NOW.
♪
>>> GOOD EVENING FROM NEW YORK.
IM CHRIS HAYES.
>>> AFTER ESSENTIALLY DOING
NOTHING, FRANKLY, TONE COURAGE T
VACCINATION AND ENCOURAGING
ANTI-VACCINE FORCES, REPUBLICAN
OFFICIALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE
DEALING WITH THE DELTA VARIANT
WREAKING HAVOC ACROSS THEIR
STATES, WREAKING HAVOC ACROSS
ALL STATES BECAUSE, OF COURSE,
COVID DID NOT GO ANYWHERE.
THE VARIANT IS HIGHLY
TRANSMISSIBLE AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE UNVACCINATED.
TOGETHER THAT SPELLS A BAD
SITUATION, AND IT IS NOT A GOOD
SITUATION FOR ANYONE.
IT IS OBVIOUSLY HUMAN TRAGEDY.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS REPORT
FROM A DOCTOR IN ALABAMA EARLIER
THIS WEEK THAT SENT CHILLS UP MY
SPINE.
SHE WRITES, QUOTE, IM ADMITTING
YOUNG HEALTHY PEOPLE TO THE
HOSPITAL WITH VERY SERIOUS COVID
INFECTIONS.
ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THEY DO
BEFORE THEYRE INTUBATED IS BEG
ME FOR THE VACCINE.
I HOLD THEIR HAND AND TELL THEM
THAT IM SORRY, BUT IT IS TOO
LATE.
ALABAMA RIGHT NOW LACKS -- RANKS
LAST IN THE NATION IN
VACCINATIONS, JUST 34% OF ITS
POPULATION FULLY VACCINATED.
CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE
SURGING YET AGAIN ACROSS THE
STATE THANKS TO THE DELTA
VARIANT.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE UPTICKS ON THE
RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN.
REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS WHO THOUGHT
THEY COULD JUST KIND OF SIT BACK
AND LET THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
HANDLE THE VACCINATION PUSH AND
FLIRT WITH THE ANTI-VACCINE
SENTIMENTS IN THEIR POLITICAL
BASE ARE NOW TRYING TO GET
ANOTHER OUTBREAK UNDER CONTROL.
LETS BE CLEAR.
OUTBREAKS ARE BAD FOR THEIR
STATES.
THEYRE BAD FOR ANY STATE,
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.
THEYRE BAD FOR PEOPLE, OF
COURSE, WHO GET SICK AND DIE.
THEY ARE BAD FOR HOSPITALS THAT
GET OVERRUN AND STRETCHED TO A
BREAKING POINT, AND THEYRE BAD
FOR BUSINESS.
I MEAN WEVE SEEN THIS TIME AND
TIME AGAIN.
WHEN A COVID OUTBREAK GETS BAD,
NO MATTER WHAT GOVERNMENT POLICY
IS EVEN IN STATES THAT KEEP
STUFF OPEN PEOPLE STOP DOING
THINGS.
THEY STOP DRIVING AROUND.
THEY STOP GOING OUT TO EAT.
TOURISTS STOP VISITING.
AND SO THIS IS THE CONUNDRUM
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR INDICATE
IVEY OF ALABAMA FINDS HERSELF
IN.
TWO MONTHS AGO SHE SIGNED A BILL
BANNING PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND
PRIVATE BUSINESSES IN ALABAMA
FROM REQUIRING VACCINES.
NOW SHE IS BLAMING THE
UNVACCINATED FOR THE STATES
PLIGHT.
>> Reporter: GOVERNOR, YOU TALK
ABOUT THE VACCINE SAVING LIVES,
BUT ALABAMA STILL IS LAST IN THE
COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO
VACCINATION RATES.
BESIDES, YOU KNOW, THIS
EMOTIONAL PLEA YOU JUST GAVE US,
WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET
PEOPLE TO GET SHOTS IN ARMS?
>> I DONT KNOW.
YOU TELL ME.
FOLKS SUPPOSED TO HAVE COMMON
SENSE.
BUT IT IS TIME TO START TO
BLAMING THE UNVACCINATED FOLKS,
NOT THE REGULAR FOLKS.
IT IS THE UNVACCINATED FOLKS
THAT ARE LETTING US DOWN.
>> Reporter: AS THE LEADER OF
THE STATE, DONT YOU THINK IT IS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY AND
HELP GET THIS SITUATION UNDER
CONTROL?
>> IVE DONE ALL I KNOW HOW TO
DO.
I CAN ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO
SOMETHING BUT I CANT MAKE YOU
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
>> NOW, IVE BEEN SPINNEDING AEN
OF TIME ON THIS PROGRAM AND AS A
REPORTER TRYING TO THINK ABOUT
AND RESEARCH ON HOW TO GET
UNVACCINATED PEOPLE VACCINATED.
LETS BE CLEAR, THERE ARE A
MILLION DIFFERENT REASONS PEOPLE
ARE NOT VACCINATED YET.
IT IS NOT ONE REASON, NOT
BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE DONALD TRUMP
OR THEY HAVE CONSERVATIVE
POLITICS, IT RUNS DID GAMUT. THATS IT.
THATS IT.
IM NOT SURE THAT THE KAY IVEY
GUILT TRIP METHOD IS THE WAY TO
GO.
THERES A STRAIGHTFORWARD PATH,
NOT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT FROM THE
GOVERNMENT BUT RATHER FOR
VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS, VENUES AND
EMPLOYERS TO REQUIRE THEIR
PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATE IT.
IT HAS NOT HAPPENED MUCH BUT
WERE SEEING A PREEMPTIVE PUSH
AGAINST THAT FROM THE RIGHT.
WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE BALKING AT
THE IDEA OF BEING FORCED TO DO
ANYTHING.
WE EVEN HEARD IT IN THE AMAZING
CLIP WE SHOWED YOU LAST NIGHT
FROM A LOUISIANA MAN IN THE
HOSPITAL RECOVERING FROM COVID.
>> BEFORE YOU GOT SICK, IF YOU
HAD A CHANCE TO GET THE VACCINE
AND PREVENT THIS, WOULD YOU HAVE
TAKEN THE VACCINE?
YOU WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH
THIS?
>> I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH
THIS.
YES, SIR.
DONT SHOVE IT DOWN MY THROAT.
THATS WHAT LOCAL, STATE,
FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING
TO DO, IS SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR
THROAT.
>> Reporter: WHAT ARE THEY
SHOVING, THE SCIENCE?
>> NO, THEYRE SHOVING THE FACT
IT IS THEIR AGENDA.
THE AGENDA IS TO GET YOU
VACCINATED.
>> I DONT WANT TO GET
VACCINATED BECAUSE YOU WANT ME
TO GET VACCINATED IS THE
ARGUMENT THERE.
IT IS YOUR AGENDA TO GET ME
VACCINATED, THEREFORE I DONT
WANT TO.
DONT SHOVE IT DOWN MY THROAT.
IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE BUT
WEVE BEEN HERE BEFORE,
SOMETHING SIMILAR.
IT WAS NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO A
FIGHT LIKE THIS ONE HAPPENED IN
THIS COUNTRY ABOUT REQUIRING A
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES THAT
WOULD SAVE LIVES, AND
CONSERVATIVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
FOUGHT AGAINST IT AND THEY LOST,
THANK GOODNESS.
THEY LOST THAT BATTLE SO
THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY YOU
MAY NOT REMEMBER HOW HUGE OF A
FIGHT IT WAS AT THE TIME.
>> EVERY MORNING 365 DAYS A
WEEK, MOST EVERYBODY IN RICHLAND
VILLAGE, MICHIGAN, GATHERS AT
THE PARK VIEW TO TALK ABOUT THE
BURNING ISSUES OF THE DAY.
THESE DAYS THERE IS ONLY ONE.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY IS IN TOO
MUCH SHOCK TO EXPLAIN IT.
>> Reporter: IT IS A NEW
SEATBELT ORDINANCE.
IF THE TOWN COUNCIL GETS ITS WAY
SEATBELTS WILL BE MANDATORY FOR
EVERYBODY RIDING IN THE FRONT
SEAT OF A CAR THROUGH RICHLAND.
>> I WILL HAVE TO DETOUR THE
TOWN TO GET TO KALAMAZOO IF THEY
PASS THE BILL BECAUSE I DONT
USE A SEATBELT.
>> IF I GET CAUGHT, I GET CAUGHT
I GUESS.
>> Reporter: THE RICHLAND
VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETS ONE NIGHT
EACH MONTH AND HARDLY ANYONE BUT
THE COUNCIL HARDLY ATTENDS THESE
MEETINGS, WHICH MAY BE WHY SO
MANY WERE SHOCKED WHEN THEY READ
IN THE LOCAL PAPER THAT THE
COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY REQUESTED AN
ORDINANCE THE COMMUNITY IS
ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED TO.
FOR SUCH A SMALL TOWN, ONE MILE
SQUARE, 435 PEOPLE, RICHLAND
GETS LOTS OF TRAFFIC, THOUGH
NOBODY CAN REMEMBER THE LAST
TIME THERE WAS A SERIOUS
ACCIDENT.
BUT IF EVERYBODY HAS TO BUCKLE
UP OR PAY A $10 FINE,
BUSINESSMEN SAY THEY WILL STOP
AND SHOP AND GET THEIR HAIRCUT
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
CUSTOMERS AGREE.
>> MAYBE STOP THERE, PUT THE
SEATBELT ON AND YOU MOVE FURTHER
UP, I STOP HERE FOR HIM THEN I
MOVE AROUND THE CORNER QUICK TO
GO TO THE HARDWARE STORE AND I
DONT HAVE THE SEATBELT ON AND
SOMEBODY SEES ME, IT COSTS ME
$10.
WHY BOTHER?
>> I THINK MANY ARE MAD ENOUGH
ABOUT IT THEYRE NOT GOING TO
RUN THE RISK OF A TICKET.
>> Reporter: MEANWHILE, THE TOWN
COUNCIL IS STANDING BY ITS GUNS.
>> PEOPLE THINK THEY WILL BE
HARASSED AND THIS IS NOT OUR
INTENT AT ALL.
>> Reporter: THEIR INTENT, THEY
SAY, IS TO SAVE LIVES AND SET A
GOOD EXAMPLE.
THERES AN ELECTION HERE IN
MARCH.
BY THEN THE TOWNS TWO POLICE
OFFICERS WILL LIKELY BE
ENFORCING A NEW SEATBELT
ORDINANCE.
AFTER THEN, THERE MIGHT BE A NEW
CITY COUNCIL.
>> NOW, DOESNT ALL OF THAT
SOUND FAMILIAR?
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE HEARD THAT
SAME INTERVIEW BUT ABOUT MASKS
AND VACCINES, MAYBE EVEN IN THE
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
HOW DARE YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO?
THE MONTH AFTER THAT REPORT IN
MARCH 1984, RICHLAND VILLAGE
VOTED THE SEATBELT ORDINANCE
DOWN.
145-51.
THEY WERE OVERRULED BY A
MICHIGAN STATE LAW THE FOLLOWING
YEAR AND EVENTUALLY 49 STATES IN
THE UNION PASSED LAWS MANDATING
SEAT BELTS.
ACROSS COUNTRY A FAX OF PEOPLE
RESISTED.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO THEY
WANT TO BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A
SEATBELT.
>> I OPPOSE IT ON THE BASIS THAT
IT REPLACES THE FREE WILL OF THE
INDIVIDUAL WITH THE DESIRES OF
THE STATE.
>> YOU CANT FORCE PEOPLE TO DO
THINGS, YOU KNOW.
THEY THINK THAT IT IS NECESSARY,
THEYLL DO IT.
IF THEY DONT THINK SO --
>> THE QUESTION HERE IS WHETHER
WE HAVE THE RIGHT, WHETHER WE
HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY, WHETHER
WE HAVE THE JUDGMENT TO TURN TO
THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE AND
BE THERE IN 1984 AND BE THEIR
BIG BROTHER.
>> IN FACT, I RECENTLY LEARNED
SOMETHING FROM MY AUNT, MY DADS
SISTER, ABOUT MY DEPARTED
GRANDFATHER, A MAN I LOVED VERY,
VERY MUCH.
ROGER HAYES, NICKNAMED THE BEAR,
HE WAS AN AIRLINE PILOT HIS
WHOLE LIFE, AN ABSOLUTE
COMMITTED CONSERVATIVE.
STAUNCH REPUBLICAN, DEVOUT
CATHOLIC.
WENT TO MASS EVERY DAY.
INCREDIBLY PRO LIFE.
HATED COMMUNISM, BIG BROTHER AND
THE GOVERNMENT.
AND I LEARNED FROM MY AUNT
REFUSED TO WEAR A SEATBELT OUT
OF A COMMITMENT TO PERSONAL
AUTONOMY UNTIL IT BECAME THE
LAW.
THEN YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID?
HE BUCKLED UP.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DID IT ONCE THEY
WERE FORCED TO.
THEY KIND OF SUCKED IT UP AND
DID IT.
STOPPED BEING A DEBATE.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS A LOT OF LIVES
GOT SAVED.
THIS CHART SHOWS THE DROP IN THE
RATE OF FATALITIES PER 100
MILLION VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED
SINCE 1980.
THE FIRST MANDATORY SEATBELT LAW
WAS PASSED IN NEW YORK IN 1984.
NOW, AGAIN, IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE
I DONT THINK THE GOVERNMENT
LIKE STATES SHOULD BE REQUIRING
VACCINES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I
THINK IT IS LIKELY TO CREATE AS
MUCH BACKLASH AS IT DOES
COMPLIANCE.
BUT INSTEAD WHAT WERE SEEING IS
STATES DOING THE OPPOSITE.
SEVERAL REPUBLICAN-RUN STATES
STEPPED IN TO BAN PRIVATE
ENTITIES FROM REQUIRING
VACCINES.
IN ADDITION TO ALABAMA, AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER, THOSE BANS
ARE IN PLACE IN FLORIDA, IOWA,
MONTANA AND TEXAS.
FLORIDA IS EVEN TRYING TO GET
THE CDC TO STOP REQUIRING CRUISE
SHIPS, OF ALL THINGS, TO REQUIRE
VACCINATION.
I MEAN THATS WAY, WAY, WAY MORE
INSANE TO ME THAN TELLING
MUNICIPALITIES THEY CANT
REQUIRE THEIR OWN DRIVERS TO
BUCKLE UP.
WE ALSO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT
MEDIA ENVIRONMENT IN THE YEAR
2021, AND TO BE HONEST I DO NOT
KNOW IF THE SEATBELT DEBATE
WOULD HAVE GONE THE SAME WAY IF
FOX NEWS WAS AROUND IN 1984.
I MEAN THERE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
BEEN HOSTS ON AIR EVERY NIGHT
URGING PEOPLE TO DRIVE AROUND AT
70 MILES PER HOUR WITHOUT A
SEATBELT IN THE FRONT SEAT
BECAUSE THEY HAD THE FREEDOM TO
LAUNCH THEIR HEADS THROUGH
WINDSHIELDS, AND IF THEY DIED
THAT WAY, WELL, THEY DIED FOR
FREEDOM, LIKE SOLDIERS ON THE
BATTLEFIELD, MARTYRS TO THE
CAUSE OF FREEDOM, JUST LIKE HOW
DONALD TRUMP TOLD AMERICANS TO
GET OUT THERE AND MARTYR
THEMSELVES FOR FREEDOM IN THE
FACE OF COVID.
BUT WHAT DID HAPPEN WITH THE
SEATBELT DEBATE?
IS THAT EVENTUALLY BOTH THE LAW
AND THE CULTURE CHANGED AND
WEARING YOUR SEATBELT BECAME A
NORM AND PEOPLE STOPPED FIGHTING
ABOUT IT.
TURNED OUT THAT PUTTING ON A
SEATBELT WAS NOT THE ROAD TO
SERFDOM, NOT SOME ENORMOUS
IMPOSITION.
JUST KIND OF MAKES EVERYONE
SAFER, SAVES A LOT OF LIVES.
THANK GOD THAT BECAME THE STATUS
QUO.
THAT SHOULD BE WHAT WERE AIMING
FOR HERE AS A PRECEDENT AT A
TIME WHEN WE ARE PROTECTED AS
POSSIBLE FROM COVID.
WAY FEW PEOPLE ARE GETTING SICK,
WAY FEW PEOPLE ARE DYING AND
WERE NOT HAVING THESE FIGHTS.
MAYBE ONE WAY TO GET THERE IS
FOR INSTITUTIONS, UNIVERSITIES,