(08-22-2021 06:20 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: I think people are jumping the gun significantly on the racist thing with Patrick’s statements. They were inarticulate at worst.
But its not 'people'... its the press. The press often drives what 'people' think.
That's not what the press should do. They should not be 'influencers'... and this is a perfect example of the press not doing their job... and we say (mostly) nothing and let it happen.
Quote:But there is a rather large divide politically, so I don’t think the other part of your thesis is as powerful:
Quote: In addition to misstating his point, Patrick glossed over the huge partisan divide in vaccination rates. As of late July, according to a KFF survey of adults, 86 percent of Democrats were at least partly vaccinated, compared to 54 percent of Republicans. That gap is much bigger than the difference between blacks and whites. Furthermore, unvaccinated Republicans are more likely than unvaccinated Democrats to say they "definitely" won't be inoculated. Unvaccinated whites likewise are more firmly opposed to inoculation than unvaccinated blacks.
https://reason.com/2021/08/22/texas-lt-g...-the-gops/
Plus, look at how Trump was just booed for advocating for getting vaccinated.
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Well, we spent months and an entire election cycle blaming Trump for not advocating more strongly for this... over comments by people like me who recognized that 'his people' wouldn't blindly follow him.... and now Trump getting booed is proof of that belief, but still used a false flag.
His most ardent supporters are the 'less intrusive' government types... and this is the epitome of intrusive government and not choice.... especially for large swaths of the Republican population who live in more remote parts of the country.
As to the KFF study. It is (perhaps) technically correct, but it ignores many aspects that I deal with every day.... and misleading as a result. The fact that we are even discussing this as a political issue is the problem. It creates the very 'virtue signaling' that we've discussed before.
First, if 86% of dems and 54% of Reps are vaccinated, how is 'the most' vaccinated state Vermont at less than 68%?? How is California at less than 55%?? Even Marin county is only at 80% for at least one vaccine and SF is behind them, so I have no idea where KFF is getting this number.
There is more going on there than this simple (and grossly misleading) binary conclusion. A big part of it is probably that there are more/larger 'fringe' groups within the Republican party... meaning lots of people who won't say they're Republican, but when given a binary choice will choose the Republican (like me). I would not be part of that 54% because I don't identify as a GOP member... but I (and I suspect a few of the other 'righties on here') are all vaccinated, but not 'Republicans'. Some of it will also be access. It's a whole lot easier to go to a big city (most of which lean left) and serve large swaths of the population than it is to go to Idaho or Iowa or Montana and do the same. San Franciscans, especially in MArin are likely to do the same... just in the opposite direction. The equation is not remotely binary, and this is currently probably more true (nationally) of the right.
I'd also note something that you recognize, but miss the impact of regarding the Trump booing.
If they're booing Trump for supporting vaccines (remember that the entire 'warp speed' to make them available was his doing, even to the point of publicly bullying the FDA and others for their resistance so we can dismiss with the idea that he never supported them) then there is NO reason to think that the 'problem' here lies with 'the party'. Instead it more clearly lies with the fundamental position of Republicans regarding government and 'mandates' within the line of thought of people who lean 'right'.
Whether you choose to believe that Trump represents the fringe of the party or whether he is the base... either way, there is a clear disconnect between vaccines and the political act of making them mandatory. Either way, the problem is not the 'party'.
Yes, I agree 110% that by and large there is a huge divide between the left and right on the function of government. The left (said simply) generally sees government as the solution while Republicans see government generally as the problem. That still doesn't disprove in any way the idea that the most under-represented population by race is blacks, who overwhelmingly skew left. Like Republicans and the lack of 'urgency' because of more disperse population, it probably has to do with a fundamental distrust of being 'Guinea pigs' for a new vaccine and some historical realities towards that.
It's not the parties. EITHER of them. And breaking us down that way to disparage one or the other is not helpful (nor accurate)
I'll throw one other thing in...
If you live in Montana and get sick but don't have a ton of comorbidities, you probably are riding this disease out at home. If you're in a large city and especially if you're poor... you're going to the hospital. Such actions have an impact on people's attitudes.