Three million cases. That’s how many total COVID cases we currently have Florida, as of 24 August 2021. Time and time again I hear people say that there’s no real difference between the two major political parties in the USA.
I beg to differ. The Democrats have their limitations and weaknesses. Their shortcomings are a far cry from what I see with the Republicans (GOP), at least in Florida.
I was born and raised in Massachusetts, a most liberal state. Yet, I was, for years, a registered Republican. I switched parties when the GOP drifted into the Never-Never Land of lunacy.
Right now, here in Florida, we’re ruled by Trump 2.0 aka Ron Death-Santis. He seems bound and determined to sacrifice as many constituents as possible to position himself as heir apparent to Trump in 2024 or 2028. Here is the governor of a state doing everything in his power to dissuade people from protecting themselves and others from a deadly plague.
Think about that for a moment. He downplays the vaccines, even though he and everyone around him are vaccinated. He is openly contemptuous of federal health officials, mocks and ridicules state government staff working to deal with the problem. He’s dismissive of medical personnel and he actively works at getting people to not wear masks.
Now, to be fair, Death-Santius does not come right out and say: “Don’t wear a mask.” He’s too smart. Wait, he’s a Republican, thus smart isn’t the right word. Ah, he’s too politically savvy to leave himself open to outright attacks for advocating such a reckless action. No, he frames it as a question of personal freedom and liberty.
Yes, parents need to have the freedom to choose if their children live or die. If they infect their friends, fellow students, teachers, and most especially any high-risk relatives that’s life and death. Hey, Grandma, better wash your hands before you play a game with the kids.
I’m sorry, but this truly is the height of stupidity, which, sadly, means it fits in perfectly with our modern republicans. Distrust science. Don’t believe the media. Most especially never listen to that illegal socialist communist fake President Biden or any of his criminal posse.
This is all so comical I would almost laugh if it weren’t also a horrible tragedy. Right now here in Central Florida we’re being asked to conserve water because more is needed for the hospitals. Vital surgeries, never mind elective ones, are being delayed because hospitals don’t have the room and the staff to perform them.
Think about that. Uncle can’t get his cancer operation; grandma can’t get her new pacemaker and junior has leave town for his appendectomy. All of this because parents have the right to make medical decisions for their children Are bike helmets are now optional. Getting the mumps, measles, polio and other vaccinations aren’t important.
Hey, if kids are allowed such freedoms, what of we adults? Can we text and drive now? Drink and drive? Toss aside those seatbelts, rip out those airbags?
One of the basic tenants of the Old Republican Party was the idea that the best government was the local government. They didn’t like Washington making decisions for the whole country. Yet another strike against science, health and common sense is “Herr” Governor’s decree that local school boards cannot require students to wear masks.
To do so is to defy him and his ultimate authority, and anyone daring to implement such an act will suffer the ultimate consequence. Their pay will be withheld. Oh, the man is such a fool.
Yet, he can almost be forgiven for this one, as modern Republicans only care about two things: money and power. So, from his point of view the members of these school boards will quickly kowtow to him if he merely cuts their pay.
Ronny Death-Santis, there are two problems with cutting pay. One, these people don’t make all that much as school board members. Two, they value our children more than money.
Again, I know that’s an idea difficult for modern Republicans to comprehend. You need only witness how they happily let our children die in school shootings. As a result, several municipalities are requiring masks.
Will the mask mandates hold? Too early to tell. I hope so. Currently the number of cases in our state and community continue to grow and Death-Santis shows no signs of changing course. Now I kind of know how the passengers on the Titanic felt. They had no idea they were steaming into deadly danger. We do, and that is ten times worse.
Combining the gimlet-eye of Philip Roth with the precisive mind of Lionel Trilling, AJ Robinson writes about what goes bump in the mind, of 21st century adults. Raised in Boston, with summers on Martha's Vineyard, AJ now lives in Florida. Working, again, as an engineeer, after years out of the field due to 2009 recession and slow recovery, Robinson finds time to write. His liberal, note the small "l," sensibilities often lead to bouts of righteous indignation, well focused and true. His teen vampire adventure novel, "Vampire Vendetta," will publish in 2020. Robinson continues to write books, screenplays and teleplays and keeps hoping for that big break.
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