Really concerning figure out of the US show 41% of Republican do not intend getting the vaccine.

“Although nearly 41 million Americans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, one segment of the population remains steadfast in its opposition to getting the vaccine: Republicans. Recent polls, including our latest PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll, shows at least 41 percent of Republicans don't plan to get vaccinated. “
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-41-percent-of-republicans-dont-plan-to-get-the-covid-vaccine

It seems “being against vaccines has been seen now as a badge or as a sign of loyalty to the Republican Party”.

Thankfully this doesn't seem to have taken hold even within the more toxic circles of rightwing politics in Australia but we don't know what the future brings on that score.

We are now seeing headlines like this: “Conservative George W. Bush Is Now Too Liberal for His Party”. http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/03/george-w-bush-is-too-liberal-for-the-republican-party.html

It is illustrative of how much of a swing to the right Trump took wide sections of the US and just how many drank the koolaid. Repair will take some time.

Hi Steelie,

Poor America. The news is ever so depressing.

It's even sadder that from the outset Trump's
allies in the Senate made sure they had no intention
of convicting him.

In a floor speech after the vote,
Senator Mitch McConnell said Trump's conduct
preceding the assault on the Capital amounted to a
" disgraceful dereliction of duty" by the former
president, who he held " practically, and morally
responsible for provoking events of the day."

But McConnell concluded that the Senate was never
meant to serve as a " moral tribunal," and suggested
instead that Trump could still face criminal
prosecution. McConnell stated clearly that " President
Trump is still liable for everything he did while in office."
McConnell said " He didn't get away with anything yet."

At a news conference after the vote
the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi denounced " cowardly"
the Republicans who voted to spare Trump. Trump is the
first President to be impeached twice. And amazingly he
still has a vice-like hold on the Republican Party.

It's mind boggling the number of dead in the US due to
the Corona virus.

As well as Trump's presiding over
dozens of ethical scandals, egregious procedural lapses,
startling indiscretions - yet his legacy lives on and the
trampling of norms barely registers with so many.

Poor Biden. He's got an enormous job ahead of him.
Made all the more difficult with Trump still continuing
to bay at the heels.

We can only trust that the man will disappear in a swamp
of criminal charges and civil suits or go to jail.
History will eventually judge. In the meantime - the toxic
legacy remains.

Another toxic legacy left by Trump. What a load of garbage, proving once again that the Trump Derangement System is an incurable condition. Two extremist Leftists on OLO banging on about the departed foreign president on the same day.

A busybody non-American has no business being 'concerned' about Americans not wanting to be vaccinated, or about what his own countrymen do.

If the vaccination works, why would people who choose to get it care whether or not other people get it or don't get it! Mind your own business.

SR,

The Republican party is not calling for people not to vaccinate, neither is Trump. I seriously doubt the accuracy of the poll.

If the vaccine does not stop people getting a mild dose of the Covid virus, will it stop those who get a mild dose from infecting others?

If it doesn't eliminate the transfer of the virus, what the hell is the point of killing some people with it?

Until such questions are fully answered only an idiot would volunteer for the experiment. This is pretty much confirmed by looking at those here in favor of it.

Had yours yet SR?

SteeleRedux,
You've obviously suffered severe side effects long before COVID-19 !