The first duty of any state governor is to protect the health and safety of the citizenry. In that sense, the incredibly cynical and dangerous performative politics against pandemic safety being undertaken by some (though not all) Republican governors around America is nothing less than the abdication of their duty.
This list includes Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, whose uneven messaging on masking and whose abetting of anti-vaccine paranoia (he falsely accused President Joe Biden of seeking to “compel” vaccinations) have helped give his state among the worst coronavirus resurgences in America.
But the poster child for gubernatorial irresponsibility is Florida’s Ron DeSantis, who is showily blocking local governments and private businesses from addressing the raging caseloads there with an eye on building his standing among the Trumpian base for a potential presidential run. DeSantis’ ambition, like that of too many of his fellow GOP governors, is literally killing people.
