Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Friday banning businesses from requiring customers to show proof they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to get service.
The Republican governor had previously announced his intent to issue an order banning so-called “vaccine passports.” His action also barred any government agency in Florida from issuing such documentation for the purpose of providing proof of vaccinations.
In his executive order, DeSantis asserts that “vaccination passports reduce individual freedom and will harm patient privacy.”
Effective immediately, Florida businesses are barred from requiring patrons to provide documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination to enter a business or to get served.
I believe Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu manipulated the Covid-19 crisis for his political benefit. If Covid-19 was such an emergency that it warranted freezing all issues and forming a national-unity government with Center-Left, leader, Benny Gantz, the crisis should have demanded that he stick to his power sharing deal, which would have made Gantz, Prime Minister by October 2021 for 18 months. Instead soon after the unity government was formed, Netanyahu found a loophole in the agreement, that allowed him to force a new election that took place less than two weeks ago by refusing to pass the budget. Netanyahu’s actions serve as a negative role model, when people are asked to put politics aside for the national good.
Some people were pleased with Netanyahu’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis.
I am not part of that crowd. I do not support the Vaccine Passport policies of Netanyahu. I also believe that Netanyahu’s lockdown policies were more restrictive than necessary.
On this particular issue, I think Moshe Feiglin (who did not take part in the latest election) offered better political solutions and even spiritual solutions, than the solutions offered by Netanyahu.
Many victims of Netanyahu’s Covid-19 policies decided not to vote as the lesser of evils.
The move by Governor Desantis shows that it is politically doable to take a pro-liberty stance against Covid-19 authoritarians.
The Netanyahu and Anti-Netanyahu Blocs have to think of creative ways to lure the pro-liberty voters back to their side.
Clarifications
- I am open to restrictions on outsiders entering into the country to prevent new infections, etc. My complaint against Netanyahu centers on his Vaccine Passport policies within the country.
- Gantz broke his written coalition agreements with the Charedi parties to vote to restore draft exemptions or deferments for Charedi Yeshiva students that were negated by Judicial Activist decisions of Israel’s Supreme Court. The Charedi parties had every right to punish Gantz and not demand that Netanyahu stick to his power sharing arrangement with Gantz. My assumption however, is that Netanyahu tricked his way out of the power sharing agreement with Gantz for reasons that were not related to the army draft.
post by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman