On Monday, I expressed some skepticism about the results of a CBS poll showing majorities of Americans supporting ongoing mask mandates in states and schools. I argued that actions speak louder than polls, and that the stampede away from mandates among blue state governors — plus the election of Glenn Youngkin in Virginia — suggest that the tide had already turned. A new Politico national survey finds President Biden deep underwater (another poll showing him dipping down into the 30's) on overall approval (see update), with a plurality of the public now in favor of axing mask mandates:
New low for Biden approval in new Morning Consult/Politico poll: 39/57.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) February 16, 2022
Also: major shift against mask mandates as blue state governors change tune last week.
49% want mask mandates removed
43% want mask mandates kept https://t.co/8O3xuykofv
As I've been saying for months, the 43 percent of mask dead-enders are more than welcome to wear their face coverings into oblivion. No one is stopping them. But forcing this intervention of dubious medical value (especially among children and wearers of non-fitted, non-medical masks) upon others is indefensible. But the masking cult won't give up easily because the issue has become fundamental to their in-group tribalism. Kevin Williamson offers his theory on how the psychology works:
It may not do much of anything to stop the spread of the virus, but it says something — in some contexts, a great deal — about what kind of person you are...And that is what is making unmasking — and a more general return to normal — so difficult for so many of our progressive friends: It has become a cultural and social issue, and a quasi-religious one at that. For a certain kind of progressive, giving up masking feels like giving in. It doesn’t feel to them like the epidemic has been beaten — it feels to them like they have been beaten, and their cultural enemies (Joe Rogan, and that estranged uncle who is angry on Facebook) have won...Like the declarations of progressives who once swore off “Trump vaccines,” it is a matter of identity, not a matter of policy, much less one of science. That is why a big Republican showing in the midterms will produce a convulsion among progressives, one that looks like a political crisis but that is, at heart, a spiritual crisis. The news on Covid is generally good these days. And I cannot remember another time in which generally good news has caused so much angst and misery.
Case in point — the "angst and misery" on the left surrounding this political loss in Virginia, which is excellent news for children, parents, and anyone who actually cares about real science:
Final final parental mask opt-out with emergency clause has passed the Virginia House 52-48. Will be signed by Governor Youngkin today. pic.twitter.com/rDsdZspJEi
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) February 16, 2022
WATCH: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signs legislation BANNING mask mandates in Virginia schools.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 16, 2022
"Today we are reestablishing and restoring power back to parents." pic.twitter.com/wl5dJn6PHK
Tribal leaders like hack New York Times columnists are still comparing forced masking opponents — most Americans, at this point — to terrorists, which makes it likelier that the hardcore maskers to dig in further:
Indeed. Terrorists endanger other people's lives to make a political statement, whereas mask opponents ... um, help me out here? https://t.co/N1XZaqPEpQ
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) February 16, 2022
It's this anti-science, fanatical posture that leads its adherents to mandate scenes like this in areas of the country where their supremacy is complete. Abusive insanity:
Kids eating lunch on the sidewalk at an @MCPS elementary school, as they have all winter. A mild 33 degrees today. WHY? @GovLarryHogan @MontgomeryCoMD cc: @drlucymcbride @angrybklynmom @JenniferSey @Jusrangers @TracyBethHoeg pic.twitter.com/d2aWzyAlMb
— Emily Moise (@emilyrosemoise) February 15, 2022
On Sunday, tens of thousands of unmasked fans, celebrities and politicians packed into a mostly-indoor stadium to scream and yell during a football game. Days later, young kids are forced to sit on freezing asphalt, outdoors, to eat their lunches at school (the choices in places like this is outdoors if kids want to talk, with a silent indoor option). Notice the child dutifully masking in between bites, while sitting alone outside. The adults responsible for such psychotic policies should be ashamed of themselves, but they're part of a religious-style movement that encourages such neuroses. Some progressives who are awakening to the sea change in public opinion, belatedly realizing that their capricious restrictions are now very much a liability, may believe that abrupt, unscientific course corrections could spare them politically. The elections are months away, after all. But Noah Rothman's observation about this week's San Francisco school board recalls is a trenchant one:
The San Francisco BOE dropped a plan to rename ‘injustice-linked’ schools in April '21 and reopened in person in August. The idea that these issues don't have a long tail and voters will somehow forget the last two years by November is not well supported. https://t.co/tkBOpSpvck
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 16, 2022
Some of the worst elements of the school board's program of woke excess (though not all of them) were abandoned nearly a year ago. And the shameful dereliction of depriving students of in-person learning for a year-and-a-half was finally reversed six months ago. But memories and simmering residual anger lingered. And huge majorities ousted those responsible, in the city that is perhaps most closely associated with American leftism in the public's imagination. These issues were potent in Virginia, potent in New Jersey, potent in San Francisco, and could well prove potent all across the country this fall. I'll leave you with this, from President Biden's Education Secretary:
Today’s #LoveTeaching theme is “Tremendous Tuesday” where we are challenged to tell a 6-word story that describes why you #LoveTeaching. Mine is:
— Secretary Miguel Cardona (@SecCardona) February 16, 2022
The smile on a student's face.
Perhaps he needs to...read the room a bit better? He's representing an administration that continues to endorse forcible child masking in schools, based on baseless official “Science.” Speaking of which, how sciency is this, via NBC News?
Nothing has been finalized yet, but the CDC is considering a new benchmark for whether masks are needed, basing it on the level of severe disease and hospitalizations in a given community, two people familiar with the situation said. The White House has been eager for the CDC to provide an update on its indoor mask recommendation, although it wants the agency to get it right and it doesn’t want to appear as though it is putting political pressure on the agency, said the two people familiar with the plans, who weren’t authorized to speak publicly…Senior administration officials have asked Walensky to provide an update on masks before President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on March 1, one of the people said.
Get us that new Science — stat. Before the big political speech, please. Have you seen the polls? So much sciencing.
UPDATE - Kraushaar clarifies that the Politico survey shows Biden in the 30's on one metric, but his formal approval rating in the poll is better, but still weak: 43 percent.
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