Months into the pandemic, Gov. Laura Kelly instituted a somber tradition, which we repeated on Monday.
“It is with great sadness that, for the sixth time …. I am ordering flags to half-staff to honor the lives and memories of another 1,000 Kansans who have died from COVID-19,” Kelly said. “We have the tools to stop the virus in its tracks and prevent further unnecessary deaths of our loved ones and neighbors. I urge all Kansans to get vaccinated, wear masks and follow best health practices.”
On the same day, Kansas Republican legislators deemed it necessary to form a special committee to evaluate what they regard as “governmental overreach” in response to the pandemic.
At the top of the list is President Joe Biden’s request that federal employees and employees at large-scale industries be vaccinated against COVID-19 in an effort to stop its spread.
Sen. Rick Wilborn, Republican from McPherson, responded, “We need to check the federal government pretty hard and stop them.”
It’s “my body, my right” to not get the vaccine, goes the thinking. Too bad if my actions spread the virus.
So much for my community, my country.
Nearly 700,000 Americans have died from COVID; by far the highest tally of any country in the world.
Not to be deterred by such things as fatalities, Republicans want to make hay on the politics of the pandemic. Such as the fact that we have a Democratic governor who asks us to follow state and federal health guidelines. Worse, is a Democratic president who is actually taking action against the holdouts.
“It’s just completely out of control,” Wilborn protests.
Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, hopes to get a special session of the Legislature convened so that barriers to the sale of the anti-parasitic ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine can be lifted when requested to treat the virus. The first is widely used by farmers to treat intestinal bugs in cows and horses. The second is to fight malaria.
Neither have proven successful against COVID-19. Both are dangerous when used inappropriately.
What’s plainly lacking of the committee-to-be is a focus.
Ty Masterson, Senate president, has said the members can address federal actions as well as decisions made by local school boards or city and county decisions.
Whining is rarely productive.
