If this past year has taught us anything, it is that science is often overlooked in the name of politics, and votes can be valued over lives. For example, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently suspended all COVID-19 protocols and signed SB 2006 that alters emergency tools available for local governments.
The new bill, SB 2006, enacts several new protocols that severely restrict the powers of local agencies during emergencies.
The politicization of wearing a mask in public spaces is indicative of the blind polarization that has gripped our nation and state. Former President Donald Trump and the anti-intellectual movement that his establishment supported made our country’s response to the pandemic look pathetic.
The move to end all local COVID-19 restrictions in the state of Florida is done with blatant disregard for the evidence that the pandemic is still wreaking havoc on our communities. In addition, DeSantis’s failure to discuss this pivotal order with local officials whose communities were ravaged by the pandemic is even more disappointing.
Broward County Mayor Steve Geller and other local south Florida leaders have been outspoken critics of the order, with Geller even suggesting that this move proves that DeSantis “seems to care more about politics than public safety in the state of Florida.”
The frustration that local leaders are expressing is well warranted. With over 2.2 million total cases and over 300,000 active cases, Florida ranks third in the U.S. for the highest number of COVID-19 infections. Although over seven million Floridians have been fully vaccinated — one of DeSantis’s major reasons for ending the restrictions — this is still far below the 80-90% vaccination or prior infection rate needed for herd immunity.
Why DeSantis has decided to skirt past CDC recommendations and ignore the wishes of local leaders while over 3,000 Floridians continue to get infected with COVID-19 every day is a mystery. Was it a cunning political move to appeal to his conservative base, or was it just misinformation and misguided governance?
Along with SB 2006, DeSantis simultaneously signed a bill to limit the power of local governments to close businesses and schools during emergencies. Not only has DeSantis used his power to override local COVID-19 protocols, but he also has limited the power of localities by banning all future government-enforced lockdowns other than hurricane emergencies — regardless of how much longer the pandemic endures.
DeSantis, despite witnessing the destruction this entire pandemic has caused, has decided that the lockdowns that slowed the spread of COVID-19 should not be possible in our state again.
To call these actions negligence would be an understatement; they have the potential to be catastrophic.
DeSantis also made the decision to ban businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination to receive services, allowing them to endanger themselves and those around them.
One has to look no further than the resurgence of COVID-19 in India to visualize the devastation of a second wave of the virus. This new wave of anti-intellectualism and the prioritization of “individual liberties” over the common good will spell disaster for our state and nation if left unheeded.
Whether DeSantis likes it or not, the reality is that the fight against COVID-19 is far from over, and his recent actions have set up Florida for failure in any and all future crises.
Check out other recent articles from Florida Political Review here.
Featured Image: Gov. Ron DeSantis. Photo taken by Gage Skidmore and used under a Creative Commons License (https://bit.ly/3u8Xeuo).
6 Comments
Joe America
More lies from some pharmtool foreigner trying to dismantle our civil rights and turn us into sheep for pharma drugs. The actual data and science show that DeSantis and FL made the right choices in not locking down and not allowing the infected back into nursing homes as the mass murderer Coumo did in NY. No. DeSantis is stopping local tyrants from imposing pharma policy on free FL citizens. We need no more whoring from the pharma controlled MSM and it’s hacks like this paid twit.
Kay
I totally agree with you. Illinois (where I live now) is getting tighter with the mandates and I’m seriously considering moving down to Florida. They said in the article that Florida has the #3 most Covid cases…but they conveniently failed to mention that the #1 leader, Vermont, is our MOST vaccinated state! I’m just getting over Covid and it wasn’t bad at all. The vaccine has literally no benefits for me. I’m glad someone is doing the right thing. I hope he runs for President so someone will fix this madness.
MARK ALLEN
The failure is the press, INCLUDING FLORIDA POLITICAL REVIEW !! I don’t remember you people interviewing Dr. Peter McCullough, the ONLY doctor who has written and about the proper procedure of medical care of the CV patient. The Medical Journals printed it and distributed it across the world and yet some hotshot reporter is pretending to be an expert against the likes of such an expert. Dr. McCullough WAS a supporter of the Jab until February when the studies revealed what the long-term results are, and its DAMNING to say the least, and nonreversible. DON”T believe this article until you listen to the video on the link, then if you want you can go get your jab. rumble.com/vk5jd0-dr.-peter-mccullough-urgent-warning-about-poisonous-jabs-an-agonizing-situa.html
GLORIA M VALENTINE
An excellent video interview with Dr.McCullough is on frankspeech.com as well.
https://home.frankspeech.com/tv/video/dr-peter-mccullough-dangers-covid-vaccine
Kelly
You’re a pseudo-intellectual. You only think you’re an intellectual, when in fact you’re nothing more than a boorish, entitled and elitist snob. You put ‘Individual liberties’ in quotes as though people haven’t gone to war and died to protect said liberties. You’re lost like so many. But here’s the good news–I-95 will take you anywhere you want to go.
We like our freedom, our Governor and state just fine. Perhaps you should find a state that aligns more with your ideals.
Kay
I’m glad someone is standing up for the rights of those who don’t want to inject themselves with this “vaccine” (which even its manufacturers have admitted that it doesn’t stop infection or transmission). I hope he runs for President and wins so the media and Big Pharma can’t use Joe Biden as their puppet anymore. I cannot live in a world gone mad, and I can only hope that somewhere in this world there’s a place I can still not be treated like a diseased freak.