Arkansas' governor defends decision to approve a statewide ban on mask mandates

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: CNN

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Sunday defended his decision to approve a statewide ban on face mask mandates earlier this year, citing a low coronavirus case rate at the time -- a rate that is now rapidly rising.

"Well, that was the will of the General Assembly. I signed it. At that point we had very low case rates in Arkansas and people knew exactly what to do. They were capable of making their decisions," Hutchinson, a Republican, told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" when asked about his decision to approve the ban in April.

The governor added that when he approved the law, which is set to go into effect this week, the state "shifted to the emphasis on vaccination" and that its guidelines "continue to say if you're not vaccinated, you should wear a mask."

"That is the guideline that we have in place but we don't have a mandate because that was held back from the legislature," Hutchinson said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/arkansas-governor-defends-decision-to-approve-a-statewide-ban-on-mask-mandates/ar-AAMxQVv?li=BBnb7Kz

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Because you know freedumb.

[bronxiteforever]

1. Yup. freedum from the Dumblican party.

[IronLionZion]

2. Dems would do well to mask up anyway

[dalton99a]

3. Let nature take its course. Do not interfere.

[WhiteTara]

4. Cruelty is the point

I call the gov's office everyday to remind him that he has blood on his hands.

[monkeyman1]

26. an now we got shs running for governor!!

that makes about as much sense as putin running for secretary of health dept.!

[stillcool]

5. red states like covid

as ye sow...

[relayerbob]

6. Um, no, many people clearly DON'T know what to do

[SarcasticSatyr]

7. It certainly seems like they given in to TFG's evil plan ..

Of essentially just letting it burn through the population .

[GB_RN]

8. Let Them Kill Their Own Voters

[onetexan]

25. second that

[progree]

9. Article left out that ARKANSAS IS NUMBER 1 IN THE NATION in average daily new cases per 100,000

population: 56. (7 day moving average), and that number increased 141% in past 14 days (actually moving average for 7 days ending 7/24 compared to moving average for 7 days ending 7/10)

Followed by these next highest states in daily new cases per 100,000, in descending order: #2 Louisiana, #3 Florida, #4 Missouri, #5 Mississippi, #6 Alabama, #7 Nevada, #8 Alaska, #9 Oklahoma, #10 Kansas, #11 Wyoming, #12 Texas, #13 Utah, #14 Arizona,...

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

U.S. overall daily new case average is 15 per 100,000 and increasing 172% in past 14 days (actually moving average for 7 days ending 7/24 compared to moving average for 7 days ending 7/10).

The article did mention that Arkansas has a sky-high 19.32% positivity rate

This one shows the positive test rates:
https://covidactnow.org/?s=21021023

Edited to include "per 100,000" in the title rather than first line for visibility. Florida is #1 in daily new cases, but not in daily new cases per capita

[Hestia]

14. At least people getting vaccinated has jumped up too - I guess all it took was GQP

mask & vax-holes to finally say get the vaccine and like lemmings GQP followers fall right in line.

[Escurumbele]

18. I thought Florida was...60% increase in Florida

[progree]

21. Florida is number one in daily new cases, but not in daily new cases per capita

Florida cases are growing fast: +208% in 14 days (that's 3.08 fold).

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

[Texaswitchy]

10. We have a bad governor here.

I am wearing my mask all day working in the yard.

It is no big deal to wear a mask.

I have allergies, the mask is my friend.

What is the problem.

Of course the Republicans want people dead for political reasons.

Wear your mask and stick it to the Republicans.

Survive the hell that is coming.

Double or or triple your masks.

Stay alive.

I have had walking pneumonia,. it was not fun.

[Hestia]

11. WTF happened when our backs were turned that state Legs say they can supercede/overrule Public

Health Systems? Is this codified in laws or statues somewhere? Or is Legs saying they can and no one fights back on these "rules," which is what I think it is.

I want to see it in writing dammit - cite the damn statue

Is it another something that Democrats will have to fix in a long long list of fixes?

[rickyhall]

12. Yup they know what they're doing. Last Walmart visit, me and one other person wore a mask.

[lonely bird]

13. People are capable of making decisions...

Yes, they are. They are also capable of making stupid decisions which can damage others. In point of opinion, they are more likely to make stupid decisions.

[monkeyman1]

15. that's what got us in this fucking mess ! think about it !!!!!

[Mysterian]

16. Murdering people to own the libs

Banning a reasonable public health measure is insanity.

[Escurumbele]

17. They need a spike on the virus, DeSantis is winning that competition and they won't have any of it

DeSantis is too popular for doing stupid things, why can't they di stupid things as well?

[Pobeka]

23. per capita AR is worse than FL right now.

[LiberalFighter]

19. He apparently doesn't understand the duties of a Governor.

It doesn't mean kowtowing to the state legislators.

[Skittles]

20. these people need to STOP CALLING THEMSELVES PRO-LIFE

THIS IS RIDICULOUS

[Pobeka]

22. Hard to know where to pin the blame, but thousands more AR residents are going to die.

People who like to be led are going to do what the culture and leaders asks of them.

No mask means COVID is no big deal. Bad messaging...

[StClone]

24. Masklessness protected under the Arkansas Constitution (adopted 1874)

Article 19 is entitled "Miscellaneous Provisions" and covers miscellaneous items.[2]

As where Arkansas sees fit to limit its population herein, it is incumbent on person(s) to increase mortality for the sake of the United States survival. Reckless, endangerment is therefor encouraged to incapacitate, neuter, maim, render null, sterilize, or incite self eraser as each Arkansas person sees fit. Methods shall include, in form and manner, of self-inflicted, arms, fireworks, denial of adequate health care, exposure to known deathly pathogens, poisons... ,

[C Moon]

27. He'll be back tracking soon.

[hadEnuf]

28. Screw 'em. If they don't like it then they can recall the governor.

People need to use their common sense instead of goose stepping behind complete idiots like Hutchinson and Trump.

You can only try to save people from themselves so much. Protect yourself and yours instead.

[LymphocyteLover]

30. this sort of thing is just pure evil

[Seinan Sensei]

31. You cannot come into the Little Rock VA

... without a mask