Let’s begin with two realities about Dr. Anthony Fauci. First, as Chief Medical Advisor to the President, the amount of influence this guy has over the lives of everyday Americans is enormous. Second, he knows it, he loves it, and as a result, he indignantly continues to play it for all its worth, strictly for power.

Now let’s get after my headline.

As I reported earlier this month, Fauci began discussing changing the continually evolving definition of “fully vaccinated” in earnest, telling CNN host Kate Bouldon “it’s going be a matter of when not if.”

When you want to talk about optimal protection, I don’t think anyone would argue that optimal protection is with a third shot.

Yeah, well, that ship has since sailed. The point here is Fauci’s carefully calculated power.

Another ship that has sailed is the American public’s patience with — and belief in — mandates.

Mandated lockdowns, mandated vaccinations, or mandated anything, the notion of the federal government decreeing what we must do — particularly to our bodies (and based on a moving target, no less) — is done. Stick a fork in it. Simply put, we are over it and Fauci knows it. 

So what does Fauci do as a result? He throws the term mandate under the bus.

It’s “a radioactive word,” Fauci now says. And what word does the King of COVID think would set better with the American people? “Requirement.” Oh, that’s better. Requirement. Requiring people to do something instead of mandating they do it will fix everything.

You can’t make this silly nonsense up. Except Fauci already did.

Mandates-that’s a radioactive word. Requirements people seem to respond better to that. They work.

We are never going to get out of this outbreak if we still have 50 million people who for reasons that are very difficult to understand refuse to get vaccinated.

We are never going to eradicate COVID for one simple reason. The virus can and does live in animal hosts.

"Mandates-that's a radioactive word. Requirements people seem to respond better to that. They work," says Dr. Fauci. "We are never going to get out of this outbreak if we still have 50 million people who for reasons that are very difficult to understand refuse to get vaccinated." pic.twitter.com/4378v2pzNe

— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) December 17, 2021

We are going to have COVID colds or the COVID flu in our lives until the proverbial cows come home. But those cows are not going to come home. COVID variants and associated vaccine boosters will be viewed by the public the same way seasonal flu strains and flu shots are viewed. And Tony? You’re welcome.

And then we have Omicron — which the left irresponsibly continues to hype the crap out of, despite, as we reported yesterday, data consistently shows is turning out to be the mildest variant yet. Yet?

Fauci warns Omicron will likely be dominant in a “few weeks,” and hospitals could be “overwhelmed,” he told the Hill.

Besides the toll of suffering and death which will inevitably go up if in fact we have that convergence in the winter months of flu and omicron and delta, we could get our hospital systems overwhelmed.

Responsible medical warning or irresponsible fearmongering? You make the call.

Fauci: Omicron likely dominant in US in "few weeks," warns hospitals could be "overwhelmed" https://t.co/NLPefCkNzB pic.twitter.com/PFQgo2N536

— The Hill (@thehill) December 16, 2021

Not to be outdone, as we reported, Delusional Dr. Doom himself got in on the act, warning of a “winter of severe illness and death” for unvaccinated Americans. The hell is wrong with this guy? Rhetorical.

Biden:

“For unvaccinated: We are looking at a winter of severe illness and death, if you're unvaccinated. For themselves, their family and the hospital they’ll soon overwhelm." pic.twitter.com/XjP8zlIDbB

— Jewish Deplorable (@TrumpJew2) December 16, 2021

Meanwhile, America, be on the lookout for the coming “requirements,” won’t you?

While you’re doing so, have a wonderful un-severe-illness-and-death holiday season. [rolling-eyes emoji]