Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott is being highly criticized after promising to sign a law to ban businesses from asking for any “vaccine information,” including banning “vaccine passports.”
Abbott, who is running for re-election, facing a possible primary challenge from the state GOP chairman, is underwater in his favorability ratings: 45% unfavorable to 43% favorable.
On Monday, attacked by an editor at Glenn Beck’s The Blaze for allowing Carnival Cruise Lines “to sail out of Galveston and push vaccine passports,” Abbott replied less than two hours later: “I’m signing a law today that prohibits any business operating in Texas from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information.”
“Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements,” he bragged.
Many pointed out that banning vaccine passports or even asking about inoculation status is a governmental restriction or requirement, and businesses have a right to protect their employees.
“Grotesque hypocrisy,” is how former New Yorker writer James Surowiecki characterized Abbott’s move.
Many, like this University of Houston professor, invoked comparisons to anti-gay bakeries.
Here’s what some others are saying: