I’ve worked on l/around vaccine politics for 20 years, since the U.S. House Oversight Committee debated a Victims Compensation Fund for children who got autism after (not from) measles vaccines. It failed. The same dynamics 1/
then exist now: a vaccine spectrum from self-described #antivaxxers, vax skeptics, vaccine hesitants, to vaccine proponents. It was not partisan. Now the covid vaccine spectrum is much more partisan than the childhood vaccine spectrum but not exclusively so. 2/
The science 20 years ago about childhood vaccines was not universally accepted — and the Wakefield Study falsely linking vaccines to autism affected people on many levels - such as fear of vaccines; ableism in treating and “curing” autism; outlier study used to oppose mandates 3/
Throughout the 2000s the fight to limit self-exemptions to vaccines got increasingly personal. By the time we were pregnant in 2008, my husband and I were told that baby doctors would only take us if we approved all vaccines. We did. 4/
And when my Bella was little, California was debating school vaccine requirements. People would bring unvaxxed children to Democratic meetings to protest vaccines and I had to be careful not to expose myself or her. Those parents’ health choices directly affected my health. 5/
And in an incident you may have read about, there was a Disneyland measles outbreak based upon unvaccinated visitors infecting others. At the time we had a “personal belief waiver” in CA. 6/ nbcbayarea.com/news/local/cal…
Senator/Dr Richard Pan who passed laws limiting exemptions to student vaccine mandates. The hard angry anti-vaxxer edge of the vaccine sprectrum occupied the Capitol hallways in 2019 culminating with a woman throwing menstrual blood at the State Senate. 7/ sacbee.com/news/politics-…
ALL this was before COVID. Now the dynamics are similar - but the level of anger that was always on the hard antivaxxer edge has permeated the entire spectrum. Proponents are mad; good faith skeptics are insulted; hard antivaxxers are dug in. But unlike homeschooling kids …8/
adults want and need to go out in society. So technically Biden didn’t make a universal vaccine mandate - he made a work vaccine mandate, a public vaccine mandate, a choice to go out with protections or stay home. And even people who want vaccines hate being told what to do. 9/
So as one of the 75% of Americans who are covid vaccinated and want others to be, I get that people operate on a spectrum not a binary and *may* follow mandates to work, play, fly. But leave the scolding out. Try to reach them where they are even if you think it’s bogus. 10/
And in the meantime, make sure to fund the public health care, public education, and other human infrastructure to care for people who do get sick - even the willfully unvaccinated. We will face a covid corner but it doesn’t have to be a covid cliff. 11/11
12/12 because some conflate a vaccine to live at home in isolation (NOT Biden’s plan) vs. a vaccine or test to interact in public with other shoppers/students/coworkers whom you could infect or who could infect you.
Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney asks Sgt Gonell to respond to Trump calling the #January6th mob “loving” —
“If that was hugs and kisses, we should all go to his house and do the same thing to him.”
🔥🔥🔥
He is clearly incensed by the lies and denials - and rightfully makes the point that NO ONE else sent the mob - they kept saying “Trump sent us”
Not Antifa. Not Black Lives Matter. Trump.
Of course the #January6th crowd sent by Trump was NOT “loving” - it was “medieval” “hand to hand combat” “beating us with the American flag they claim to represent” according to the sworn testimony of heroic police officers.
Who is the secret donor paying Kristi Noem to send South Dakota’s National Guard to Texas? What if there is a wildfire or other crisis at home in South Dakota during this partisan campaign stunt? Why is the military allowed to be a secret political mercenary force?
The South Dakota guard “politicizing the military with a secret donor” part reeks of Erik Prince. The border activity feels like the sham “build the wall” criminal case.
But if I am wrong and this is “very legal & very cool” — why not disclose the donor?
And does the secret Noem mercenary donor have any business before the South Dakota state government, the Texas state government, or the United States government?
Might this donation be part of seeking any material benefit from the state or the feds?
I know it’s frustrating to “wait” days for #Impeachment when Trump is so unhinged. FAR faster to arrest him for felony murder - but the US House is not the US Attorney and House Rules say “fast track” a bill to Floor vote in 2 legislative days. Til then, #25thAmendment!
5 days feel like an eternity especially while traumatized by the deadly #CapitolRiots Trump incited. After he’s shredded our Constitution, it’s excruciating to wait while he hurts more people. But #impeachment is worth it - we can MOVE ON by making sure he can’t run again.
I remember being a prosecutor and people would “pull time” per CA’s Speedy Trial Law - demand a jury trial in 10 days. It felt achingly slow; when you charge a case you want to try it day one at arraignment. But due process for ALL is our system. Hang tight. 5 days. #impeachment
I see from the responses that some of you miss sarcasm and others think a paid speech is de facto “corruption” ... shouldn’t we ask for the Yellen transcripts first? Maybe see what she said? Would any facts matter? Where are the guidelines for a donor or sponsor? Discuss!
Well I’m back from zoom yoga and read your responses. 3 Qs (so far) 1-who are sponsors (same with corp, people, media who fund podcasters and pundits)? 2-what is speech content? 3-does $/access change content/ behavior + what role do ethics lawyers play in such an instance? also-
Good! As many of us have long argued, Senators have state committees to vet candidates for judgeships. Making those panels more diverse - and making their lists more representative of the legal community, including public interest lawyers. Quick story ... thehill.com/regulation/cou…
When I was a new lawyer in the SF City Attorney’s Office, we would have a short daily staff meeting. We called it the “LA Law Meeting” after a popular TV show starring Corbin Bernsen, JimmySmits, Susan Dey etc. We would go over cases lawyers and judges to see who knew whom ...
and many more tones than not, the opposing counsel or judge was an old white man. 1990s SF Law was still Pale Stale & Male. So the attorneys would often say to me “these guys are tough on women - they treat women like daughters or exes - so play on that and be the daughter” ...
#STIMULUSPACKAGE negotiations update: “Dear Democratic Colleague” letter from @SpeakerPelosi outlines key Trump shortcomings that actively harm the American people; vows to pass relief. 🧵
TRUMP “refuses to put a national testing, tracing and surveillance plan in place ... delays funding to states ... does nothing to address barriers and needs of communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by #COVID19.” -@FrankPalloneenergycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press…