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7 Things: Biden won’t take blame for Afghanistan, punishing unvaccinated become more popular, hospitals still struggling in Alabama and more …

7. Texas legislature passes voter integrity bill even though Democrats fled the state in protest

  • The story garnered a huge amount of attention, misinformation about the bills filled the airwaves, the media found new darlings to promote, and at the end of the day, the Texas “fleebaggers” accomplished absolutely nothing. The full legislature in Texas has passed a massive voter integrity bill that Governor Greg Abbott (R) will sign.
  • Democrats really have themselves to blame for how Republicans handled this. In 2020, Democrats used the pandemic to change voting rules across the country, and Republicans responded by passing efforts to set in stone the rules of the electoral process in states they control.

6. Dismukes is pleading not guilty

  • Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brook Reid has scheduled State Representative Will Dismukes’ (R-Prattville) trial date, and Dismukes has entered a not guilty plea to the charges of theft of money or property at more than $2,500.
  • Previously, Dismukes had requested a change of venue, claiming that there would be prejudice against him since he’s been accused of being racist due to past statements and activities, but that request was denied. Dismukes has tried to claim that the issue should be settled in a civil court instead of a criminal court.

5. Black Lives Matter has joined the calls for a redo of the Amazon union vote

  • There have been some out-of-state activists pushing for the vote on unionizing at the Bessemer Amazon facility to be redone, and now Black Lives Matter has joined those calls. BLM is also asking others to sign a petition to support “all the Black workers fight for equity.”
  • BLM added that Amazon’s “intimidation & manipulation won’t win,” and in Bessemer, the “fight for unionization is far from over.” Previously, unionizing in Bessemer was heavily voted down by workers, but supporting unions have since accused Amazon of intimidating workers.

4. Britt: Leaving anyone behind is un-American

  • U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt has voiced her criticism of President Joe Biden as the last U.S. military troops have left Afghanistan and hundreds of citizens were left behind. The Pentagon initially estimated that there were about 250 Americans abandoned in the country.
  • Britt said, “Leaving anyone behind is a disgrace and un-American,” adding that while Biden knows that this makes America look weaker worldwide, “This is a gut punch to every American and ally around the world.”

3. Hospital system struggling as they become short-staffed

  • The state of Alabama added 5,206 new coronavirus cases and 61 deaths. At the same time, the Decatur-Morgan Hospital is just one of many short-staffed hospitals looking for nurses and volunteers as they struggle with the number of coronavirus patients they have at the hospital. Hospital president Kelli Powers detailed the issue, saying they lack about 70 nurses.
  • Powers also said that their current staff is “working overtime, 60 hours a week for some of the staff,” as the hospital deals with 57 coronavirus patients, nine of which were vaccinated. According to Powers, none of the eight patients in the ICU were vaccinated. In the state, 84% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, 4% have one shot and 12% are fully vaccinated.

2. Vaccination status is becoming quite the weapon

  • Earlier this week, a judge decided a mother would lose custody for not being vaccinated, and now it is suspected that not being vaccinated has cost quarterback Cam Newton a job with the New England Patriots (other players, too). Some employers are implementing penalties on their employees.
  • Increasingly, Americans are becoming completely OK with punishing the unvaccinated. A new poll in California shows 57% of those polled want the employers to mandate a vaccine, 51% of those polled want the state requiring it, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the unvaccinated should not travel. As this is happening, vaccine hesitancy is dropping across the board. 

1. It wasn’t Biden’s fault because Donald Trump

  • President Joe Biden has finally addressed the nation after hundreds of Americans were left in Afghanistan, and he managed to fail at providing any real answers. Instead, he blamed the issues in the Middle East on former President Donald Trump and talked about how he inherited a bad situation.
  • Biden claimed that leaving Afghanistan by August 31 was to “save lives,” and the only thing he took “responsibility” for was leaving Afghanistan. He disagreed that the evacuation could’ve been done better. Biden also discussed the evacuation as if it was a huge success and basically ignored the abandoned Americans.

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