In vaccine push, New Mexico is offering a shot at $5 million

The Santa Fe New Mexican ^ | June 1, 2021 | Rick Ruggles

[CedarDave]

The state of New Mexico is not above a bit of bribery to get people to sign up for their coronavirus shots.

New Mexico on Tuesday joined some other states, businesses and organizations offering cash and prizes to those who get vaccinated. The states include Ohio and Oregon, and the businesses rewarding employees for getting shots include Dollar General and Trader Joe’s.

A spokesman for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham suggested the word “bribery” was extreme. A bribe entices a person to do something against their interests, he said.

“Getting your shot is definitely in your interest,” the spokesman, Tripp Stelnicki, said. “It’s in everybody’s interest.”

The grand prize of $5 million in New Mexico is the largest single prize offered in states’ coronavirus vaccination lottery incentives, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

State Rep. Jim Townsend, a Republican from Artesia, didn’t call it a bribe. But he called it “horribly wasteful” to spend tax money this way. “Everything around this governor has to do with money,” Townsend said “And she’s either giving it away or she’s taxing the people who are working.”

Townsend, 66, said he has received his vaccinations. “We have to be responsible for our decisions and our actions,” he said. “We’re training people not to do [the right thing] until after they’re paid to do it.”

The source of the cash is American Rescue Plan stimulus money, federal payouts to states to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and its effects. The Governor’s Office said the U.S. Treasury Department last week confirmed states may use stimulus funding for lotteries, cash payments and other incentive programs to boost vaccination rates.

The state offered a total of $10 million, plus in-state travel packages, hunting and fishing licenses, passes to state parks and museums, and other items.

[CedarDave]

New Mexico residents get details at:

https://vax2themaxnm.org/sweepstakes/

[CivilWarBrewing]

What if the winner DIES from their shot?

BAD P.R.!

[PGalt]

Thanks, Dave

[CedarDave]

Better odds than the Powerball but beware of the possible risks:

COVID Shot Killing Large Numbers, Warns Top COVID Doc Peter McCullough

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[butlerweave]

These days do you trust a Government ?

[Kickass Conservative]

Where is the money coming from?

This Country has lost its mind.

[CedarDave]

From us, of course, the taxpayers. From the article:

The source of the cash is American Rescue Plan stimulus money, federal payouts to states to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and its effects. The Governor’s Office said the U.S. Treasury Department last week confirmed states may use stimulus funding for lotteries, cash payments and other incentive programs to boost vaccination rates.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Imagine a virus so very deadly,
that people must be incentivized,
bribed, and coerced to take the shot…

[Kickass Conservative]

I knew the answer before I typed the question.

The idiocy from our so called Leaders defies the imagination.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Exactly - stupid people are everywhere and they walk among us.

[SaxxonWoods]

They are going to have people getting 10 and 20 shots, just wait.

[Kickass Conservative]

Changed the rotation on my Tagline for such an occasion.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Very nice!

[HighSierra5]

I don’t trust the government or the jackass they rode in on.

[rellic]

I personally every Democrat in the USA should be vaccinated before I’ll accept mine. Democrat lives are far more important than my own.

[TigersEye]

My counter offer ...

Give me $15 mil or I run down Central Ave. naked without a mask shouting and spitting all the way!

[\/\/ayne]

[ResponseAbility]

...and singing, don’t forget the singing.

[entropy12]

Think.......200,000,000 million on schedule to be vaccinated by end of July 2021. Not even 0.001% have died after vaccinated. Your chances of dying from heart attack, car accident, drug overdose, cancer, diabetes, etc are higher by orders of magnitude. 2 million Americans were dying every year BEFORE the China virus arrived..

Odds of the lottery winner dying are less than 0.001%.
I will gladly take those odds for $5 million.

[\/\/ayne]

Changed the rotation on my Tagline for such an occasion.

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