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* Gov. Pritzker today before taking questions from the news media…
The executive order requiring masks [in schools] is still in place. School districts that aren’t part of the [Tom DeVore] lawsuit should follow the executive order. Everyone should feel comfortable wearing their masks to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe.
As for the JCAR action, we filed the rule as a procedural step to simply keep the status quo in place while the appellate court considers our appeal. The JCAR members preferred a different procedural route to suspend the rule while waiting for an appellate court ruling. I think we share the common view that we need to get a ruling. And either way the next step is to hear from the appellate court and go from there.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* And, to be clear, it was the House Democrats on the equally divided committee who provided the votes to suspend the school mask/vax/test mandate emergency rule…
Democratic state Rep. Mike Halpin of Rock Island said he was voting to block the revised rule from taking effect because “we’re currently in a situation where the (temporary restraining order) says this rule is not enforceable.”
“It’s possible, if not probable, that this might change on appeal, but for now as we sit here, for that reason, I’ll vote” to block the rule, Halpin said.
Two other Democrats who voted with Republicans, Chicago Reps. Curtis Tarver and Frances Ann Hurley, gave the same reasoning. Democratic Sens. Bill Cunningham and Tony Muñoz, both of Chicago, voted “present.”
* Back to the governor. So, if the executive order is still in effect, he was asked, why even file emergency rules?…
Well, again, the order is in effect. We’re now trying to deal with an errant decision by a judge in one county, one particular judge, you know, it’s thrown everybody into a state of confusion. And we’re trying to get the appellate court to address it because it was wrongly decided.
He also said the judge’s decision “leaves out entirely a section of the law that she obviously either didn’t read or didn’t want to address.”
* Pritzker was also asked if he was worried about a rise of cases as schools make masks optional…
Look, I think that people of goodwill are trying to make good decisions for their community ,for the people who were in schools every day, whether they’re superintendents making those decisions, or school board members, or teachers and parents who are at the school every day often. And so, there’s in my view, from the very beginning I’ve been focused on trying to keep people healthy and safe in schools and outside of schools. Schools have been an unusual environment as you know, where five days a week, six to eight hours a day. People are interacting in the hallways running into each other. They’re in rooms together. Sometimes piled into rooms together. While we’ve had a global pandemic that has caused a lot of sickness and death.
I’d want to remind you all that we still have about 1500 people with COVID in the hospital today, that’s not near where we were when we removed masks last summer. One of the reasons that we set a date for removal of masks more broadly in indoor spaces on February 28 is we wanted to continue to see the decline of hospitalizations in our state. And we think we hope, just watching them you know they’re 150 fewer today, I think than yesterday. 200 plus, the day before fewer. So this is all good directionally and I’m pleased. But again, we have to be careful, the pandemic’s not over. This disease is still out there. We’re just all learning I think over the course of the last two years to make sure that we’re managing properly so that if another variant were to come, that we’re not so quick to have everybody removing their masks. And you saw this, delta was taking a dive, I think we were all very optimistic and then you can watch, look at the graphs of it. You saw it coming down and then you saw omicron taking us up again and these are all very big concerns. So waiting, watching and very hopeful for February 28.
…Adding… Oops. Meant to post this Pritzker comment about Republican critics and left it out…
There are an awful lot of views over there that people have had that are causing more sickness. They’re the ones who didn’t want masks in the first place in schools, who didn’t want any mitigations and thought that would be okay.
…Adding… To his point about declining hospitalizations…
Illinois has the fewest number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 since November 17.
New admissions are down to 122. pic.twitter.com/zAZShar3HN
— John_Sahly (@JSahly) February 16, 2022
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:09 pm
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Am I the only one who grimaced just a tad when he used the arsonist calling the fire department analogy? Maybe not the best day for that analogy?
Comment by DownSouth Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:14 pm
This guy has been our Governor for three years now and he continues to impress me with his ability frame issues and keeping his eye on the over all goal of doing what’s best for Illinois.
Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:15 pm
I have a question- the EO 2021-18 says that the schools are to follow the joint guidance issued by IDPH. The admin. rule for that guidance was rejected by JCAR. So there is no guidance by IDPH that’s in effect. Which would mean that portion of the EO which needs the rules to work, would be pretty much moot. So how is the EO still in effect if the guidance that implements the EO is no longer there?
I don’t understand.
Comment by JustAGuy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:18 pm
Governor Pritzker deserves a lot of praise for all of his efforts to protect students in school during the pandemic. He has stepped up like no one else. Now, he’s left battling it out in court while the legislature does nothing. The courts pander to Devore and the police cater to extremists. Pritzker is the only one working to keep schools, faculty and students safe.
Comment by Illinois Parent Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:23 pm
Candy -
Agree 100%.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:27 pm
Seconded, Candy.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:28 pm
Is it time to abolish JCAR?
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:30 pm
= the judge’s decision “leaves out entirely a section of the law that she obviously either didn’t read or didn’t want to address.” =
She read it, and it’s pretty clear the more you read the courts published opinion. It is written to very carefully try to navigate around that contradiction, and others, in order to support the outcome.
The conclusion seems to have been decided first, then the work went into working backward from the endpoint to attempt to justify it.
I can’t predict the future, but if this decision stands in its current form the amount of laws that are going to have to be quickly changed to avoid borderline catastrophes in most public safety agencies is going to be impressive.
The real circus comes when parts of the state along a river flood, and lead to an emergency declaration. With “due process” the way the judge defines it, the local emergency response teams under this courts opinion are now almost completely neutered.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:32 pm
Let’s get on the abolishing JCAR bandwagon. All these GOPers were like yes, we finally get a say. Um no, less than 10 of you got a say in policy that impacts the whole state.
Comment by Long year Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:33 pm
= procedural step=
Yeah, that’s a good one.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:35 pm
Sorry to all the anti-mask nutballs.
But every time Pritzker talks about masks, he makes sense.
JCAR ? On the wrong side of public safety.
Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:35 pm
Joint Cowards on Administrative Rules
Comment by get real Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:44 pm
I don’t think anyone envisioned a never ending emergency. Emergency powers and orders are, by implied definition, temporary in nature. They have to end at some point.
Once again, I’ll blame the Legislature for the confusion. They had 2 years to clarify the extent of the Governor’s Emergency Powers.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:45 pm
I also agree with Candy’s sentiments. I also applaud the Governor’s masterful use of “fewer”–he clearly was paying attention when he was in school. I cringe when I hear “less” used when fewer is the correct term!
Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:51 pm
32nd Ward Roscoe Village, you need to use less exclamation points if you want your comments to appear. /s
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:52 pm
Some of you might remember when they added JACR language to every bill during the Rod vs Madigan war. That was fun, watching all the Gov’s legislative liaisons in every committee, opposing every bill because of JCAR language. Fun times.
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:54 pm
=== Fun times===
Let’s never do that again. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:55 pm
“Let’s never do that again.” Amen Brother, preach.
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:55 pm
Governors own… until the others want to take the responsibility of what happens next in a global pandemic.
We’ll see how polling will see Pritzker’s handling of the virus again, and if this “politicizing” of an “end” that the virus may not agree with, works for the loud minority.
To the overall, (JCAR, Lawsuits, etc)
The loophole folks are going to parse any words the governor has as a win for them, not the governor, but with the idea that the virus is beatable if they “beat” Pritzker.
So… there’s that I suppose
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:57 pm
==Let’s never do that again. lol==
Rod’s shenanigans especially during 2007 OT in Hell was what endeared me to CapFax ever since.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:58 pm
Dems on JCAR let down the party, and the Illinois people. They got the politics wrong on this, and are splintering the party in dealing with a public health matter of importance. It’s worse then horrible, and wreaks of special interests.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:59 pm
The problem is that the pandemic has been a multi-year problem. It’s not the governor’s use of emergency power that has been the problem, but too many people who are too selfish to take simple measures to contain the disease. Furthermore, we have a political party spouting misinformation and making anti-public heatlh laws for partisan purposes.
We’ll get through this pandemic, but not as soon as we could have and certainly not because of the efforts of state legislatures.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 12:59 pm
==32nd Ward Roscoe Village, you need to use less exclamation points if you want your comments to appear. /s ==
Touche!!!
Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:02 pm
I liked JCAR better when they battled with Rod especially on health care and free rides for seniors.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:07 pm
The recall of the three SF school board members are tea leaves for any dem that wants to keep doing what’s been done the last two years in regards to school. This would be the case in any state or race at my opinion. 2022 is like to see the rise of the K-12 voter and it will be interesting to see how they are courted.
Comment by TiredOfIt Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:08 pm
== They got the politics wrong on this ==
Don’t confuse statewide politics with individual legislative district politics.
Comment by Mischievous Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:09 pm
=== The recall of the three SF school board members===
It’s really not.
If all politics is local and folks want local control, how locals handle things elsewhere is nothing of any sort.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:16 pm
Say what you will, JCAR wouldn’t have pulled this cowardly stunt in the Madigan-Cullerton era.
Comment by northsider (the original) Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:17 pm
Given it’s bipartisan structure, JCAR naturally gives the party not in control of the governor’s office the ability to obstruct. We’re just noticing it now because the pandemic has created an avalanche of emergency rules related to a red hot political controversy, rather than JCAR’s usual agenda of obscure bureaucratic procedures.
Comment by Telly Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:18 pm
How typical, “abolish JCAR”…. the judge didn’t rule how we liked, remove her from the bench…. JCAR didn’t vote how we like…abolish them. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
Comment by Deputy Sheriff Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:19 pm
==He also said the judge’s decision “leaves out entirely a section of the law that she obviously either didn’t read or didn’t want to address.”===
Dummy. Criticize sitting judges- great strategy. All we keep hearing is how people can’t or don’t read things. After a while you might pull out a mirror you great scribes.
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:20 pm
== JCAR wouldn’t have pulled this cowardly stunt in the Madigan-Cullerton era. ==
JCAR did the exact same thing with a pandemic-related rule in May of 2020, when Madigan was Speaker.
Comment by Mischievous Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:23 pm
It appears what happened in San Francisco was more about things like moving a high school admission’s policy from merit to lottery, renaming schools, reducing gifted student programs, & keeping the schools closed.
Comment by Blake Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:26 pm
==The recall of the three SF school board members are tea leaves for any dem==
…that routinely displays racism against 33% of their constituents.
Anyone hoping that the SF recalls foretells a wave of voters aching for infections needs to touch some grass and look at all the factors at play in those elections.
==2022 is like to see the rise of the K-12 voter and it will be interesting to see how they are courted. ==
All the data indicates that K-12 parents- like me- remain strongly in favor of masks in schools.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:26 pm
A triple banned punctuation post? Someone is being tested(banned punctuation). 😉
Comment by Lurker Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:28 pm
JCAR did the right thing, for the right reasons already well-explained by the members. There is no reason to allow an administrative rule that is the subject of something already being challenged in the courts, and with an “appeal instanter” in progress. If JCAR passed it, another lawsuit could have been filed, which is why they didn’t pass it until the appeals are concluded. Why get everybody in court AGAIN when it’s avoidable??
Comment by thisjustinagain Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:39 pm
TiredOfIt
Not only are you off-topic, but you are way off-base on the facts of the SF recall. Try to read beyond the Fox chyron sometime.
Comment by Not a Superstar Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 1:42 pm
==Dummy. Criticize sitting judges- great strategy.==
Are you suggesting she is so thin-skinned or lacking in ethics as to retaliate?
Re JCAR, maybe a superminority should have fewer members on it.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 2:02 pm
The SF vote demonstrates what conservatives will start doing (have already begun) in localities across America. All politics is local but increasingly nationalized.
Frustrating to see the same conservatives who have helped spread disinformation across the state, discouraging mask wearing, attacking mask wearers, continuing to radicalize a public health issue. Democrats had better buckle up for a bumpy political season where trying to do the right thing for the good of all has been demonized by the red media echo chamber.
Comment by here we go Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 2:08 pm
==Dummy. Criticize sitting judges- great strategy.==
But insulting sitting Governors, *that’s* wisdom.
They’re all public officials. They all get their turn in the spanking machine.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 2:53 pm
-Mischievous
A pandemic is a statewide issue, not a local one. And there are Dems on JCAR from the city and near city that did not stand for the sitting Gov while he seeks to deal with the statewide health issue. It was foolish yet plays to special interests in the business community. That’s what I see…
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:08 pm
==Are you suggesting she is so thin-skinned or lacking in ethics as to retaliate?==
Maybe suggesting the entire judiciary are very parochial and protective of each other and a Governor should be smarter. He needs the judiciary more than most governors.
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:09 pm
===He needs the judiciary more than most governors.===
Judges rule within the law and applying the law.
If you’re suggesting their feelings are involved…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:11 pm
==Frustrating to see the same conservatives==
Stay here. You’ll see few, if any. -”Red media echo chamber”….wow.
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:12 pm
==Maybe suggesting the entire judiciary are very parochial and protective of each other==
This isn’t really true. Judges front some protection of “The Judiciary”- especially when their own prestige is threatened- but they don’t really expend much energy to protect individual judges from being told they’re wrong. It’s like every other profession- if they like you, they’ll defend you, if they don’t, they won’t. Grischow isn’t exactly disliked, but she isn’t really part of “the club”, either.
==He needs the judiciary more than most governors. ==
That’s not really true, either. Every Governor’s actions are subject to litigation. Even if you want to talk about the emergency orders, those are all fading away in the next few months.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:19 pm
==If you’re suggesting their feelings are involved…==
I’ll simplify. It’s dumb for the Governor to insult the Judge. He is not Maximus, and he clearly doesn’t have the crowd. Quietly wait on your appeal. He ticks off moms with school children, he might as well move back into the mansion with no potty. They aren’t the forgiving type.
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:26 pm
=== He is not Maximus===
If you, or others, are comparing the governor to Maximus, odds are you’re not his constituency anyway.
We’ll see in a couple months how polling will be to the pandemic, if Pritzker is still above water, then it’s not really a thing.
The governor has been extremely successful in litigation, even if he loses this, and losing also makes him a martyr to those who seem to poll that they want masks and precautions.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:32 pm
==It’s dumb for the Governor to insult the Judge.==
lol, I guarantee you that Grischow has heard so much worse than “didn’t read or didn’t want to talk about”.
==He is not Maximus,==
But the judge is apparently above reproach.
==he clearly doesn’t have the crowd==
Is it that clear? Polling indicates that most voters still support school mask mandates. Rich just had a story about this last week.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:32 pm
=== It’s dumb for the Governor to insult the Judge===
Meh. I might normally agree with you, but this opinion, man. When the judge wrote “This type of evil” the judge went way too far. Pushback is totally warranted.
Same with that goofball who griped about his constitutional right to fish.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:33 pm
https://capitolfax.com/2022/02/14/cbs-news-poll-by-56-44-margin-americans-want-statewide-mask-mandates-while-57-percent-of-parents-want-masks-required-in-schools-compared-to-36-percent-who-want-them-optional/
*Clearly* the voters have turned on Pritzker on the mask issue, obviously of course.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:34 pm
===When the judge wrote “This type of evil” the judge went way too far. Pushback is totally warranted.
Same with that goofball who…===
That’s where I was going with asking about feelings… the initial ruling had “evil” which already got into a personal feeling on the issue…
It’s not like, say Rod, who was in a trial for his freedom goading a judge… this is a seated governor following, to him and his office, the law.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:37 pm
==When the judge wrote “This type of evil” the judge went way too far.==
To be fair, that language is used in a lot of legal writing, to the extent that judges and lawyers don’t really picture Sauron and Darth Vader when they read it. But Grischow could have or should have known that this opinion was going to be read by a much wider audience.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:39 pm
==he might as well move back into the mansion with no potty=
Voters rejected your potty fixation last election. And given the most recent GOP president flushed official documents you might want to move on from the topic.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:40 pm
==It’s not like, say Rod, who was in a trial for his freedom goading a judge==
It’s also like…man, if “didn’t read or didn’t want to discuss the law” is an insult, what isn’t? What do you think the appeal is going to be based on? If saying things like this is verboten, then Pritzker’s only alternative is to just accept the ruling and drop the mask mandate in schools…which, according to polling, would tick off those moms of school children…
But, y’know, let’s be clear, the source of this argument, this is someone who dislikes Pritzker and wants him to lose.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:44 pm
I’ve seen the polling articles you’ve cited. I’m not sure of the efficacy of anyone’s polls on much these days. I do know what I’m seeing happening; SD after SD are going to voluntary whether affected by the suit or not. I think their polling is saying something. like the number of phone calls and contacts they’ve received along with student and parent reaction are demonstrating something far different than what that poll might say.
I”m willing to agree that the judge has heard many other tough criticisms over time. She’s a judge. The standard for what a Governor with slews of Comm people around is a bit higher.
One assumes her characterization is how she interprets this case. I haven’t even heard anyone here say she’s some extremist of some kind. Bringing the Fishing Judge in is a red herring. Different case, different place.
Don’t know what the appellates are going to say.Do know they haven’t said it yet and that may say something?
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 3:55 pm
=== I’m not sure of the efficacy of anyone’s polls on much these days. I do know what I’m seeing happening===
How I missed the precinct captain with the largest precinct, speaking for others, AND ignoring existing polling.
No wonder you’re a Trumpkin.
=== I”m willing to agree that the judge has heard many other tough criticisms over time. She’s a judge. The standard for what a Governor with slews of Comm people around is a bit higher.===
You supported Rauner and Trump, and you have a higher standard? This has to be a gag.
===Bringing the Fishing Judge in is a red herring. Different case, different place.===
You wanted to discuss “feelings”, ok, here are instances where judges had “feelings” and might be a lil weak in law?
Still the same ole from ya…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:02 pm
==I haven’t even heard anyone here say she’s some extremist of some kind.==
Perhaps not but her refusal to cover her nose with the mask in open court may be a clue as to her personal views, which should not influence a ruling.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:09 pm
==I’m not sure of the efficacy of anyone’s polls on much these days.==
That’s how I feel when they say things I don’t like, too.
== I do know what I’m seeing happening==
I’m not sure of the efficacy of anyone’s anecdotes on much these days.
==like the number of phone calls and contacts they’ve received along with student and parent reaction are demonstrating something far different than what that poll might say. ==
Who’s “they”? Because Pritzker’s actions are consistent with the polling.
==The standard for what a Governor with slews of Comm people around is a bit higher.==
Right, but you want it to be lower, so that the very things an appeal will say are considered “insults”.
==I haven’t even heard anyone here say she’s some extremist of some kind.==
As a trial judge, she hadn’t ruled on these kinds of cases very often. This was her first one that garnered real attention, and the people who really analyze these things were certainly surprised at how bold her language was.
==Do know they haven’t said it yet and that may say something? ==
Probably not, and I’d once again caution you in marrying your hopes to your analysis. Judges make their own schedules, and you can’t really read anything into them.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:10 pm
==How I missed the precinct captain ===
Be honest. You didn’t miss anyone.
==Still the same ole from ya…==
And you have reinvented yourself? You remain who I thought you were. I rarely visit and even more rarely comment because you and it have become even less interesting.
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:10 pm
==Perhaps not but her refusal to cover her nose with the mask in open court may be a clue as to her personal views, which should not influence a ruling. ==
A lot of people smarter than me (And there’s *a lot of people smarter than me*) noted that the entire way she conducted the trial predicted her ruling.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:12 pm
Am I off base to be reminded of The Kyle Trial?
Comment by The Velvet Frog Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:15 pm
===You didn’t miss anyone.===
How do you know?
===And you have reinvented yourself? You remain who I thought you were.===
And to bring this back to any part of relevance, those who claim this GOP as such and see me, as you just said, exactly the same, and can’t grasp how the GOP has lost its way, I miss you, and the devolution of the ILGOP thru Rauner, thru Trump… personified. I miss that.
===I’m not sure of the efficacy of anyone’s polls on much these days. I do know what I’m seeing happening===
I don’t miss anecdotal. Nope. Not one bit.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:18 pm
==Probably not, and I’d once again caution you in marrying your hopes to your analysis. Judges make their own schedules, and you can’t really read anything into them.==
Don’t have any hopes to marry on this really. I’ve read and seen reported countless times that this Emergency Appeal would garner a decision today, then the next day, and so on.
School Districts in my area are reacting consistently toward voluntary. It’s not really anecdotal. These policy changes are being extensively covered. I humbly submit 57% favoring masking is a number I’d really look into. School Boards and Superintendents seem to believe otherwise in these very large suburban school districts.
Comment by A Guy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:19 pm
===I humbly submit 57% favoring masking is a number I’d really look into.===
Where? Facebook?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:21 pm
=== School Districts in my area are reacting consistently toward voluntary===
As opposed to how many that are going deeper into either a further lockdown type of things or pre-vaccines rules?
There’s only one way this is going, it’s not a measure of two sides.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:26 pm
RNUG
I couldn’t agree more. The governor needs to stop this and start blaming the house. They are the real failures here.
Comment by The Dude Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:40 pm
==There’s only one way this is going, it’s not a measure of two sides. ==
This is kind of reminiscent over the attempts to count how many municipalities adopted “Turnaround Agenda” resolutions in the early Rauner era, lol.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:50 pm
No governor (nor mayor nor president) should run government unchecked through executive orders with no checks from a co-equal branch, especially for 2 years. Regardless if you agree with the policies or not, it shouldn’t be done this way and no one should be championing it (what goes around tends to some around). The Governor has had time to work with a legislature that was friendly to him and did not. Simple enough.
Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:52 pm
==The Governor has had time to work with a legislature that was friendly to him and did not.==
Eh. Let’s be honest: The legislature wasn’t involved because it didn’t want to be involved. It mostly supports what Pritzker has done, and *definitely* wants him to take all the heat for it.
And even the JCAR episode is consistent with that- Pritzker’s EOs stand, after all.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:54 pm
=== No governor (nor mayor nor president) should run government unchecked through executive orders with no checks from a co-equal branch, especially for 2 years.===
This is an unfair assertion on both sides of your concern.
In the end, the unintended consequences of a legislature wanting the governor to “own” the hard choices was never the majority of legislators wanting to insert themselves in this pandemic, nor was it a governor tamping down legislative involvement where a majority may have felt differently.
It *is* the ridiculous assertion by folks who want to seem willing to engage but were denied.
Now it’s the political levy that is shaky, not the legal means to how it was built… or we will see if that levy breaks with a ruling.
===The Governor has had time to work with a legislature that was friendly to him and did not. Simple enough.===
It was simple enough, the chambers didn’t wanna be on the hook, and they sat it out.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 4:58 pm
Based on a TV news report last night, COVID hospitalizations are fewer and ICU use is less than when the mask mandate was implemented. COVID should be a strong issue for Pritzker, because following science and health experts really works. His opposition is yelling that he is taking away personal freedoms but doesn’t give a whit about public health (except for when it did while supporting mandates prior to running for governor). Most people side with public health.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 5:52 pm
I wouldn’t call less than two years “never ending.” Some folks really enjoy hyperbole.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Feb 16, 22 @ 6:00 pm
==have become even less interesting==
Sorry you’re bored from saying “I think the polls are wrong because all the things I choose to reference indicate that all the things I want to happen will happen” over and over. Might I suggest not doing that? Definition of insanity and all that.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Feb 17, 22 @ 7:19 am