I can feel a shift in the wind regarding the great vaccine mandate war of 2021. Liberal politicians, drunk on their own power, thought they could simply order everyone to get vaccinated, even if they didn’t want to, and under threat of losing their jobs, they would knuckle under. They never counted on two things: (1) the kind of Americans they’re trying to push around don’t knuckle under easily; and (2) the country needs those people on the job a lot more than they need the politicians.

We’re Finding Out Who the Essential Workers Are

With the vaccine mandate deadline fast approaching, the pain of all those people leaving their jobs is starting to be felt hard. For instance, hospitals were already under strain and now it’s worse. (It was even reported that it’s been difficult for hospitals in Waukesha to help the victims of the parade massacre because of short-staffing caused by the vaccine mandate.) The supply chain crisis is worsening due to truckers defying the vaccine mandates. In New York City, 9,000 public workers are on leave, meaning the city has even fewer police and fire fighters than it already did, and garbage is piling up even higher than it already was.

One newspaper quoted angry Brooklyn hipsters griping that garbage collectors should just get the jab and pick up their trash. Wow, that sounds like a great way to win friends and influence people! Some New Yorkers are finally discovering what anyone with a brain knew ages ago: when it comes to essential workers, garbage collectors are far more essential than arrogant, incompetent socialist mayors.

The Tide is Turning Against the Mandate

While the battle on the ground is turning against the mandate, so is the courtroom fight. Monday, a federal judge in Missouri blocked Biden’s vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states, ruling that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services were assuming unprecedented power in attempting to impose a “politically and economically vast, federalism-altering, and boundary-pushing mandate” for which they have no clear authority from Congress.

The tide also appears to be turning in the court of public opinion. A Morning Consult/Politico poll found that while a slight majority of Americans still favor the mandate, that support has dropped by three points since September. And Rasmussen found that 55% oppose vaccine mandates on students. That includes 61% of Independent swing voters.

While some companies are still pushing ahead with the mandates, others are taking a stance of “wait and see” what the courts say (or if Biden backs off) because they can’t afford to lose any more workers.

Pushback and Political Fallout

All this pushback and political fallout, not to mention the stock plunge, may be why Biden is suddenly sounding more moderate and vowing there won’t be any lockdowns or shutdowns over the Omicron variant. I get the feeling he might also soon start backing down from his authoritarian “Get vaccinated or else” stance.

It’s kind of amazing that after years of cozying up to unions, Democrats need such a harsh reminder that the ultimate power lies with the workers.

Caveat: none of this should be taken as a personal endorsement of whether or not to get vaccinated. I was at higher risk, so I got vaccinated. You can be okay with vaccination but against the government assuming unconstitutional powers to force people to put drugs into their bodies that they’re opposed to or else lose their livelihoods. They’re two different issues. Besides, if the vaccines work, then the unvaccinated should pose no threat to anyone but themselves. And if they don’t work, then why destroy the country by trying to force people to take them?

Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN. 

Originally published at MikeHuckabee.com. Reprinted with permission.