Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts is not seeking a third term.
Thank God.
He has mismanaged the current outbreaks by steadfastly refusing to reinstate the mask mandate. The smarter, better heeled college towns have had to take up the slack and require masks to be worn in any indoor public space.
My town of Ware is neither smart not well-heeled. It is working class. The biggest employer is Walmart. You see a lot of trucks and an occasional Confederate flag. It went for Donnie Donuts in 2016, and probably 2020 (I haven't had the heart to.look; life in the time of Covid is depressing enough without knowing that my neighbors, like Star Lord, don't learn ).
On the recent trip to Walmart, the greeters can only offer masks. The company refuses to require masks without a mandate. About 75% of the customers had their naked faces hanging out. I honestly think Darwin is winning this one. Because our town manager and council are about as bright as tree frog, there is no mandate.
I have a new hobby: writing to my town manager and the governor. I will.write to them every damned f***ing week until they get off their party fat white butts,and do their job. They are supposed to take care of their constituents, which includes issuing policies to protect us from our own stupidity, even if they are unpopular. So far they haven't done enough.
I have written Baker three times in the last couple of months.This time I didn't even get a form letter. I suspect my ardent promise to make bloody sure he doesn't run for Senate and win. I wrote the town manager.
I told both they will be getting weekly emails from.me until (a) Covid ends (b) they do their job with masks and vaccine passports (c)they did or (d) I die,in which case my dying wish will be for my husband to continue harassing them. While the state fully vaccinated rate is 70+%. In Ware,it is just 50+%,and the MA Department of Public Health says we are at severe risk. They need to get off their cuffs and do the unpopular but necessary thing of requiring mask mandates in restaurants, stores, and any indoor public place. If Amherst and Springfield can do it, so can the state and my town.
Can I enlist the help of Massachusetts Kossacks in my quest to shame, guilt trip and harass them into doing what needs to be done? Typing on a tablet which doesn't allow me to provide a link. Simply Google Charlie Baker's office and there is a way to email. Ditto the town manager if you Google "town of Ware." if they get enough complaints, maybe it will force their hands.
I am 72. we have worn masks when ever we go out, which is seldom. We are vaccinated and boosted. If a,second booster is required, we will get that too. I hope to get tested for what I think is flu. I tend to get the flu if the vaccine isn't working well against this year's strain and this new mutation is axdoozy.My family is long-lived. Mom was 82, healthy until her stroke. Dad was 89. I plan on hanging around for a good long while yet, if only to annoy the crap out of Republicans and poorly educated Trumpies. I refuse to die because politicians are afraid of not being popular.
*"Darned"is a very polite version of what I really want to write.