As I have previously argued, Republicans like DeSantis (who is vaccinated, by the way) are functionally conducting human wave attacks against Joe Biden’s approval rating, sacrificing their own loyal base for cheap political wins. The extent to which this is a conscious calculation may vary, but the practical effect is that the pandemic continues; Biden is blamed for it; and that (probably) does more damage to Democrats’ vote totals than the GOP loses in dead voters.

This ruthlessness must be met with bold, uncompromising action to save life rather than end it. A minority of Republicans insist they absolutely will not choose to get the vaccine? Fine. Force them to do it.

Biden has already started with his upcoming rule (invoking the Occupational Health and Safety Act) that workplaces with more than 100 employees require vaccination and offer paid leave for vaccine side effects, but more could yet be done. Probably the single most effective move would be to require vaccination to fly. As former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood argues, this is certainly legal given how many other safety requirements are already in place in airports. Biden might be able to pressure the airlines into doing it themselves.

After that, more mandates should be added anywhere possible — on Amtrak, in restaurants, concert, and sport venues, and so on. It would also help to set up a legitimate vaccine database instead of the easily-forged cards currently in use, as that would help Americans travel overseas.