On Monday, a ruling out of Florida, poetic in and of itself, struck down the Biden administration’s federal mask mandate. That mandate was most infamous for forcing people to wear masks on airplanes and trains, including abusing children as young as two with the practice.
Per the ruling, the administration’s continuing to keep the mandate in place two years later violated the Administrative Procedures Act. In short, the president can not use the excuse of an “emergency” indefinitely, avoiding required comment periods and such.
In response, the White House went full-petulant child, snarking about the ruling and oddly suggesting that violence might occur due to mask-Karens getting upset people around them aren’t wearing face diapers anymore.
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell frets to Jen Psaki that there could be increased violence and tensions on airplanes because people might decide to ditch their masks.
Psaki praises her take, saying “it’s a great question” and one the White House wants to “prevent.” pic.twitter.com/v6DDgdn8jf
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 18, 2022
The administration’s demeanor made it seem as if an appeal was all but certain. Otherwise, why throw a fit about the ruling and suggest violence will occur if the mandate isn’t reinstated?
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Yet, Tuesday brought about an unconditional surrender. It appears, barring some last-minute change of mind, that the federal masking debacle is officially over.
BREAKING! White House will NOT appeal the ruling. This is it. This is where it all ends.🤯
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) April 19, 2022
I did somewhat predict this in my original piece on the ruling, noting that it was likely that the administration would now just let the two-week extension lapse.
Given the mandate was only extended for two weeks and is set to expire soon anyway, it’s likely the administration just lets it lapse and moves on. Had this victory not been delivered, though, who knows how long they would have kept re-upping it. This is why it’s important to fight.
Ask yourself whether Biden and his handlers would have allowed the mandate to end without a fight had people not stood up and challenged the mandate? I think we all know the answer to that, and it’s really great to see a payoff in this instance. Without this ruling, there’s little doubt the White House, in conjunction with the CDC, would have not only re-extended the mandate but would have kept the ability to reenact in their back pocket as we head into the summer/fall wave, given that the virus is endemic now. That power has been taken from them now, and far too late for comfort.
A victory is a victory, though, and kids can now breathe easy while adults can eat their peanuts without being hounded by some flight attendant on a power trip. Let’s hope the insanity of making toddlers cover their faces, among other things, never returns.
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