There are some Letters to the Editor (LTE) that require a response, and the LTE "Thank There are some Letters to the Editor (LTE) that require a response, and the LTE "Thank you to Gov. DeSantis" (April 20th) is one.
The LTE author opens with a claim of "false outrage" by the Democrats and left-wing media regarding DeSantis telling students to remove their masks at an indoor press conference. His words were: "You do not have to wear those masks. I mean, please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything, and we’ve got to stop with this COVID theater. So, if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous."
It may appear ridiculous to DeSantis (and the author), but not to the parents and school administrators who wish to follow the CDC guidelines. The CDC published a study that found people who consistently wear high-quality masks (N95s, KN95s) in indoor public settings were much less likely to contract COVID than those who didn't wear masks. If I were a parent, I would understandably be "outraged", when my right to choose is being trampled. This is not a political issue, but a public health issue.
So, no, DeSantis does NOT support free speech, individual liberties, or parental rights. And this is just one example.
The remainder of the LTE relies on a Committee to Unleash Prosperity (CUP) study that ranks Florida and other Conservative states as having the best response to COVID. CUP was founded by Stephen Moore, a conservative writer and television commentator on economic issues. Moore stated during a 2016 debate on minimum wage: "I'm a radical on this. I'd get rid of a lot of these child labor laws. I want people starting to work at 11, 12." Yes, I agree with Moore when he admits he's a "radical". Studies he has published in the past have been criticized for being fraught with inaccuracies.
So how does Florida rank with the other states regarding COVID? For this I went to Worldometer on Coronavirus and looked at Florida vis-à-vis other states. For per capita total cases Florida ranked in the top 11 worst states, exceeded by Rhode Island, Alaska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Kentucky, Utah, South Carolina, West Virginia, Arizona, and Arkansas. For per capita deaths, Florida ranked 17th.
In America, there have been 82,456,909 cases with 1,016,584 deaths (April 20th). Should I follow CDC guidelines, or a governor who simply panders to his base? I think the answer is clear.nt, I would understandably be "outraged", when my right to choose is being trampled. This is not a political issue, but a public health issue.
So, no, DeSantis does NOT support free speech, individual liberties, or parental rights. And this is just one example.
The remainder of the LTE relies on a Committee to Unleash Prosperity (CUP) study that ranks Florida and other Conservative states as having the best response to Covid. CUP was founded by Stephen Moore, a conservative writer and television commentator on economic issues. Moore stated during a 2016 debate on minimum wage: "I'm a radical on this. I'd get rid of a lot of these child labor laws. I want people starting to work at 11, 12." Yes, I agree with Moore when he admits he's a "radical". Studies he has published in the past have been criticized for being fraught with inaccuracies.
So how does Florida rank with the other states regarding Covid? For this I went to Worldometer on Coronavirus and looked at Florida vis-à-vis other states. For per capita total cases Florida ranked in the top 11 worst states, exceeded by Rhode Island, Alaska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Kentucky, Utah, South Carolina, West Virginia, Arizona, and Arkansas. For per capita deaths, Florida ranked 17th.
In America, there have been 82,456,909 cases with 1,016,584 deaths (April 20th). Should I follow CDC guidelines, or a governor who simply panders to his base? I think the answer is clear.