Cases of the virus are rising in all 50 states, the product of stronger, deadlier variants coupled with a mass resistance to lifesaving vaccines which have become the subject of a far-right disinformation campaign.
As a result, President Joe Biden's administration is ramping up its efforts to increase vaccinations. While vaccine conspiracy theories have certainly taken hold over a faction of the public, another issue hindering vaccinations is access—knowing where and how to get the vaccine.
To combat that lack of access, the Biden administration is enlisting volunteers in under-vaccinated communities to go door-to-door providing residents with information on how to obtain a vaccine appointment.
This move was instantly mischaracterized in far-right media outlets as a federal overreach. Conservative lawmakers falsely claimed that government officials would be going door-to-door demanding proof of vaccination or even forcing citizens to take the shot. Some of these same lawmakers have compared the effort to Nazi policing and suggested the same mobilization would be used to take the public's bibles.
Now, Republican Congressman Jason Smith of Missouri has compared the Biden administration to Soviet-era security agency, the KGB.
The Biden administration wants to knock down your door KGB-style to force people to get vaccinated. We must oppose forced vaccination!— Jason Smith (@Jason Smith) 1626569001
Smith absurdly claimed that the Biden administration would "knock down your door KGB-style to force people to get vaccinated"—a blatant lie.
People were quick to call out the absurd delusion.
Not only is this tweet not true, but the congressman represents a corner of Missouri (8th district) where cases have climbed and vaccination rates remain below national averages.https://twitter.com/jasonsmithmo/status/1416559177737064451\u00a0\u2026— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1626627451
A member of Congress potentially putting health care workers at risk who are trying to stop a deadly pandemic. Insane and dangerous.https://twitter.com/jasonsmithmo/status/1416559177737064451\u00a0\u2026— Brendan Nyhan (@Brendan Nyhan) 1626659250
When you see a poll showing a huge number of Republicans believing some insane thing, remember that the politicians and media figures they trust are CONSTANTLY lying to them, because they think they're a bunch of gullible rubes who must be kept at a fever pitch of outragehttps://twitter.com/JasonSmithMO/status/1416559177737064451\u00a0\u2026— Paul Waldman (@Paul Waldman) 1626660512
Jason. If you have any decency \u2026 stop.\n\nIf my constituents were facing what Jason\u2019s are, I would put down my phone and go door-to-door encouraging them to get the free vaccine. I\u2019d do it all day long.\n\nMay God have mercy on Missouri.https://twitter.com/jasonsmithmo/status/1416559177737064451\u00a0\u2026— Pamela Merritt (she/her) (@Pamela Merritt (she/her)) 1626657700
Also Jason Smith, presumably, "BRING BACK POLIO AND SMALLPOX!!"https://twitter.com/JasonSmithMO/status/1416559177737064451\u00a0\u2026— Jason Bragg (@Jason Bragg) 1626624615
This is a sitting Republican United States Congressman spewing absolutely deranged made up nonsense. In other words its a day ending in -y. \n\nCovid is also out of control in parts of his state thanks to anti-science lunatics like him. A lying lowlife harming his own constituents.https://twitter.com/jasonsmithmo/status/1416559177737064451\u00a0\u2026— Spiro Agnew\u2019s Ghost (@Spiro Agnew\u2019s Ghost) 1626632464
The comparison was completely inaccurate.
That\u2019s\u2026not what the KGB does, Jason.\n\nHealth care workers bringing vaccinations to Americans in need aren\u2019t trying to bug their homes or poison their tea or defenestrate them.\n\nI guess we should be glad you\u2019re not on any foreign affairs committees, lol.— Leah McElrath \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Leah McElrath \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1626629606
Yes, yes, everyone knows the KGB, famous for breaking people's doors down and giving them a vaccine against a deadly illness.— Kevin M. Kruse (@Kevin M. Kruse) 1626641206
Yup, that\u2019s what the KGB was infamous for\u2014tirelessly pleading with people to get a free, life-saving medical treatment.— Dennis Perkins (@Dennis Perkins) 1626629683
Over 1400 people in Smith's district have died of the virus.
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