Arkansas’ GOP governor regrets ban on mask mandates; DeSantis stands in breach for parents’ rights

More and more, there seem to be two classes of Republicans in American politics. One type, as seen in Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, is easily susceptible to the day’s political pressures, and another, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is willing to boldly lead while respecting the rights of those they represent.

Back in April, when Covid-19 cases were at a low, Hutchinson signed a bill banning state and local mask mandates. Now, amid a surge of the Delta variant of the virus, the governor regrets that decision, saying: “Everything has changed now.”

“Yes, in hindsight, I wish that it had not become law,” he said at a press conference. “But it is the law and the only chance we have is either to amend it or for the courts to say that it has an unconstitutional foundation.”

To clarify, Hutchinson is now looking to the courts to say that he made the decision to sign unconstitutional legislation into law.

Suddenly, after 18 months, children are now contracting COVID-19 at a much greater rate, according to various officials. Arkansas Secretary of Health Jose Romero said this week that almost 19% of COVID-19 cases are currently among children under 18.

Gov. Hutchinson reinstated a public health emergency last week, and is asking state legislative leaders to call a special session to change the mask mandate law and give schools the ability to impose new requirements.

Other states that have banned mask mandates include Florida, South Carolina, Iowa, Texas, Vermont, Arizona and Utah.

DeSantis is being vilified by the liberal media for signing an executive order last week. The father of three young children supported a parent’s right to decide whether their children will wear masks at school.

“In Florida, there will be no lockdowns, there will be no school closures, there will be no restrictions and no mandates in the state of Florida,” the governor said on Friday.

Florida, which is a leading designation for illegal immigrants being released into the U.S. by the Biden administration, many of whom have tested positive for COVID-19, has become the epicenter of the current pandemic surge.

Social media users responding to the story have had their fill of feckless Republican leaders always opting for the politically correct thing to do.

Here’s a sampling of some of those responses from Twitter:

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