In Tuesday's White House press briefing, Jen Psaki commented on the peaceful Canadian trucker convoy protest by responding to "some suggestion[s] that this congestion is related to the vaccine requirements," by claiming "it's not."
"What we've seen with these requirements, across a range of industries, vaccination requirements have been implemented with no disruptions, have helped increase vaccinations, [and] these requirements help protect more people from COVID, and there's been zero indication across these industries that they would lead to disruptions."
PSAKI ON TRUCKER PROTESTS:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 8, 2022
"We of course support, as you know, the right to freedom of speech and protest, but while we do see some of these congestions due to protests, it is clear that those disruptions have broadened in scope beyond the vaccine requirement implementation." pic.twitter.com/0O6vOvhrqv
These claims from Psaki are, yet again, not based in fact. As Townhall covered previously, President Biden's beloved Amtrak had begrudgingly implemented the now-struck down Biden vaccine mandate amid warnings that its service would suffer cuts as a result. The greatest impact was expected on Amtrak's long-haul routes that take multiple days to complete, and Amtrak had predicted the service disruptions would last from January until March.
Even more directly contradicting Psaki's claim: the American Trucking Associations' opposition to President Biden's vaccine mandate about which the ATA cited "serious concerns about the impact of a federal mandate and the unintended consequences it will create." According to information posted on the ATA's website before Biden broke his earlier promise and issued a mandate:
Based on survey data, we believe a vaccine mandate would fuel a surge in driver turnover and attrition, with fleets losing as much as 37% percent of their current driver workforce to retirement or smaller carriers not subject to the mandate. Even a fraction of that number would severely cripple our supply chain at a time when it’s already under enormous strain, with our industry already short 80,000 drivers of what’s needed to meet current freight demand.
So, what was that Jen about "zero indication" that vaccine requirements would lead to disruptions? Biden promised he wouldn't implement a vaccine mandate, was warned by American companies and industries that such a requirement would disrupt service, and then tried to enforce one anyway until the Supreme Court said not-so-fast.
When asked a followup question about buzz surrounding potential plans for a freedom convoy in the United States bound for Washington, D.C., to protest vaccine mandates on March 1st — the same day President Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address — Jen Psaki doubled down on her fallacious claims.
PSAKI: "I'd have to check with our team on security preparations" regarding the potential of American truckers protesting in Washington, DC.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 8, 2022
"We know that requirements work," she says. pic.twitter.com/YYLV6995zp
"I would just reiterate... that we know that requirements work, we have not seen a disruption as it relates to requirements to the industry," Psaki said, conveniently omitting the fact that the Supreme Court had struck down President Biden's vaccine mandate on private employers. Nor did she mention that the court stays and eventual invalidation of the mandate meant that some companies never reached the point of experiencing the brunt of disruptions that would follow a fully implemented vaccine mandate. Even before the SCOTUS ruling against the mandate, Amtrak had suspended its requirement for employees and said that doing away with the requirement would prevent the service disruptions mentioned above.
Psaki continued her response by saying "where we have seen disruptions has been related to these convoys and protests" before adding that "everybody can peacefully protest — we fully support that" and trying to again clarify that "it's important to note where the disruption is occurring."
Psaki and the White House's commitment to the right to peaceful protest may be tested if an American freedom convoy of truckers show up outside the U.S. Capitol on March 1st and make a ruckus as Biden delivers his State of the Union address.
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