Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 11.5.21 (Video)

By Peter Schorsch    

Good Friday morning.

I want to start the day with a birthday shoutout to one of the best people in The Process, David Johnson.

Click on the image below:

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Congratulations — Another top-of-‘Burn cheer to Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Principal Mike Grissom and his wife Kristen McDonald Grissom on the upcoming addition to the family — a baby boy expected April 2022. The couple are doing great and looking forward to “making a lifetime of memories.” Congrats!

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Tens of millions of Americans working at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly, reports The Associated Press.

The new requirements, issued Thursday by the Joe Biden administration, is the boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get a vaccine, despite being widely available for months — or face financial consequences.

If successful, officials believe it will go a long way toward ending a pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans, nearly 60,000 of them in Florida. Biden had signaled the move in September.

The requirements will apply to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, although it is unclear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will force the companies to require unvaccinated workers to test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask in the workplace.

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses. The conditions will not apply to people who work at home or outdoors.

Stricter rules will apply to another 17 million people working in nursing homes, hospitals, and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have an option for testing — they will need to be vaccinated.

“‘This rule is absolutely going down:’ Gov. Ron DeSantis rebukes vaccine mandate” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — DeSantis on Thursday vowed to challenge the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, calling the order unconstitutional and an “abuse of emergency power.” “Florida will contest that immediately,” DeSantis said, later adding, “I think this rule is absolutely going down.” The legal call-to-arms comes hours after White House officials unveiled a finalized version of the U.S. employer mandate. The mandate, officials say, will impact roughly 84 million workers, or two-thirds of private-sector jobs. The order, implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), threatens fines upward of $14,000 per violation.

“Florida will file lawsuit against COVID-19 vaccine mandate” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — Florida declared war Thursday against the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, joining a handful of Republican-led states filing lawsuits to halt the controversial health order. Alongside Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo in Tallahassee, DeSantis vowed to protect the livelihoods of the unvaccinated and defeat the emergency health mandate in court. At least two other states will join the suit, Georgia and Alabama. “People are so sick of constantly being bossed around, restricted, mandated,” DeSantis said. The Governor’s vow came hours after White House officials unveiled elements of the U.S. employer mandate.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@TaiKopan: Every one of these election cycles, we take these 51-49 squeakers of a victory, blow them up as some sort of singular dynamic, and never grapple with the fact that American voters almost always choose the opposite of what they have, seemingly never satisfied with their leaders.

—@AnnaForFlorida: You know what would REALLY bring us election integrity? Campaign finance reform. Ending all corporate giving & dark money groups & not allowing the biggest companies, consultants and the wealthiest of people dictate the future of our Democracy. Level the playing field for all.

Tweet, tweet:

—@DougHeye: Has “Whereas it is the right of people to pump their own gas” been on the New Jersey ballot?

—@edokeefe: Is a vote on the Build Back Better bill happening today? “I’ll let you know when I wish to,” @SpeakerPelosi tells reporters at her weekly briefing.

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