OPINION:
Democrats in Democratic-run territories are suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, even somewhat surprisingly, dropping face mask mandates for citizens in their states — with exceptions and extensions for school children, however.
The science is this: Adults vote. Kids don’t. Union members do.
How else to explain why the coronavirus is still a danger to youth but not to adults? And not even to all youth, but rather only to those youth who attend schools?
“Democratic States Move Away From Mask Mandates,” USNews.com wrote just this week.
“Democratic governors in several states ease mask mandates, though White House is sticking with stricter guidance,” CBS News wrote, also this week.
First off, let’s clarify: It’s “mandates” in quotation marks because truly, honestly, truthfully — constitutionally speaking, that is — the government does not have the actual right, legally or morally, to push aside God-given individual liberties, parental authorities and personal decision-making powers and force free citizens into masks. That the government has taken that right, and that some courts have said the government has that right, does not change the fact that face mask mandates are wholly unlawful and immoral, but rather only shows how far an unlawful and immoral government can stretch its bounds when circumstances, such as fear and ignorance, are allowed to rule.
That said: Now that Democratic-run states are suddenly seeing science that says face masks are unnecessary isn’t a sign of the left coming ‘round to reason but rather to the pragmatic realization of how the midterms are headed.
Democrats are going to lose and lose big in the next round of elections.
They’re watching the polls, they’re feeling the power of the people — the anger of the people — and they’re praying as best as their atheist, secular, non-believing selves can pray that America doesn’t get all Canada-ey in the coming weeks. Right? Imagine: Truckers unite! After all, one did just snatch away a seat of Senate president power from the Democrats in New Jersey. Steve Sweeney, anyone? Imagine if he called out his buds for some good old-fashioned street protests this side of the border. Democrats are. And they’re biting nails in nervousness.
Look at the list of Dems who’ve suddenly seen the nonsensical nature of face masking forever: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Delaware Gov. John Carney, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.
They’re loosening regulations — regulations that shouldn’t have been in place anyway.
They’re reeling in the mandates — mandates that shouldn’t have been in place anyhow.
They’re restoring freedoms to the people and power to the parents — freedoms and powers that never should have been stripped in the first place.
But they’re still doing it piecemeal.
While vaccinated adults in lefty-run states get passes on face masking in most public settings, kids in schools are still suffering the indignity, still suffering the ridiculous, still suffering the non-scientific. And they will, for several more weeks.
Lamont said the face mask mandate for schools should be lifted on Feb. 28.
Murphy said the mandate should end in mid-March.
Carney said the face masking mandate should wrap this week — except for students in kindergarten through grade 12. They can’t remove masks until at least March 31.
Newsom said the indoor mask mandate should end Feb. 15 for the vaccinated — but not for school children. He left locals to decide whether or not school kids could go without face coverings. Los Angeles County already came forward and said sorry, so sorry, kids, you’ll have to keep ‘em on for the foreseeable future.
Why?
Where’s the science on this?
Either face masks work, or they don’t. And if they don’t — which, as any follower of Stacey Abrams can tell you, they don’t — then why the differences in (insert air quotes here) mandates?
Once again, Democrats are showing their powers for political exploitation.
The polls show independents and even some Democrats are abandoning President Biden by the bucketloads. Nobody wants to be seen with Biden on the campaign trail; nobody wants to be affiliated with Team Biden and White House policy.
So Democratic leaders are hoping to win back some support for their party and their fellow campaigning politicos by tossing out some of the more hated coronavirus mandates, like face masking — or, at least, booting the decision-making authority for the final toss-out to local governments. But they can’t afford to tick off the teachers’ unions.
As Open Secrets writes, “Teachers unions have steadily amped up their political involvement: From 2004 to 2016, their donations grew from $4.3 million to more than $32 million — an all-time high.”
The National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers gave $20 million in 2016 and $12 million, respectively. Almost all went to Democrats.
“Even more than most labor unions, [teachers unions] have little use for Republicans,” Open Secrets wrote, “giving Democrats at least 94 percent of the funds they contributed to candidates and parties since as far back as 1990.”
AFT President Randi Weingarten — after apologizing in November for going face mask-less at a conference in Puerto Rico — just said a few days ago she will support the end of facial coverings in schools for students when “the spread [is] low enough so that there’s no dissemination or transmission in schools.”
The NEA, meanwhile, has been a cheerful supporter of face masks in public schools. In July, NEA chief Becky Pringle said, “The evidence is clear that masks provide important protection against COVID-19 and provide the greatest protection for all of us” and that the union “supports robust masking policies that will keep students, families and educators safe.”
In other words: Democrats are in a tight spot.
Politically, they need the teachers unions’ money.
But politically, they also need the citizens’ — parents’ — votes.
Kids don’t vote.
Union members do.
Democrats, on shifting face mask policies, are simply tossing a bone of freedom to the voters of their states, while tip-toeing on those same freedoms for the non-voters, as a way of appeasing their big-money funders.
Their hope is the locals will pick up the bucket and carry the pro-union, pro-face masking policies across the finish line.
Don’t think for a minute the Democrats have seen the folly of the face mask. They’re simply playing politics — walking a political tightrope — biding their time.
If the polls shift back to Democrats’ favor, if midterm election dust settles and they realize they have an upper hand, these same governors will find a way to clamp down freedoms and bring back the mass face masking once again.
There is no other reason to take face masks off one segment of society but not another except for political.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Socialists Don’t Sleep: Christians Must Rise Or America Will Fall,” is available by clicking HERE.
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