Flu shots?

[Alan]

The Air Force forced me to get my first flu shot in 1975, after which I suffered the worst case of flu I believe I've ever had. The next year I was able to sweet talk a medical records clerk into checking off the 1976 shot in my medical records, then the military lost it's ability to make any requirement of me before the 1977 flu season approached, I don't believe they were required in 73 and 74 but if they were I don't recall it. I never got another until about 10 or 12 years ago when I decided to give it a chance and see what happened. I've gotten one each year since then and haven't had the flu since. My wife and I will both get our annual shot sometime in the next month or so.

[GeorgeParker]

It hurts him because he wants to brag about flu vaccination rates. The one year I got the flu shot I got sick anyways. I am not worried.

That's fine with me. You be you and I'll be me. But I really don't think your one refusal to be vaccinated is having any effect on the flu vaccination rate in a state with XX million people.

[jp1]

It hurts him because he wants to brag about flu vaccination rates.

The one year I got the flu shot I got sick anyways. I am not worried.

Oh the horror. He’s concerned about people’s health. Are you also going to stop wearing your seatbelt and start driving drunk? The flu, that’s for wimps. You should really show him you’re willing to harm yourself just to spite the government.

[Yppej]

That's fine with me. You be you and I'll be me. But I really don't think your one refusal to be vaccinated is having any effect on the flu vaccination rate in a state with XX million people.

That's like saying someone's vote doesn't count.

[Alan]

That's like saying someone's vote doesn't count.

I believe one of our members has been telling us for years that his vote doesn't count since his state is so firmly entrenched in his beloved Democratic Party's pocket that any national democratic candidate gets all the state's Electoral College votes whether he votes or not. I think that's why he's in favor of eliminating the Electoral College as it would make him feel empowered.
I know that's off topic but it does demonstrate how everyone likes the ability to stand for something as an individual and make it count.

[jp1]

Sure. My vote counts. It just doesn’t count as much as someone from Wyoming. Their vote counts exponentially more than mine. And neither their vote nor mine counts as much as someone who lives in a swing state. Those few people actually have a chance of their vote being more than part of a guaranteed block for a predetermined candidate.

But whatever. The perpetually unpopular party will continue to come up with justifications for our crudy system of selecting presidents even though the original purpose hasn’t existed since the 1860’s.

[Alan]

Sure. My vote counts. It just doesn’t count as much as someone from Wyoming. Their vote counts exponentially more than mine. And neither their vote nor mine counts as much as someone who lives in a swing state. Those few people actually have a chance of their vote being more than part of a guaranteed block for a predetermined candidate.

But whatever. The perpetually unpopular party will continue to come up with justifications for our crudy system of selecting presidents even though the original purpose hasn’t existed since the 1860’s.

I guess that's like vaccines then huh? An individual vaccine probably counts for more in a densely populated area such as San Francisco than it would in a much more rural area such as maybe Lander Wyoming. Is that an appropriate parallel?

[happystuff]

Got my first ever flu vaccine last year. Will probably get one this year at my next doctor visit.

[GeorgeParker]

That's like saying someone's vote doesn't count.

Do you really think it does? Get real. I can vote against the Republican candidate for president in every election for the rest of my life and it will mean absolutely nothing unless Texas gets purple enough for the Republican to not automatically win. Your vote only counts if several million other people vote same way you do and actually show up at the poll. That's why the Republican voter suppression efforts are so important. And I don't see a whole lot of people lining up with you to not get flu shots.

[Alan]

That's why the Republican voter suppression efforts are so important.

You've mentioned this several times recently and I must admit I'm a little confused by what you mean. I know that Republicans in Georgia and Texas have made efforts to tighten some issues of their prospective state's voting rules, some of it to repeal some of the rather lax voter initiatives instituted to accommodate covid requirements in 2020. But what I'm really interested in is an explanation of how those two states voter requirements differ from some of the blue or purple states such as New York or Delaware or New Jersey or Colorado or Rhode Island or Minnesota or Wisconsin. In other words, do Georgians or Texans have less opportunity or time for early voting or do they have harsher rules of absentee voting or do they require more stringent ID requirements for in person or absentee voting? Just what is it about those states voting requirements that qualify as "suppression" when compared to other states? Since you keep mentioning Republican voter suppression efforts I'm thinking maybe you know.

Sorry I couldn't think of a way to tie this into the original thread topic so perhaps we could start another thread if you deign to respond.