The vaccine mandate falls and I'm not mad about it [View all]

[genxlib]

So this happened today https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/13/scotus-blocks-bidens-workplace-vaccine-rule-527054

But I have to say, I am not upset. I expect this opinion to be very unpopular but hear me out.

Here are three thoughts.

1. They have already accomplished most of what they could
2. Things were about to get very messy
3. I did not see a clear exit strategy

I have to say I was never a big fan. I have been uneasy about it in ways that may have been solved today. So allow me to elaborate on my above thoughts.

1. Many companies pushed forward and set early deadlines that have already motivated most of the reasonable fence sitters. Those are gains that cannot be taken back. What is left are the stubborn hold-outs that are desperately hoping for a medical or health exemption. It seems to me like we have already gotten much of the benefit that was ever available.

2. Going forward, things were going to get very messy to actually enforce the mandate. The hardened hold-outs were mostly going to ride this to the bitter end. We were going to see daily stories about denied waivers and employee terminations. All of this in the face of staffing issues, inflation, product shortages, etc. It was going to be a PR nightmare and we were going to create a shitload of martyrs in the process. Most of that would come with very few additional vaccinations.

3. I don't for one second believe that #2 was going to play out quickly. I suspect it would take till at least the end of the year to really close the books on enforcement due to court challenges and appeals, etc.. Personally, I think the Omicron wave may be the last serious wave to this pandemic. The infection rates are high and fast and have dropped off precipitously in other Countries. The net result of that could leave a relatively resistant Country better prepared to fight off future waves. Combined with better treatments and higher vaccine rates, things are better now than they were six months ago. Which begs the question, would we be enforcing this mandate on a population that no longer wants it. I could easily see a time when the population feels like we are past this and the Government is left wondering what to do with the mandate. Enforce it even though it no longer feels necessary? Forget it and empower the martyrs? Revoke it at the last minute? It just seems like a mess.

So I say this is an ugly end that might have avoided an even uglier end. I would just release a strongly worded statement to the effect of "we tried to do the right thing but those partisan assholes over there have left us to suffer more pain and suffering every bit of which will now be their fault"

I fully expect to take a lot of grief in the comments so do your worst.