The sweeping coronavirus vaccine mandate President Biden outlined yesterday isn’t going over well with many Republican leaders, who have called it everything from “un-American” and “unconstitutional” to “dictatorial” and a “war against capitalism.” So far, at least 19 GOP governors—so, representing 40% of U.S. states—have publicly registered their disapproval, with the heads of states like Wyoming and South Dakota, whose vaccination rates are among America’s worst, saying they already have a team figuring out how to sue the administration.
Still, news of Biden’s aggressive push appears to have triggered a very uniform response to what, at this point, might be the last tactic left to improve America’s flattened vaccination rate:
- Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey: “Totally unacceptable.”
- Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy: “Ridiculous and unenforceable. If there was ever a case for the 25th Amendment…”
- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey: “This dictatorial approach is wrong, un-American and will do far more harm than good. How many workers will be displaced? How many kids kept out of classrooms? How many businesses fined?”
- Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves: “This unconstitutional move is terrifying.”
- Missouri Gov. Mike Parson: “Has potentially dangerous consequences for working families.”
- Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte: “Unlawful and un-American.”
- Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts: “The president’s forgotten we live in America. He thinks we live in the Soviet Union.”
- Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt: “As long as I am governor, there will be no government vaccine mandates in Oklahoma.”
- South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster: “They have declared war against capitalism, thumbed their noses at the Constitution, and empowered our enemies abroad. … We will fight them to the gates of hell.”
- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem: “See you in court.”
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (who signed the abortion ban that went into effect last week): “An assault on private businesses. I issued an Executive Order protecting Texans’ right to choose whether they get the COVID vaccine.”
- Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon: “No place in America. Not now, and not ever.”
Considering the new rules will affect two-thirds of American workers, including at private employers with 100 or more people, the White House tells Axois’s Mike Allen this was sort of to be expected—they “knew there would be strong backlash. But unless someone took this on, we’d be in a pandemic forever.” An official added that “America is divided,” but “Biden is uniting the 75% vs. the 25% that is in opposition.”
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
