by Archie Thomas and Merry Schrumpf, Corvallis
Brad Molnar, Montana State Senator, closed his letter to editor 12/22/21 regarding HD 702 with this quote “The legislature did its part to give you the right to choose.” Specifically the right to be vaccinated or not. If an individual exercises their right to not be vaccinated, how does this individual bear the responsibility for the corresponding costs? Costs from additional infections, illness and/or deaths, medical and economic costs placed on unknowing individuals and their communities? The individual does not and/or cannot.
The legislature has granted an individual right while insuring all Montanans bear the bulk of the responsibility, costs, illnesses and death for exercising this right. Ravalli county’s over burdened public health services, 128 county Covid deaths and burnt out medical staff statewide are examples. All Montana taxpayers are paying the additional Covid costs for the unvaccinated. I wonder if that fits the Republican definition of socialism?