California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom extended the state’s required mask mandate again recently, requiring face coverings until June 15. The report comes as even liberal states like New York and Massachusetts are making plans to roll back pandemic restrictions.
The governor added the extension to a growing list of problems facing the embattled leader. Newsom faces an upcoming recall election after two million signatures were collected in a movement to oust the leftist Newsom.
The action also follows a surprising CDC change by director Rochelle Walensky who recently announced, “We now have science that has really just evolved even in the last two weeks that demonstrates that these vaccines are safe, they are effective.”
The CDC now no longer recommends requiring vaccinated people to wear a mask outdoor or indoors. However, California is no longer the trendsetter. They follow their own science that apparently fears the coronavirus will still be a threat until mid-summer.
A growing concern will be how people will show how they are vaccinated. Several states have already outlawed so-called vaccine passports that would require a person to show digital proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. The issue is a matter of health privacy, as companies should not have the right to know a person’s medical actions in most circumstances.
Even professional sports have become involved in the matter. Both the New York Mets and Yankees in Major League Baseball have launched separate seating areas for vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
What’s next? Will we enter a new phase of segregation based on vaccinations? Let’s hope not. The vaccines may be helpful, but remain new and controversial among many. Requiring such a vaccine represents both a potential health and privacy concern.
A better approach is to look at state’s that opened early like Texas and Florida. How are those two states faring? Much better than most. Their COVID-19 numbers are down just like masked states, and better than some.
In addition, their schools are in better condition and their economies are flourishing. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why Texas and Florida are now two of the fastest-growing states in the nation while California’s population declined for the first time in recorded history.
Newsom’s authoritarian lockdowns have not only hurt his reputation, but have killed the state. It’s economy and schools have taken a giant hit compared to other states.
The governor’s other leftist policies don’t help. He continues to propose sending people more money, spending billions more on homelessness, and has embraced the Biden administration’s immigration policies that are hurting his state and others.
Newsom’s mask extension isn’t going to help his cause, but it may no longer matter. The upcoming recall election will be his biggest battle.
The GOP still needs to decide who they will rally behind to run against Newsom. Caitlyn Jenner has received the most publicity, but may not unite Californians enough to get the job done.
Others have entered the race, but no clear leader has yet to emerge. It’s clear many are ready to remove Newsom, but it will take someone who can rally people across the state to get the vote to make it happen.
