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* UPDATED x1 * In which I mostly agree with Mark Brown’s take

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There’s going to be a lot of complaining about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s decision Wednesday to make state legislators eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine now instead of requiring them to wait until the next phase later this year, but I have no objection.

Legislators have an important job that’s best accomplished by meeting in person, and this should allow them to safely do that, eventually.

I just have one little caveat:

If they want to actually get vaccinated, legislators should be required to go through the same maddening process as the rest of us who are eligible but are still looking for an appointment. […]

If legislators want to get the vaccine, they should jump through the same hoops as the average person in the Phase 1B grouping who became eligible in Illinois last week — which includes frontline essential workers and anyone age 65 and older.

There are those out there who are claiming that legislators are being allowed to jump to the front of the line. Not true. They’re being moved to 1B and have to fend for themselves like everyone else. Also, unlike the governor, Mayor Lightfoot appears to have actually moved herself and city council members to the very front of the line for shots and got exactly zero heat for that. Maybe equal treatment from the news/opinion media is in order here as well.

But I do figure that some or even most legislators will try to use their connections, like everyone else who has connections. That doesn’t make it right. And I also figure that some of the folks who screamed the loudest yesterday will find a way to discreetly get their shots.

* Also too, it would help if legislators who complained the loudest would step up now. For instance…

If it’s essential for us to gather with 200 people almost every week, then we are essential enough to get a vaccine. We had an outbreak at session this week. Do we need to pass de-coupling, cannabis, etc bills or no? Vaccinate legislators and staff so we can work. @GovPritzker

— Rep. Daniel Didech (@RepDidech) January 15, 2021

Emails show Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) was one of the state lawmakers lobbying @GovPritzker to move politicians up in vaccine line.

“It is beginning to feel like the Governor is purposely working against the legislature returning to do the work of the people,” she wrote. pic.twitter.com/UGGGfdSDH9

— Mark Maxwell (@MarkMaxwellTV) February 4, 2021

So far, neither legislator has posted follow-up tweets about the governor’s policy shift in their favor, although Rep. Didech did speak to the Tribune…

“This has been framed as politicians jumping to the front of the line, but it’s really not about that,” Didech said in a phone interview. “It’s us being responsive to our constituents who want us to get back to work and doing it in a safe way that we’re not causing superspreader events.”

*** UPDATE *** I’m told that in response to requests from legislators, the Pritzker administration will set up a central location in Springfield for state legislators to receive the vaccine in the next few weeks.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:40 am

Comments

Am I the only one who thinks the process isn’t that hard? You go to the website, enter your name and date of birth, check off a few boxes, then hit submit and for the inevitable heat death of the universe.

Comment by Too cute by half Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:47 am
Didech - just stop talking. You aren’t helping yourself and it’s an embarrassing look.

Comment by MakePoliticsCoolAgain Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:47 am
No Daniel, it really is about you jumping the line. You can work with masks and hand sanitizer like everyone else has been doing for almost a year. You don’t need all those staffers either, you can fetch your own coffee and papers off the printer.

Comment by Breezy Town Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:51 am
=Am I the only one who thinks the process isn’t that hard?=

Tell that to seniors say 80-90 plus years old. Many are alone with no access to technology. I’ve helped a number of my mother’s friends. The cook county vaccine hotline was busy/rings without answer. to see elected officials get “special treatment” including an individualized and convenient distribution is infuriating.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:52 am
==“This has been framed as politicians jumping to the front of the line, but it’s really not about that,” Didech said in a phone interview.==

==*** UPDATE *** I’m told that in response to requests from legislators, the Pritzker administration will set up a central location in Springfield for state legislators to receive the vaccine in the next few weeks.==

Seems like jumping the line to me.

Comment by Inverted Pyramid Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 11:59 am
So the politicians get their own set up to get it done? That is ridiculous What about my dad who is having a hard time getting his vaccine schedule? Get in line like the rest. Dan Didech is young and is complaining? Unless he has an underlying health risk, I see no reason he needs to go to the head of the line. I am in the grocery store with 100 people. Wear a mask, keep your distance. No wonder you rank below-used car salespeople on the scum list.

Comment by Needleme Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:03 pm
Too Cute by Half…. have you actually tried to register for a vaccine. My 81 year old mother has been trying for three weeks. She watches the Sangamon County public health site, she’s registered at Walgreens and Hi-Vee. Had to make a social security account to get her medicare card number. Stayed up until midnight and 1am the last two nights in thoughts that perhaps sites are releasing appts at midnight. I check though out the day for her. Seriously, could you be just a bit more deft or patronizing?

Comment by Saluki 1964 Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:04 pm
== “This has been framed as politicians jumping to the front of the line…” ==

That’s because it’s politicians jumping to the front of the line.

Comment by thunderspirit Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:06 pm
=== You don’t need all those staffers either, you can fetch your own coffee and papers off the printer.===

Learn what the staff actually does before you comment.

Comment by One hand //ing Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:14 pm
Do these legislators recognize you can still get covid with a vaccine and could still cause a super spreader event? Why are they pretending they deserve to be ahead of other people? They made a choice to run for office and now they think that merits skipping ahead of regular people? I hope they all get political pushback from this.

Comment by Give me a break Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:14 pm
I’m mostly outraged by Rep. Kifowit’s spelling and grammar. Take some pride in your emails people.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:15 pm
I would absolutely support politicians jumping to the head of the line if the entire process for everyone else wasn’t so taxing. I’ll save my ‘why are we the worst developed nation at this’ speech for later, though.

There are so few people in the legislature and their work is so important. And I would also support it for professional baseball players. It would be in the national interest to have the national past time back to somewhat normal.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:20 pm
Hey that Give Me A Break is not me. (the usual Give Me A Break).

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:23 pm
A smart political/humanitarian move would be to offer the “special treatment” vax to a lonely senior citizen, a teacher, a person with co-morbidities…

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:25 pm
Come for the vaccine, stay for the budget address?

Comment by Franklin Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:26 pm
Didech and Kinzinger. Two different parties but two sides of the same coin. Young. Photogenic. Always looking for attention and publicity.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:28 pm
–some or even most legislators will try to use their connections, like everyone else who has connections. That doesn’t make it right. –

No, it doesn’t. And I was shocked when you noted that legislators had requested vaccinations for themselves, but not their staffs.

That’s not right either.

Comment by dbk Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:31 pm
There are a number of legitimate reasons for allowing some people to jump the line…even in prison…where the potential punishment is nothing very nice.

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:31 pm
I hope that I am not the only one that appreciates the irony of the same people that were upset at the Governor exceeding his executive powers are now upset at efforts to protect the legislature’s ability to convene in safety.

Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:34 pm
As a University employee I’m still upset that our front line housing, dining, and cleaning employees that have been on the job since day 1 of this were specifically excluded from 1B (despite the fact that many are assigned specifically to the quarantine rooms used for COVID positive students).

With a little effort most of the legislative work could be done with proper distancing and masking protocols rather than moving them into a higher priority group. I think we should be taking care of those doing jobs that can’t be done without risk first.

Comment by tea_and_honey Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:35 pm
Karma arriving at the Capitol. Does Bailey get in line for a vaccination? Who would pay a grand for that photo?

Comment by Jibba Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:36 pm
Candy, they can mask up and keep a bottle of sanitizer handy, it’s sufficient for what they do,

Comment by Breezy Town Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:43 pm
== Karma arriving at the Capitol. Does Bailey get in line for a vaccination? Who would pay a grand for that photo?==

DeVore might offer to pay a grand. That doesn’t mean if it’s your photo he’ll give you a grand.

Comment by Fly like an eagle Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:45 pm
==Am I the only one who thinks the process isn’t that hard?==
hat may well be the case in your particular area, but in some of the rural southern counties it has been an absolute nightmare. There is no one way that local HD’s are approaching things - some HD only, some using “partner providers”. Some with no way to register period. First come first served when a clinic day is announced. Husband is high risk age 70; still unable to get an appointment and had to call our priary care provider to “get on the list” as our HD is having the hospitals do it through their clinics. So, if I don’t have a primary care provider in that hospital system - I get told no. Call HD then HD says no call the clinic.. It’s a giant cluster in some areas. For my county - no web site to sign up with period.

Comment by DownSouth Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 12:55 pm
The City of Chicago is partnering with essential businesses that employ 300 or more people to do vaccinations on site.

Other public health districts are, I assume, doing the same.

I don’t know why the don’t just innoculate all staff at the same time. It seems horribly inefficient to have people walking past a vaccination site in their own office,

And contrary to what Mark Brown says, why would we want lawmakers competing for spots at Walgreens that are also needed by seniors? To teach them a lesson?

Lawmakers didn’t create the vaccination process, nor are they defending it.

Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:02 pm
Now what about all of the other levels of government - county boards, townships, trustees and council members?

Comment by Wendy P Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:06 pm
They should absolutely have to go through the same process as everyone else and “fend for themselves” to see how dysfunctional vaccine administration is. .

Comment by Citizen Kane Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:16 pm
I’m getting so sick and tired of the hypocrisy of people. The City Council received the vaccination and not a peep was uttered. Congress including the deniers received a vaccine and everyone was quiet.

Despite what everyone thinks, legislators are people too. Considering the House (who works harder than the Senate by a mile) was forced to quarantine for two weeks after being away from their families for a week. It’s not like these people are seeking favorable treatment; they just want to do their job…

One last thing, JB’s handling of this whole situation stinks. He’s becoming more and more like Rauner. Maybe when the House voted out Madigan, they may want to continue their efforts on this guy.

Comment by Andrade's Social Media Studio Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:32 pm
Kifowit had a death in the family, I’m sure replying to this blog isn’t on the top of her list.

Comment by Paul S Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:33 pm
While I understand this decision, what I don’t understand is why higher education face-to-face employees and instructors have been left out of phase 1B. There is significant evidence demonstrating the community spread associated with colleges and universities.

Comment by John Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:37 pm
Didech should just use some of his trust-fund money that Bruce Rauner made for him and pay for a black market vaccine if he’s that worried as a healthy 30 something year old. Sheesh.

Comment by Ornery Guy Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 1:45 pm
covidiot= people who don’t wear masks, use distance, wash hands.

covidcrazy= people who are going waaayyyyyyy overboard in fear of virus.

Comment by dr Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 2:02 pm
It’s hilarious to watch politicians use populist messages in their campaigns all day long, and then be shocked (shocked!) that jumping the line in front of their constituents won’t be an issue used against them. Those that are shocked in writing are just fools.

Comment by Geezus Thursday, Feb 4, 21 @ 2:10 pm

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*** UPDATED x1 *** In which I mostly agree with Mark Brown’s take

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