Hello, homebound heroes!
I mean, that’s kind of what you are, since you’ve been doing your part to not contribute to the mind-bending total of more than 100,000 Americans who’ve died from COVID-19.
GOP lawmakers, on the other hand, don’t seem particularly dedicated to protecting innocent people from potential coronavirus infections.
Take, for instance, Republicans in the Pennsylvania legislature.
- On May 18, GOP Rep. Andrew Lewis obtained a coronavirus test after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
- On May 20, he learned of his positive test results.
- On May 21, Lewis shared this information with his Republican colleagues, and some of those Republicans who’d been working in close proximity with him over the preceding two weeks (the Pennsylvania legislature is still very much in session) went into self-quarantine.
But did anyone bother telling the Democrats who’d been exposed to Lewis in committee meetings and on the House floor?
Nope.
- Democratic lawmakers found out from a local news report about Lewis’ diagnosis on Wednesday—a full week after Lewis received his test results.
- Democrats also learned Wednesday of the handful of Republicans who’d been in self-quarantine since Lewis’ positive COVID-19 test result because of exposure or potential exposure.
- Over the course of the previous two weeks, the Pennsylvania legislature met for votes six times and held more than 15 committee meetings.
- Democrats are trying to figure out which ones Lewis attended as they assess just how much danger Republicans placed them in by circulating news of Lewis’ extremely contagious illness only within members of their own party.
Weird how lawmakers of only his own party learned of this risk to their health and lives.
- Democratic lawmakers are, understandably, pretty livid about the situation, seeing as their GOP counterparts had a week to stake steps to protect themselves and their families based on their potential exposure while Democrats spent that week in the dark.
Oh, and those weeks Lewis may have been infected and contagious but asymptomatic?
Speaking of Republicans trying to force states to “reopen” prematurely and unsafely, you may recall the horrendous Wisconsin Supreme Court hearing I wrote about in this space a couple of weeks ago.
- The hearing was the result of the GOP-controlled legislature’s lawsuit that sought to have Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order overturned.
- The state’s highest court heard the case on May 5 (safely at home, by the by—the hearing was virtual. You know, to protect the health of the justices).
- Well, on May 13, the court overturned the stay-at-home order with a 4-3 vote.
This outcome is especially bitter because soon-to-be-former conservative Justice Daniel Kelly voted with the majority.
- Kelly, who lost his election in April, will remain on the court and continue to rule on cases until the progressive judge who unseated him takes the bench in … August.
But the worst part of Evers’ stay-at-home order getting overturned two weeks ago?
- Wisconsin just reported a record high number of new coronavirus infections and deaths in a single day.
Speaking of Republican lawsuits against Democratic governors, remember that one Michigan GOP lawmakers filed against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer?
- Well, her emergency powers were upheld by a court last week.
- Ever the sore losers, Republican legislators are pushing to bypass intermediate courts and take the case straight to the Michigan Supreme Court.
- … where, by the by, four of the justices are GOP appointees and three are Democratic nominees elected in nonpartisan elections (though the court is generally known to frequently defy partisan backgrounds in its rulings).
Stay tuned!
Why lead when you can fixate on something stupid and inconsequential?
In Minnesota, Democratic lawmakers are taking the lead on something super consequential—and acutely so in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
- Top DFL lawmakers are already hard at work crafting legislation to enact a series of reforms aimed at addressing “racism and other issues with law enforcement.”
- Initial proposals include ensuring more police officers live in the areas they serve, changes to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, and further empowering the state attorney general to intervene in police-involved deaths.
- The proposals will take more concrete shape over the coming weeks and are expected to be considered at the June 12 special session.
Welp, that’s a wrap for this week. Thanks for hanging in! And for being you!
I mean, you’re the best you. No one else is capable of being you.
I actually gave it a shot once, and I sucked at it.
So take good care of you. Things are tough, but we need you.
And that care can take a lot of forms. Only you know what’s right for you.
Take a walk in the woods. Or to the end of the block. Or take a break from moving around and sit a spell. Wear something comfy. Set your pants on fire.
Because PANdemic sounds an awful lot like PANTSdemic, and you just can’t be too careful.