President Joe Biden's workplace vaccine and testing requirement was met with plenty of criticism on Twitter from conservatives and Republican politicians promising to push back on what they view as blatantly unconstitutional overreach.
The administration's six-pronged "Path Out of the Pandemic" includes a controversial provision that would require private companies with over 100 employees to require them to submit to either a Covid-19 vaccine or weekly testing. The edict would be enforced by OSHA, the federal agency responsible for worker safety.
"We are going to protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated co-workers," Biden said Thursday. "This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting those around you."
The Republican National Committee quickly promised a lawsuit "to fight Biden’s unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees."
"Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden’s unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties.”—@GOPChairwoman pic.twitter.com/34HA65LL23
— GOP (@GOP) September 10, 2021
Several GOP state governors, including South Dakota's Kristi Noem, Tennessee's Bill Lee, Georgia's Brian Kemp, Florida's Ron DeSantis, and Iowa's Kim Reynolds, criticized the mandate and promised pushback.
"See you in court," Noem tweeted.
South Dakota will stand up to defend freedom. @JoeBiden see you in court.
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) September 9, 2021
For a fight that requires working together, a lot of cynical and divisive edicts came out of the White House today pitting the vaccinated against the unvaccinated, businesses against employees, and the federal government against states.
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) September 9, 2021
To be clear: the vaccine is the best tool we have to combat the pandemic but heavy-handed mandates are the wrong approach.
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) September 9, 2021
I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration.
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 9, 2021
Biden’s plan will only worsen our workforce shortage and further limit our economic recovery. (2/3)
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) September 9, 2021
Governor DeSantis has said Florida will fight this https://t.co/66zb2IRm8F
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) September 9, 2021
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro predicted a solid shot at victory in court for mandate opponents.
This, in turn, subjects the regulation to judicial review. I cannot imagine that this order survives lawsuit. https://t.co/S6jv2htSGH
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 9, 2021
Attorney Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News' Jesse Watters the edict likely would "not fly."
Attorney Harmeet Dhillon (@pnjaban) on Biden's workplace vaccine mandate:
— Scott Morefield (@SKMorefield) September 10, 2021
"This is a shambles. This is a disgrace and I think we're going to see the courts clogged with litigation challenging this ... I think it's not going to fly." pic.twitter.com/BRPs6n36K4
Here's a sampling of other conservative critics. It's just the tip of the iceberg. Biden seems to have stepped on a minefield with this one.
W=Why is the Post Office, who goes from door to door to every house in the United States, exempt from the federal employee vaccine mandate? What part of the science is that?
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) September 10, 2021
.@JoeBiden’s vaccine mandate is unconstitutional and governors should resist. But we know Gov. Wolf won’t and neither would Josh Shapiro.
— Lou Barletta (@RepLouBarletta) September 10, 2021
Blaming and shaming is not the way to win hearts and minds. And a mandate from the government is no way to convince people who are skeptical.
Biden, through his workplace vaccine mandate, is going to do more than any politician in history to discourage women of child bearing age from working. https://t.co/soeMXhnDTe
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) September 9, 2021
I have been against a #VaccineMandate from the start of this pandemic.
— Dr. David Samadi (@drdavidsamadi) September 9, 2021
I’ve made my position clear time & time again.
No two people have the same health issues.
Every person should consult with their doctor on whether or not to vaccinate.
Healthcare is not one-size-fits-all.
If this #VaccineMandate were so necessary why not for employees for under 100 employees too?
— Lavern Spicer (@lavern_spicer) September 10, 2021
99 people can’t spread COVID but 100 can?
Explain, Commies.
The President of the United States should know, absolutely know in his bones, that the Department of Labor does not have the Constitutional authority to enforce vaccine mandates on private business. This idea is anti-American, unconstitutional, and plain stupid.
— Brian Wesbury (@wesbury) September 9, 2021