In the USA, the anti-vaxxers are dug in. Despite President Biden's promise to convince more than 70 percent of the adult population to accept the Covid shots, compliance remains in the 61 percent range. That's millions of folks vulnerable to the virus and the spread of it.
Hard-right people and African Americans remain the primary resistors. Both groups say the same thing: they don't trust the government. So the Covid beat continues to vex the nation.
The progressive movement is firmly behind forcing people to get vaccinated. The US Constitution doesn't permit that unless Congress passes a new law, but the leftists are putting pressure on local governments to isolate the unvaxxed from commerce.
And it's worse in Europe. Starting in February it looks like Austrians could be fined just over $4,000 a month for refusing to get vaccinated.
Some on the right put forth that the totalitarian left, which dominates the progressive movement, is using the pandemic to set up an all-powerful central government in America. The corrupt media scoffs at that but I say - not so fast.
Let's travel down to New Zealand, an isolated island nation located between Australia and South America. Just 5 million people live there and they are known as Kiwis.
New Zealand is a very liberal country but has an extremely harsh Covid footprint. Even though only 46 Kiwis have died from Covid and 80 percent of the population is vaxxed, the Wellington government continues to lock down the country. Want to fly in for a look? You can't. All international travel is banned. Everyone is required to wear masks outside, no large groups are allowed.
Not a lot of protests over the tough measures. Kiwis are generally doing what they are told to do.
Now comes word that New Zealand plans to ban cigarettes. Not allowed, you'll be punished if you smoke them.
After successfully ordering strict Covid rules, the New Zealand government, a democracy, is now on the hunt to ban stuff, forever.
This is exactly what some conservatives in America predicted. That a centralized progressive government would use Covid to attack personal choice. You will comply or else.
Finally, I believe it is my patriotic duty to get vaxxed. I don't especially trust the government but I'm not a conspiracy monger. I believe the medical research and encourage others to do the same.
But the Kiwis have lost freedoms because the people have empowered the militant government. And that is worth thinking about.
