isn’t believing any more anyway. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/193 "2021-11-16T06:07:51Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > They have. And Parliament resumes November 22. This will be the day when we see who shows up, and who does not. O’Toole is not looking forward to that day. Then O’Toole at least has a shred of dignity. The leader of the Austrian Freedom Party recently went on national TV to proclaim that he was unvaccinated and to proudly present the results of an antigen test to prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/194 "2021-11-16T06:09:47Z")
I guess for his next trick, he will proudly show off his IQ test, where he scored a 75. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/195 "2021-11-16T13:51:26Z")
Maybe he’ll soon be able to show off a blood oxygen level to match. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/196 "2021-11-17T04:40:45Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Maybe he’ll soon be able to show off a blood oxygen level to match. I deny emphatically that I LOL’ed at this totally unkind and mean spirited quip. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/197 "2021-11-17T13:07:26Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Then O’Toole at least has a shred of dignity. The leader of the Austrian Freedom Party recently went on national TV to proclaim that he was unvaccinated and to proudly present the results of an antigen test to prove it. It’d be an awful shame if someone were to start a conspiracy theory about how he faked these results to hide the fact that he’s secretly vaccinated. We’d need a catchy “False Flag” term for the antigen test. Or for faking not being vaxxed…“Vexatiously Vaccinated!” ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/198 "2021-11-17T13:40:42Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > It’d be an awful shame if someone were to start a conspiracy theory about how he faked these results to hide the fact that he’s secretly vaccinated. Given that he’s just announced this week that he’s got Covid-19, that conspiracy theory would play right into the antivaxxers’ hands. (“See? Vaccines don’t work, just like we’ve all been telling you!”) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/199 "2021-11-17T13:58:05Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Given that he’s just announced this week that he’s got Covid-19, that conspiracy theory would play right into the antivaxxers’ hands. (“See? Vaccines don’t work, just like we’ve all been telling you!”) “He’s so committed to the lie, now he’s lying about getting COVID. It’s called ‘going for the sympathy vote!’ Don’t be such a sheeple!” After he’s dead we can do the whole, “He faked his death and is secretly conspiring with JFK Jr.” thing. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/200 "2021-11-17T16:47:12Z")
My employer also instituted a vax or go policy, with an end of November deadline. The usual hard-right Trumpbot loudmouths broke out in defiant, bravado-laden indignation, which then gave way to two narratives: - They’ll get the shot to keep their job, but will be resentful as hell, and this may affect their work ethic. - They’ll leave and do something else because they’re such stalwart rugged types with much brilliance, and the company will suffer greatly from the lack of their presence. Just from the buzz I’ve overheard, this group seems the larger of the two. Then the “bad” news. Company pushed the deadline until early next years. So depressed and disappointed we were that a bunch of assholes _won’t_ be leaving. Oh, and said assholes have formed this narrative that their defiance that brought this about, and that this is happening across the country, and if they can just keep this up until they can run out the clock to the next presidential election, it’ll all just go away. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/201 "2021-11-17T17:27:09Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > Company pushed the deadline until early next years. I wonder if this had to do with the circuit court [suspending implementation](https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/21/21-60845-CV0.pdf) of the OSHA COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Of course a company could still enact their own mandate, but OSHA’s mandate makes a handy fig leaf if they get sued. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004/202 "2021-11-17T17:38:23Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > I wonder if this had to do with the circuit court [suspending implementation](https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/21/21-60845-CV0.pdf) of the OSHA COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Of course a company could still enact their own mandate, but OSHA’s mandate makes a handy fig leaf if they get sued. Maybe. My company (health insurance) also instituted a ‘vax or go’ policy and has held to the deadlines they initially set to get everyone vaxxed, regardless of the lawsuits and OSHA situation. On a company-wide call last week they reiterated the deadline for proving your vax status, and the next day they will begin the termination process for those unwilling to vax, or not providing the proof. So, yeah, they are staying with their own mandate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-republicans-and-not-wanting-to-get-vaccinated/954004.md?page=11)