Inspired By Joe: Rhode Island Democrats Want to Punish Unvaxxed With Double Taxation and Fines

Democrats in Rhode Island proposed a bill mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all residents of that state 16 years and older.  Under the proposal, any resident that refuses full vaccination (+ future doses) will be subject to double income taxation and $50 monthly fine.

And any employer that retains an unvaxxed employee would be hit with a $5,000 per month fine.

The proposed bill (S2552) was introduced by six democrats, including Senator Sam Bell:

Can you explain how this is a workable policy? Can you explain your mechanism of enforcement? Is it police or employers? Can you defend doubling taxes of working and low income people for not receiving 3rd and 4th doses on time? Can you vouch for the popularity of this bill? https://t.co/Av90Y9uw0r

— Hutch Pundit (@hutch_blog) April 18, 2022

Senator Bell is confident his proposal has the support of the people, citing a poll from the COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preferences Across States.

That poll purportedly shows 64% of those surveyed are in favor of vaccine mandate.  Senator Bell omits the fact the survey was based on a nonprobability sample.  As reported by the Miami Standard:

That’s a highbrow way of saying ‘this survey isn’t at all representative of the population and, in fact, it’s not even random sampling at all.”

As you might expect, Senator Bell is getting some push back.

Daily Caller reports:

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Republican State Sen. Jessica de la Cruz said it was “amazing” that a senator would even propose legislation like this…  “I’ve been against any of the mandates, if anyone looks through my social media I was quite the prolific poster. I’m not anti-vaccine, I’m anti-coercion. It’s amazing that a state senator from Rhode Island, a state that was founded on personal and religious liberty, would impose a special tax on people for exercising their religious or conscientious belief, especially at a time when families are experiencing inflation and rising prices.”

Some have put their disapproval in less generous terms (CAUTION: PROFANITY):

More input from the antivax advocates, this time with an allusion to attacking our son. It won’t work. They’ll learn what everyone else who’s tried to bully me learned: I was a nerd in middle school, so I know how to handle it. pic.twitter.com/OTBoRO0gxw

— Sam Bell (@SamuelWBell) April 20, 2022

Senator Bell is undeterred. According to a local CBS affiliate (WPIRI12):

He tells 12 News he’s not concerned about the small percentage of Rhode Islanders who he believes are “divorced from the realities of science.”

In more local coverage that you can watch below, Senator Bell makes clear there is no sunset on his aspirations for immunization against all future variants.   He was inspired by Biden’s failed mandates.