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seawulf575's avatar

Will Biden's new idea cause more problems for America?

Asked by seawulf575 (17121points) November 24th, 2021

President Biden just put out a new plan to make all non-resident travelers crossing state lines to be fully vaccinated. This includes truckers. Will the trucking industry just stop, leaving Americans without goods and services?

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19 Answers

jca2's avatar

Can the average trucker go without income? That’s presumably what will happen, if they decide not to work, they won’t get unemployment and so unless they’re independently wealthy, they’ll need a paycheck.

JLeslie's avatar

I’ve been saying forever that people crossing state lines are the biggest problem in Florida, but I’m usually focused on tourists.

I don’t know if it will matter much to require all non-citizens to be vaccinated. It’s our citizens who are the biggest problem from what I can tell, but everything counts.

There are examples over the last year and a half of cargo pilots bringing covid into countries that were doing very well and starting superspreaders.

I’m not very on board with vaccine mandates, but I am on board with mandating masks over the nose! For a week if someone isn’t vaccinated and crossing state lines no matter citizen or non-citizen. I’d like a mask even if vaccinated, but I figure that’s asking too much.

I’m fine with giving it a try though. I’m not worried about supply chain at all, except for medications. I think medications mostly come from countries that the people want to be vaccinated. Part of the supply train problem is some people are hoarding again.

seawulf575's avatar

@jca2 If the truckers go on strike, they usually get funding from their unions. Meanwhile everything from gasoline to toilet paper will not be taken around the country. How long can the country survive without fuel or food? That is the real question. So unless everyone has enough laid up to survive for a couple months, the truckers being without funds will not be the limiting factor.

Blackwater_Park's avatar

I think it will. Anything and I mean anything that further impedes the distribution of goods is going to have a detrimental effect going into the holidays. They need to temporarily ease restrictions on truckers IMO.

JLeslie's avatar

This article seems to be saying around 15% of truck drivers might not be citizens. https://www.fleetowner.com/operations/drivers/article/21696194/immigrant-truck-drivers-shhhh-we-dont-talk-about-it

Some immigrants being counted in the article might already be citizens, and some people not being counted as immigrants might not be citizens, but more or less it still means the citizens are a much much larger number of drivers.

Are immigrant populations less likely to be vaccinated? In Dade County, FL, Latin Americans are over 60% of the population and that county is extremely vaccinated. Last stat I saw was 93% at least one dose. I don’t know if that was 93% of eligible or total population in the county. I don’t know if that translates across the rest of the country or new immigrants, and particular industries might be less likely to be vaccinated.

jca2's avatar

@seawulf575: If the truckers go on strike, the strike is called by the union and therefore has to be supported by the union. I was a union delegate and full time representative for ten years, but without knowing the contract the truckers are under, I can’t hazard a guess as to what the outcome might be. Also, as I’m sure you know, a strike fund isn’t usually providing the same pay as someone makes when they work, and the money from the strike fund isn’t going to come indefinitely.

Also, I am guessing that not every truck driver in the country is a union member, so “going on strike and getting paid by the union” might not be the answer for all.

Without having knowledge about this, it’s not something I’m going to bicker about the day before Thanksgiving.

Just throwing out there that there’s more involved than just “truckers stay home, truckers go on strike, truckers get paid, Biden is a fuckup and we’re all going to be without toilet paper” which I am sure is the direction you would like this conversation to go.

zenvelo's avatar

Most truckers are already vaccinated, so this is a scare tactic scenario. And I don’t think the Teamsters would support a strike over failing to get a health benefit.

How about health insurnce carriers rasie the rates of those who are not vaccinated?

And airlines should have a vaccination mandate if you want to fly. Would bring an end to people confronting flight attendants over masks.

There really is no excuse for someone to not be vaccinated.

Blackwater_Park's avatar

@zenvelo Considering the average vaccination rates I don’t think one can assume that most truckers are vaccinated. I think we can guess at best 60% are. The supply chain simply cannot take that hit. It’ cannot take any hit right now.

zenvelo's avatar

@Blackwater_Park IN the new math, “60%” is “most”.

Supply chain hold ups aren’t because of lack of truckers, it is from ports that cannot off load ships. Ships are being diverted to Oakland from Long Beach because Southern California can’t handle the freight.

jca2's avatar

If I’m not mistaken, this doesn’t mean state borders, it means point-of-entry borders (Canada and Mexico, etc.), according to trucking articles I read when I googled.

https://cdllife.com/2021/cross-border-truckers-must-be-fully-vaccinated-by-january-2022-feds-say/

Truckers driving from NY or California harbors won’t be impacted if they’re driving to Ohio or Nevada or wherever within the country.

Blackwater_Park's avatar

@zenvelo That’s not correct, there is a critical shortage of truck drivers right now.

KNOWITALL's avatar

Missouri is a big trucker hub and we heard all this month’s ago. Most have vaccinated or left their jobs already.
One of my anti-vaxxer friends went ahead and got it since he has children to feed.

So no, I don’t think there will be any issues relating to Biden. The company’s required it, similar to hospitals.

jca2's avatar

In NYC, a lot of cops, FD and EMS are not vaccinated and are out on medical leave, but the employer (NYC) is not going to pay them indefinitely. They have a year of medical leave, which is in accordance with the law, and then they’re terminated and the employer can replace them There’s no going on strike because they don’t want the vaccine. Their employees’ union does not support that. The union leaders were yelling and screaming but the employer has rights, too.

When I did my ten years as a rep and Delegate, a lot of members (employees) don’t realize that the employer has rights, too.

Zaku's avatar

No. Stop watchng Fox News.

gorillapaws's avatar

It is my understanding that the vast majority of commercial trucks on the road remain in the state. Large volumes of cargo are usually transported by rail, ship and planes (for timely cargo).

SnipSnip's avatar

Biden’s job is to cause problems. And yes, the truckers will stop.

Response moderated (Flame-Bait)

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