3 ms·

That the government is still visibly divided over whether vaccination is a good idea is what really troubles me here and it's pretty much purely America at this

by munk-a 5y ago

That the government is still visibly divided over whether vaccination is a good idea is what really troubles me here and it's pretty much purely America at this point. Canadian liberals don't like the Liberals - Liberals don't like the Conservatives and neither Liberals nor Conservatives like liberals. That all said every represented party in Canada (and almost every individual MP) is either pro-vax or losing a lot of clout right now. In the US the GOP is technically for vaccinations and sane mandates - but if you look at House Reps and Governors you'll see a lot of anti-mask mandate laws and other protests. The government is of the people - but it should be the best of us not the biggest conspiracy theorists among us (having one or two is fine - but this problem is a lot bigger than just Marjorie Taylor Greene)

jolux 5y ago
> In the US the GOP is technically for vaccinations and sane mandates Some GOP members support these things. Many do not, as you mention the governors and reps.
- munk-a 5y ago
  I meant specifically the party leadership (since US political parties don't have formal representation) - If you look at McConnell and even Trump (when not hyperbolizing) you'll see they very consistently message that everyone should be vaccinated. One of the things I sort of appreciate about Trump is the fact that, even while getting booed at most of his events over it, he's continued to mention that he was vaccinated and it's perfectly safe. (This isn't meant to devolve into things we think about Trump - I just wanted to call out that single point).
  - noduerme 5y ago
    Yeah, give that guy a medal for just once not saying what his lunatic base wants to hear.
  - TedDoesntTalk 5y ago
    Each and every politician is an individual with his own beliefs and biases. To expect an entire group to form a single consensus is no different than expecting the entire American populace to form a single consensus, is it?
    - jolux 5y ago
      Parties are supposed to help with the "forming a consensus" part.
    - munk-a 5y ago
      Politicians need to be smart enough to know when to present a united front - they have a much greater visibility into the damage this pandemic is causing to the country by being completely immersed in dealing with it as their vocation. Yes, some people might still disagree (I've got no illusions or hope for a fully united consensus) but those people should be fewer, harder to see and much more ostracized than what the US political arena looks like today. Politicians are also quite capable from detaching their personal beliefs from their public beliefs - Dick Cheney notably held to the party line opposing gay marriage while having an openly gay daughter. There are a litany of other examples of failing to practice what you preach - so yea, even if they privately hold these beliefs it's quite reasonable to assume that Mitch McConnell and others would be able to coerce them into falling in line when talking to the public.
dude187 5y ago
> That the government is still visibly divided over whether vaccination is a good idea Where is that visible?
- TedDoesntTalk 5y ago
  The article mentions Robert Kennedy Jr. I believe he’s a senator?
  - reissbaker 5y ago
    He's not, and never has been. He's just related to JFK. (And the son of Bobby Kennedy, who was a senator.)
  - dude187 5y ago
    In no way is that "the government", and the most I can gather from that article is he's against mandates. Not the vaccines themselves. I feel one of the biggest sources of divide right now is coming from all of those who try to conflate the two. Agree or not, one can be opposed to mandates to the point of rebellion while still rushing to take the vaccine. They are two completely separate things. Even if he was one cog actively in "the government", I still would say that nothing here shows "That the government is still visibly divided over whether vaccination is a good idea"

by munk-a 5y ago

jolux 5y ago

> In the US the GOP is technically for vaccinations and sane mandates Some GOP members support these things. Many do not, as you mention the governors and reps.

munk-a 5y ago
I meant specifically the party leadership (since US political parties don't have formal representation) - If you look at McConnell and even Trump (when not hyperbolizing) you'll see they very consistently message that everyone should be vaccinated. One of the things I sort of appreciate about Trump is the fact that, even while getting booed at most of his events over it, he's continued to mention that he was vaccinated and it's perfectly safe. (This isn't meant to devolve into things we think about Trump - I just wanted to call out that single point).
- noduerme 5y ago
  Yeah, give that guy a medal for just once not saying what his lunatic base wants to hear.
- TedDoesntTalk 5y ago
  Each and every politician is an individual with his own beliefs and biases. To expect an entire group to form a single consensus is no different than expecting the entire American populace to form a single consensus, is it?
  - jolux 5y ago
    Parties are supposed to help with the "forming a consensus" part.
  - munk-a 5y ago
    Politicians need to be smart enough to know when to present a united front - they have a much greater visibility into the damage this pandemic is causing to the country by being completely immersed in dealing with it as their vocation. Yes, some people might still disagree (I've got no illusions or hope for a fully united consensus) but those people should be fewer, harder to see and much more ostracized than what the US political arena looks like today. Politicians are also quite capable from detaching their personal beliefs from their public beliefs - Dick Cheney notably held to the party line opposing gay marriage while having an openly gay daughter. There are a litany of other examples of failing to practice what you preach - so yea, even if they privately hold these beliefs it's quite reasonable to assume that Mitch McConnell and others would be able to coerce them into falling in line when talking to the public.

dude187 5y ago

> That the government is still visibly divided over whether vaccination is a good idea Where is that visible?

TedDoesntTalk 5y ago
The article mentions Robert Kennedy Jr. I believe he’s a senator?
- reissbaker 5y ago
  He's not, and never has been. He's just related to JFK. (And the son of Bobby Kennedy, who was a senator.)
- dude187 5y ago
  In no way is that "the government", and the most I can gather from that article is he's against mandates. Not the vaccines themselves. I feel one of the biggest sources of divide right now is coming from all of those who try to conflate the two. Agree or not, one can be opposed to mandates to the point of rebellion while still rushing to take the vaccine. They are two completely separate things. Even if he was one cog actively in "the government", I still would say that nothing here shows "That the government is still visibly divided over whether vaccination is a good idea"