‘What’s the big deal?’ Biden downplays vaccine mandates and restrictions
On Tuesday, Biden downplayed concerns that his administration's federal vaccine mandates are going too far and encroaching on their liberties.
U.S. President Joe Biden just doesn’t see why Americans are all up in arms about the loss of their personal freedoms. Amid increased restrictions on travel and work for the unvaccinated, Biden appeared to diminish the concerns of Americans distressed by the implications of vaccine mandates.
On Tuesday, Biden downplayed concerns that his administration's federal vaccine mandates are going too far and encroaching on civil liberties. Biden made his remarks to a local journalist who pointed out that his plans have suffered setbacks in court.
“Your vaccine mandates have suffered some setbacks in court recently,” WHIOTV 7 reporter John Bedell said. “Federal judges have halted three of those COVID vaccine mandates,” the Daily Wire reported.
“Are you going to back down or are you going to continue to fight those in court?” Bedell continued.
Responding to the question, Biden regurgitated the rhetoric that the “pandemic is of the unvaccinated.”
“This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” he said. “Not the vaccinated, the unvaccinated.”
“That’s the problem,” Biden continued. “Everybody talks about freedom about not to have a shot or have a test. Well guess what? How about patriotism? How about you make sure you’re vaccinated, so you do not spread the disease to anyone else.”
“What about that?” Biden added. “What’s the big deal?”
Joe Biden to Americans concerned about vaccine mandates encroaching on their freedom: “What’s the big deal?” pic.twitter.com/GJTZr6RmFX
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 15, 2021
In November, the White House laid out its federal vaccine mandate, which carries fines of up to $14,000 per infraction for large companies that reject compliance, or fail to enforce the rule on their employees, Rebel News reported.
The move came in spite of widespread opposition to a vaccine mandate. According to a September poll, 58.6 per cent of voters do not believe Biden has the constitutional authority to force private businesses into compliance.
On Monday, a federal appeals court upheld a district court order blocking the White House's vaccine mandate for health-care workers. It was the latest in a string of setbacks for the Biden administration in court.
Forbes reported:
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Biden administration’s request to lift a lower court’s injunction that blocked the mandate, which requires vaccinations for healthcare workers in facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid, while the case is being appealed.
The court did not explain its decision, but noted one judge on the three-judge panel would have granted the motion.
The order applies only to Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, and is distinct from a separate court order from a federal judge in Louisiana that blocked the mandate nationwide.
The health care vaccine mandate is one of four mandates imposed by the Biden administration. Other orders include a mandate for federal employees, one for federal contractors, and a policy requiring vaccinations of regular testing for private employers with more than 100 employees.
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