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Gov. Ron DeSantis Tackles COVID-19 Head-On
This morning I had my hair cut—legally—and I’m in a great mood, especially as I look at the state of Florida and the way it’s getting through this pandemic. The governor of Florida has been masterful at walking the tightrope between practicing courage and caution. Compared to many other states where draconian measures are being enacted based on fear and politics, Gov. DeSantis has shown a powerful way to deal with this pandemic; other governors should take note. No arrests on beaches, no citations for walking your dog—and Gov. DeSantis must be highly commended for the steps he’s taken so far.
Yet the resistance has been strong from the Democrats:
The group of lawmakers asked DeSantis to provide a detailed testing plan, an assessment of Florida’s stockpile of personal protective equipment, plans to hire contact tracers and specific steps to ensure social distancing in local businesses along with public spaces like parks under local government jurisdiction. Florida must provide a testing plan to the federal government by May 24 as part of a $25 billion coronavirus funding bill that became law last week.
You can be sure those lawmakers will expect an expensive and comprehensive testing plan; that way, they will be able to identify an abundance of people who have had contact with the virus, supporting their intentions to keep the state closed down.
Still, they had to admit that that the Gov. has shown wisdom is his efforts:
‘We are relieved that the three South Florida counties that continue to be at the epicenter of the pandemic in Florida are excluded from the state’s reopening plan,’ the lawmakers wrote. ‘Nevertheless, we know all too well that a virus does not respect borders or county lines, and a reopening in one area does not preclude another area from increased risk. According to data released by the state as recently as Thursday, May 7th, Florida continues to experience a rise in confirmed cases statewide.’
From the most recent data, deaths are going down, and since they wrote their letter, cases have gone down 14% from last week.
DeSantis has demonstrated many qualities that have helped him navigate these turbulent waters. He makes decisions cautiously, and not based on the hysteria of those who would have us shutdown indefinitely. He’s shown versatility by changing decisions based on feedback and evidence. He hasn’t made state-wide decisions that punish those areas that have a lower number of cases: he’s opened up restaurants and shops by limiting access. He’s creating excitement and anticipation by offering our stadiums to professional sports teams. He’s sought assistance at all levels of government, according to this op-ed:
We are living in rapidly changing and unprecedented times and the governor is wisely weighing new information each day and acting accordingly. Weeks ago, the governor worked with local governments to shut down beaches and put an end to the mass-crowding of Spring Break. He called in help from the National Guard to open test centers across the state. Then, he sought a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida, which triggered the release of Federal Funds to distribute needed supplies and help Florida’s economy recover from COVID-19. In fact, there are national reports that Florida is receiving the best care of all states.
He’s also studying how visitors may be allowed at nursing homes:
Family members have been barred for two months from visiting parents, grandparents and others at Florida’s 4,400 nursing homes. DeSantis said that’s got to change.
But, he conceded, not yet.
‘My view has been, I want to get to ‘yes’ on that,’ DeSantis said. “I just want to be able to know that we have procedures in place that if someone goes to visit their mother, that two weeks later we’re not going to have 50 infections.’
Most recently, Florida labor unions are demanding that the governor change the rules for distributing unemployment from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. After all, we have $4 billion dollars in the state’s account.
In assessing the states’ economies, Stephen Moore and Arthur Laffer came to these conclusions:
The governors who get an A grade for protecting their economies from devastation go to Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, a Democrat, joined by Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bill Lee of Tennessee and Mark Gordon of Wyoming. The governors who get an F and have put their states in the most economic peril are Govs. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Ralph Northam of Virginia and Tony Evers of Wisconsin.
As difficult as the last two months have been, I’m relieved that on the whole Gov. Ron DeSantis has done an admirable job. He’s tried to consider how this pandemic affects the people and the economy. Instead of seeing this crisis as an opportunity to grab power and control his citizens, he’s remained flexible and open to new ideas. So Florida, all things considered, is doing great.
How are things going in your state?
Published in Politics
Goober Northam is letting us get haircuts tomorrow, by appointment of course. My wife has a standing 4-week appointment that happens to be tomorrow, so she’s happy. She also had one four weeks ago, but had to go in the back door of the salon. And restaurants, etc. can do outdoor business tomorrow. We’re going to our local winery in the PM to enjoy a bottle on their deck.
Well, have a glass for me, @oldphil! It’s not easy, but the hairdressers are operating by the book: no waiting area, masks for all of them, sanitizing after every visit. But I was very disappointed by one decision: my hairdresser usually has a jar of candies like little Snickers, Milky Ways, and it was gone!–what’s with that!! ;-) Yeah, I get it, but I was surprised on how much I look forward to it.
Edit: Restaurants can also have limited seating indoors here. You’ve got some catching up to do!
Well, the governor’s hair always looks great.
I don’t know about that–it looked pretty ragged about the ears. Or maybe his wife cuts his hair? ;-)
I meant my governor. Even when her outfits look terrible, her hair is good.
Oh yeah. Michigan, right? So sorry . . .
So am I. Every day. But my fellow voters do that to me every other election.
The Left/(D) is taking a huge flyer going into mass shut down mode.
They will have the support of the MSM and those sincerely overly frightened by the coronavirus.
The huge risk is losing millions of independent non political types who just want to go back to work, and get their lives back to some semblance of what it was pre shut down.
To the extent the blue guvs and mayors are perceived by the independent no political voter (or gonna be voters after this fiasco) who see the (D) as unduly draconian in the shut down orders, we may see the bizarre sightings of (R)’s winning, or at least competing, in what are currently believed to be untouchable (D) state and city fiefdoms.
I’m thinking this is possible, too, @user_54742. There will so much dirt made up to throw at Trump that I hope the Independents will offset that. Let’s hope.
Stephen Moore and Arthur Laffer need to give Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan her F right now. Otherwise, I am concerned she will try harder for that F…..
Cod help us!
I didn’t notice that, @ekentgolding! How did she escape her grade? It must have been an oversight . . .
I was disappointed to read this message, from chabad.org
Mr. Eb asked me to give him a trim about a week ago – and said he was pleased with the result. I have kiddingly suggested over the years that I could cut his hair and he always just shuddered. After I cut his hair, he suggested that he try doing mine. Needless to say I did not take him up on it.
I got my hair cut yesterday. Yay! My hairdresser told me that it was the first time he had been out of work in his life. He did not want to repeat the experience. We both agreed that we were so glad that we lived in Florida and not CA, NY, or Michigan! We traded scandalized stories about Democratic governors and mayors the whole time.
I went to Walmart without a mask (I am not coughing, so don’t feel compelled to wear one), went to the beach, and had lunch at a buffet with my kids.
I <3 Florida.
We’re so fortunate, Stina. I’m not wearing a mask in the stores, either, but since my husband does have a cough, he wears one.
Mr. EB is a wonderful, talented man, but I think you made the right decision, @eb! Isn’t it amazing how wonderful a simple haircut can be??!
Getting my hair cut Monday – woohoo! My wife will be getting the mani-pedi. Her claws were starting to resemble those of a Tiger Queen . . .
Is this the same people that crossed the Jordan River from the desert?!
Yeah, yeah, rub it in. . . .
Just a few weeks ago I read Israel: A History by Martin Gilbert. The leaders and people who established the state of Israel were some tough SOBs.
Suzy,
I’m in the northernmost of the 3 counties that aren’t free yet. We just got news today that the beach opens on the 26th and shops, with a few restrictions, are open now. Yipppeeee!!! The more troublesome cases have accepted June 1 as their let loose date.
I dubbed Ron DeSantis as Regular Guy Ron. He never makes grandiose speeches or tries to harangue people. He always comes off as a working Governor who just goes straight at the job without egoism. When he first got the job, I noticed that he followed Rick Scott’s lead on most things. It is a sign of both humility and good judgment to follow the lead of somebody who has done a really good job rather than do it differently just to say so. However, DeSantis just kept coming on. He started to get the feel of it and in this crisis, he deserves all the credit. He took the reigns and did it right.
What a lesson this is. The problem can be that your expectations are too high. While you are grousing about not having a philosopher-king you don’t realize that you don’t need one. You need somebody who will do the job!!!
Regards,
Jim
You really lucked out when DeSantis beat party-time Andrew Gillum.
You got that right – male prostitute, crystal meth overdose – not a good look on a governor.
I’m jealous of you Floridians. Your state is opening up and your governor has a functioning brain. Too bad I hate humidity. (Is there any part of the state that doesn’t suffer from it?). And alligators.
Here in the opposite corner of the continent, Gov. Dimslee continues to dither. His latest bright idea is contact tracing, in order to open sit-down retauarants at all. This is not a popular idea with the increasingly restless population, who consider it an outrageous violation of privacy.
My hair is now shoulder length, I’ve cut my fingernails back, and I gave myself a pedicure last weekend, when we had a freak heat wave, and I knew I’d want to wear sandals. I’m tired of my own cooking and I’ve consumed a fair amount of the better wine I had stocked. Why not?
If we are very, very fortunate, maybe His Royal Highness will issue a decree that will allow the peasantry to legally get their shaggy hair trimmed…..the first week of June.
As Bethany Mandel put it so well in last week’s flagship podcast, this is existing, not living.
Governor DeSantis did get put out with Monroe County, when we closed the Keys to anyone who doesn’t live here or is gainfully employed here (and has the documentation to prove it). The Conch Republic told him to stuff it.
The decision to close the Keys was more logistics than contagion; people from Miami were coming down here and stripping out the grocery stores in the Upper Keys.
Still, we have a tourism-based economy and people here are really suffering.
I think I read a comment somewhere that Michael Knowles on his podcast asked a caller, “How do you like your 30 day free trial of socialism?”
Sounds about right except the trial period has been extended until Dimslee makes socialism work or there’s a vaccine, neither of which will ever happen . . .
@bossmongo, good for you guys. That made perfect sense! The man has made good decisions, but not always good for everyone.
You’re right, @thecynthonian. These extreme governors are only showing their zeal for power and control. They don’t care who doesn’t like it. I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself!