OPINION:
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a recent televised press conference that President Biden would “certainly support” states that want to reimpose restrictions on individual liberties in the name of fighting the coronavirus and its emerging offshoot, the delta variant.
Hint, hint. Clampdowns are coming. At least in some states where politicians won’t withstand the federal bureaucrat storm of pressure to vaccinate that’s brewing — clampdowns are coming.
Make no mistake about it.
Between Psaki’s statement, Biden’s ongoing call for COVID-19 vaccines, and Biden’s and Psaki’s recent remarks about sending government dogs door-to-door to advise citizens about vaccines — and that’s “advise” in air quotes, with the unstated meaning more as “pressure” — the writing on the wall is clear: Clampdowns are coming.
The governors and localities and business owners are perking ears to Dr. Anthony Fauci for guidance in real time, making ready to pull out pens for executive orders and paper for “Face Mask Required for Entry” signage. Let the church bells be silenced? Let’s hope not. Let’s hope some lessons were learned from the first round of shutdowns.
The question to Psaki went like this: “If the number of cases continues to trend upward, are there any circumstances under which the White House would reimpose some of [the COVID-19] restrictions as cases tick up? Or would that be up to the states?”
And Psaki’s answer: “Well, the states are going to have to make evaluations and local communities are going to have to make evaluations about what’s in their interests. And as you know, there are much higher rates of vaccinations in some parts of the country over others, and we certainly support their decisions to implement any measures that they think will help their community be safe.”
In other words: Get with the program, Vax Resisters.
Get with the program, get vaccinated — or else.
A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll showed 74 percent of unvaccinated individuals will “probably” or “definitely” stay unvaccinated — and within that group are mostly Republicans.
“According to the survey,” The Washington Post wrote, “86 percent of Democrats have received at least one vaccine shot compared with 45 percent of Republicans. Only 6 percent of Democrats said they are not likely to get vaccinated, compared with 47 percent of Republicans, including 38 percent of Republicans overall who said they definitely will not get the vaccine.”
That means the White House has nothing to lose, politically speaking, by going after the unvaccinated.
That means Biden’s call to go “door to door, literally knocking on doors” to drive up vaccine participation numbers won’t alienate voters who vote Democrat.
Politically speaking, forcing Americans who don’t want to get vaccinated is a win for Democrats because Democrats, by and large, are already vaccinated and think the rest of America should be vaccinated, as well. By hook or by crook. By pressure or by force.
By carrot and by stick.
The White House may not state it explicitly. But pay attention and put the Democrat leadership’s messages together and it’s clear: The delta variant is the tool by which the left will insist on vaccines for all — or reimpose lockdowns for the resisters.
Fear, for Democrats, is the political tool that keeps on giving.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Socialists Don’t Sleep: Christians Must Rise Or America Will Fall,” is available by clicking HERE.
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