Since Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election, the public has renewed their attention to Walz’s controversial vaccine incentive program from 2022.
“As omicron surges across our nation, we’re continuing to use every resource we have to keep our families safe and healthy,” Walz announced at the time. “There’s a lot of highly transmissible virus circulating in our communities, but getting our children 5-11 years old vaccinated gives them critical protection against severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19 and helps keep them in school. You’ll get $200 cash in your pocket for getting this easy vaccination done at the start of the year.”
Aside from the $200 Visa gift cards, the program also included a vaccine lottery. According to the terms of the lottery, Minnesota families who got their kids ages five to 11 vaccinated during a certain period were eligible to participate in a lottery for a $100,000 college scholarship.
“Any Minnesota parent or guardian whose 5- to 11-year-olds have ever received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine by April 11 can enter to win one of five $100,000 Minnesota College Scholarships. On April 15, the State of Minnesota will hold a drawing for five $100,000 scholarships valid at any public or private non-profit higher educational institution in Minnesota. The Minnesota College Scholarship drawing is part of an effort to boost the vaccination rate of Minnesota’s children,” Walz announced in March 2022.
Walz’s taxpayer-funded incentive programs face strong and renewed criticism
The incentive program has faced intensive and renewed criticism from various quarters, especially now that Walz would be running for vice president.
“Big news: Starting this month, families who get their 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated can get $200! That’s cash in your pocket for starting the year off right by protecting your child from COVID,” Walz posted this on X, formerly known as Twitter, in January 2022. Now, this has resurfaced again on X.
Prominent commentator Mike Cernovich labeled the move as harmful and exploitative.
“Tim Walz poisoned low-income families who desperately needed money and gave their children, who had zero risk of Covid, an experimental vaccine,” Cernovich posted on X. “This is an evil man.”
Dr. Mary Talley Bowden echoed these sentiments and accused Walz of bribing families to administer potentially dangerous substances to their children. Similarly, the libertarian group Being Libertarian condemned the program: “Tim Walz bribed parents to inject their children with dangerous, experimental, unnecessary chemicals for $200.”
Conservative activist Laura Loomer also weighed in, raising concerns about potential health repercussions for the vaccinated children.
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