With virtually every aspect of life under assault from progressives, Republican successes on Election Day were a much-needed shot in the arm. Let’s capitalize on that energy. Instead of sitting idly by waiting for lawsuits to make vaccine mandates go away, OSHA just handed us an opportunity to drive a stake through those very mandates.
On November 5, OSHA published its COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS (Emergency Temporary Standard) in the Federal Register. It goes into effect immediately and companies with 100+ employees have 30 days to comply, plus 60 days for certain testing requirements.
However, because this ETS also functions as a proposed rule for a permanent standard, the public has 30 days to comment. Most of us have never commented on a proposed rulemaking for any agency, let alone OSHA. But if standing up to vaccine mandates is something you feel strongly about—and you should—this is another avenue of attack we should exploit in the vaccine wars.
Administrative agencies are creatures of the executive branch. They make copious rules and regulations that govern our lives but are not directly accountable to the people through elections. Requirements for public comment under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) are a way to make fully unaccountable administrative agencies somewhat accountable to the people.
Since every American is affected by these vaccine mandates, we all have a right to comment, which is why I am asking every American Thinker reader to take some time in the next week or two to submit a comment to OSHA “on any aspect of the ETS” and “on any topics related to this rulemaking.” And then ask your like-minded friends to do the same.
What’s extremely important for you to know is that OSHA brazenly states its intention to expand the 100+ employee rule to include all businesses. If you have a small business, you must tell OSHA how such a regulation would affect you.
Last Tuesday, we just saw the power of participation, whether at school board meetings or the polls. There is no guarantee that we can change minds at Biden’s OSHA, but every comment is part of the public record and, in terms of future legal and political remedies, it is critical that we are heard in massive numbers with compelling arguments.
Although dozens of lawsuits have been filed challenging the mandate on myriad constitutional and statutory grounds, we cannot be lulled into a false sense of security that all will be resolved by courts laden with activist judges and a Supreme Court that is the ultimate crapshoot. We must first try to stop OSHA in its tracks from applying this mandate to all businesses while continuing to fight on all administrative, judicial, and political fronts in the hopes that something sticks.
In its summary of the mandate and fact sheet on participation, OSHA maintains that COVID poses a grave danger to the unvaccinated in the workplace and those who have been infected but are not vaccinated, completely ignoring natural immunity, tests for immunity, and data proving that the vaccinated also transmit and contract the infection. According to OSHA’s “fact” sheet, “Given scientific uncertainty and limitations in testing for infection and immunity, OSHA is concerned that it would be infeasible for employers to operationalize a standard that would permit or require an exception from vaccination” and asks for “additional scientific information on this topic that OSHA should consider.”
OSHA ignores that studies show natural immunity is at least as robust as vaccine immunity and up to 27 times more robust than vaccine immunity. Providing proof that you had an infection or getting results from one of several available tests for immunity easily refute OSHA’s argument.
OSHA also ignores that healthy, working-age people are at minimal risk from COVID. And it ignores the fact that vaccinated people give, get, and die from COVID. A significant factor in COVID deaths, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, is comorbidities or advanced age.
Another thing OSHA ignores is that we now have treatments for COVID. A recent meta-analysis showed that Ivermectin use resulted in “large, statistically significant reductions in mortality, time to clinical recovery, and time to viral clearance.” Additionally, Pfizer has a promising pill that allegedly cuts the risks of serious illness and death by 90%. It’s up to laypeople to inform the experts.
An army of armchair activists at 75M & Rising has already begun submitting comments to OSHA. If you’d like to join us, sign up here. It doesn’t cost you anything more than a few minutes of your time.
You can also submit a comment to OSHA here. It’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to address every argument. Limit your comments to one or two points. Include supporting evidence. Alex Berenson’s books and his writings at Substack are helpful. This document, prepared by the Center for Renewing America, is also instructive.
Here are some important things to remember: Do not include any private information such as your SSN or birth date, as these comments become part of the permanent public record. Also, avoid snark and inappropriate language, which weaken your position. Make your points with logic, facts, stats, and common sense.
Conservatives are being silenced on so many fronts. Let’s not give the authoritarians the upper hand by ignoring this unique opportunity to be heard. This is another Let’s Go Brandon moment. Don’t let it slip through your fingers because of apathy or indifference.
This article was originally published by the American Thinker. Read the full article.
American Thinker is a daily internet publication devoted to the thoughtful exploration of issues of importance to Americans. Contributors are accomplished in fields beyond journalism and animated to write for the general public out of concern for the complex and morally significant questions on the national agenda.
