As Florida's COVID troubles worsen, DeSantis faces GOP pushback

[babylonsister]

As Florida's COVID troubles worsen, DeSantis faces GOP pushback
The worse COVID conditions in Florida become, the more Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) balks at policies designed to help address the pandemic.
Aug. 9, 2021, 8:00 AM EDT
By Steve Benen

snip//

What the governor has refused to do is adopt policies designed to help address the pandemic. As the New York Times reported over the weekend:

Mr. DeSantis has been unyielding in his approach to the pandemic, refusing to change course or impose restrictions despite uncontrolled spread and spiking hospitalizations -- an approach that forced him to undertake the biggest risk of his rising political career.

A Washington Post report added that the GOP governor is among the Republicans who've "decided new surges are tolerable and do not require a robust response to quell."

The passivity in response to tragedy is difficult to understand, much less defend, but it'd be a mistake to suggest DeSantis is doing literally nothing. He's already taken important actions such as preventing local officials from acting on their own to try to save lives, preventing Florida communities and businesses that want to impose modest restrictions to stem the tide of infections.

snip//

It is a position DeSantis, at least for now, refuses to consider. One can only wonder how much worse conditions would have to become before the governor changes course.


more...

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/florida-s-covid-troubles-worsen-desantis-faces-gop-pushback-n1276324