The Sledgehammer State and Vaccines

This post is not about anti-vaxxers. It is about state coercion versus persuasion. HB 3063, a dramatically coercive immunization bill, passed the Oregon House this year and was only defeated in the Senate by as a deal struck with Republicans walking out. But it will be back next year, albeit with a new bill number. It would make Oregon one of the most coercive immunization states in the country. Opponents to the bill are well-organized and vocal. They are not anti-vaxxers, but raise a number of serious concerns.
– The number of measles cases in Oregon has remained mostly constant for years
– Oregon has one of the higher vaccination rates in the country.
– HB3063 mandates various vaccines, and not just measles
– HB3063 mandates multiple same disease vaccinations for some students this, increasing risk of adverse health and reducing the effectiveness of the vaccine
– Companies that sell the vaccines have been shielded from lawsuits by federal law
– HB3063 takes away parental discretion over timing and sequencing of shots.
– HB3063 would remove ALL philosophical and religious exemptions.

And consider the issue of trust. A radically irresponsible media and entrenched deep state has reduced Americans trust of so-called authorities.

Immunization rules are about complicated issues, balancing individual liberty and community safety. The problem with HB3063 is that it takes a sledgehammer approach to a sensitive issue. But that’s the big problem with statists – they would rather use coercion than persuasion. Why not gut HB3063 and instead stuff it with a mandate to study effective ways to increase immunization rates that rely on persuasion rather than coercion?

Why not? It’s not the progressive way. We need to vote them out. More liberals are actually coming to the same conclusion. After all, “liberal” means something that liberates, bringing freedom. That is the opposite of the jackbooted folks in Salem swinging sledgehammers.