‘Misinformation’ target in intrusive new vaccine plan

After a proposal to send community teams to the homes of unvaccinated Americans was met with conservative backlash, Democrats want to intrude even further into your personal life in the name of fighting misinformation.

The latest proposal was announced on July 12 by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Health. As was first reported by Politico, Fauci and others within the Biden Administration are developing ways to combat COVID-19 vaccine misinformation from right-wing news pundits and Republican officials. The Biden Administration used Fox News and Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons as examples.

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I have directed our health department to let the federal government know that sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination would NOT be an effective OR a welcome strategy in Missouri!

— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) July 8, 2021

Is it even legal?

The idea of the US Government monitoring its own citizens has become so commonplace that it has become a joke in libertarian circles, but it’s no laughing matter. The federal government has already arranged to send emergency updates directly to citizens’ cell phone; and social media platforms are actively searching for misinformation, about the vaccine or otherwise, on a voluntary basis.

The timing of the announcement holds quantitative amounts of irony, as it came around the same time Cubans were protesting the Communist Party of Cuba that rules the island. Last week, Pres. Joe Biden said while addressing White House reporters that his administration needs to go “community by community” and “neighborhood by neighborhood” to get more Americans vaccinated. Biden had previously set a goal to have 70 percent of the population vaccinated by Independence Day. As of July 11, more than 48 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and 56 percent have received a first dose, well below the administration’s goal.

Biden’s proposal was met with backlash from right-wing pundits and officials alike. Former Minnesota congresswoman and current Fox News contributor Michele Bachmann said the federal government wants to put the personal life of every resident into a database. Turning Points USA founder Charlie Kirk told supporters in an email that the Biden Administration is “sending goons door-to-door” to make people take the vaccine. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-North Carolina, told reporters at CPAC that the door-to-door strategy is a trial run for a gun confiscation strategy.

White House disputes claims from opponents

The White House responded to these claims by saying that the people visiting the homes of unvaccinated residents would be trusted community leaders. Press Sec. Jen Psaki told reporters during a White House press briefing that these would be clergy members and other community volunteers. She added that misinformation is “literally killing people.” Fauci went on Sunday morning talk shows to respond to alleged misinformation from Democratic opponents.

Should the government use tactics such as asking SMS carriers to monitor user correspondence and asking social media platforms to enhance fact-checking practices to combat vaccine misinformation? Let us know on Facebook at www.facebook.com/beinglibertarian, and on twitter @beinlibertarian.