“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.”

The immortal words of Rahm Emanuel, former disastrous mayor of Chicago, former U.S. congressman, and erstwhile Obama stooge, shortly after Obama was elected in 2008, speaking at a Wall Street Journal corporate CEO conference as the economic/financial crisis was unfolding. 

While Republicans continue to view Emanuel’s admonition as confirmation of what they already knew — Democrat exploitation of every crisis that comes down the proverbial pike: mass shootings to push gun control, the pandemic to foist draconian rules and controls on the public, weather to push climate change, et al. — Democrats immediately rushed to Emanuel’s defenses, spinning the hell out his comments by insisting what he really meant was crises provide opportunities to enact legislation, etc. because people’s minds are more open due to the particular crisis at hand.

I know Emanuel — I’m going with “A.”

That was then, this is now. During a segment on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Little Napoleon told host George Stephanopoulos that the most effective way to get more people to “take the jab” — get vaccinated — is to create a “reward-punishment system.”

First up, panelist Margaret Hoover said, “There’s a lot of things we can do without calling it a mandate. Just make it almost impossible for people to live their lives without being protected and protect us.”

Nah, that doesn’t sound contrary to liberty and personal freedom at all. No way.

Emanuel was all over it:

“I agree. I’m the son of a pediatrician… The fact is no child can show up at school without showing their immunizations, smallpox and measles. You have to make this familiar to people.

“Second is, I would close the space. If you want to participate in activities, you have to show you are vaccinated. So it becomes a reward-punishment system. You make your own calculation.

“The fact is there’s data this week that 30% of health care workers are not vaccinated. They have got to lead by example.”

Emanuel even evoked  “the religious community” — suggesting religious institutions could fly wingman for Democrats punishing Americans who believe in personal choice and reject the government or anyone else pressuring them to inject anything into their bodies.

“My own recommendation is the religious community ecumenically, across the board needs to speak up and encourage people. So you hit all populations with a singular message.

“I do give credit to the White House, whether it’s Fox TV or Republican leaders, getting a chorus of voices, across the spectrum, not just political, religious et cetera, with a singular message and lead by example.”

Wait — Biden is listening to “a chorus of voices across the spectrum”? About anything? How cute.

Rahm Emanuel: We Must Make COVID Vaccinations ‘Reward-Punishment System’

COMPLY!

COMPLY OR RE EDUCATION CAMP, CONCENTRATION CAMPS

https://t.co/1RIz0XY8G3

— Dave Jones (@mdj17) July 25, 2021

Um, Rahm? What about that “my body, my choice” thing? It doesn’t apply here, you say? Oh, okay. Thanks.

Speaking of short guys with Napoleonic complexes, as we reported earlier this month, emerging and infectious diseases “guru” Dr. Anthony called for local governments to issue vaccination mandates. And this week, Fauci suggested that even fully vaccinated people “might want to consider” wearing masks indoors.

I’m not an emerging and infectious diseases guru like Anthony Fauci, but the question remains — in my mind, anyway. Why are Fauci and other “experts” now pushing masks and vaccinations?

Is it because neither “panacea” has been as effective as they once told us each would be? While we’re at, are we now supposed to believe that combining two “panaceas” that have not performed as well as initially suggested will somehow work? Again, I’m no Tony Fauci — but I do understand liberal “logic.”

In related news, as I reported on Saturday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to do his best to turn the once-revered National Football League into a raging dumpster fire, this time announcing that players who aren’t vaccinated will be monitored for compliance with mask rules and other restrictions that don’t apply to vaccinated players, and every time an unvaccinated player breaks a COVID-19 protocol, it will cost him.” How much? The standard fine is $14,650 for a violation of the COVID-19 protocols.

And finally, this was my favorite — in a snarky, amused sort of way — COVID story of the week.

As I reported on Friday, Indiana University President Pamela Whitten recently won a federal court case upholding the mandate of a state-funded university against the “bodily autonomy of the students” in her continuing effort to force students of IU to wear masks. But, lo and behold, science flies in the face of the narrative. Whitten herself — “fully vaccinated” — has announced that she has tested positive for the virus.

The bottom line.

I am not an “anti-vaxxer.” Not even close. But I do believe — strongly so — that any medication or medical procedure should be a personal choice, hopefully after taking all relevant facts and data into consideration.

The notion of the federal government, the NFL, or a taxpayer-funded university “forcing” a medical decision — even if through a “reward-punishment system” — is anathema to liberty and freedoms of America.