From a quick glance at the standings, the Neanderthals appear to be winning.
President Joe Biden labeled states ditching mask mandates as an example of “Neanderthal thinking” last month.
But when the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday released its state-by-state scorecard on COVID-19 cases, most of the “leaders” were states run by Democrats that were clinging to mask mandates and lockdowns.
Texas, which triggered Biden’s “Neanderthal” jab, was at 62.3 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days, according to the CDC.
Meanwhile, Michigan was at 471 cases per 100,000 people; New Jersey at 335; New York at 248.7; Pennsylvania at 235.4; Connecticut at 230.4; Delaware at 223.4; Rhode Island at 216.4; New Hampshire at 204.8; and Vermont at 202.7.
The only Republican-led state in the top tier of states was sparsely populated Alaska at 231.2, even though its number of reported cases — 1,691 — was in the bottom tier of all states. For the sake of context, Michigan had 47,036 cases over the past seven days.
The state with the lowest seven-day average was Arkansas, which lifted its mask mandate on March 30. The Natural State had a rate of 36.1 cases per 100,000 of population, well below the national average of 133.8.
Although Biden has said ending mask mandates is a mistake, few governors are listening.
“Let me get this straight – POTUS Biden wants Mississippi to reverse course and reinstate a mask mandate because cases are going up in New York and New Jersey,” Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted last week.
“No thank you, Mr. President.”
Let me get this straight – POTUS Biden wants Mississippi to reverse course and reinstate a mask mandate because cases are going up in New York and New Jersey.
No thank you, Mr. President.
— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 30, 2021
Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was criticized for her state’s approach to the pandemic, which has relied on lockdowns and executive orders.
“Despite Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s onerous lockdown policies and draconian shutdown orders, Michigan is still leading the nation in new COVID-19 cases,” Ted Goodman, communications director for the Michigan Republican Party, told Fox News.
“From the start of this pandemic, Whitmer has been more focused on the political science rather than the actual science, which is why Michigan is seeing an increase, compared to most of the country, where numbers are falling.”
Republican Governors Association spokesperson Chris Gustafson also lambasted Whitmer.
“Gretchen Whitmer is asleep at the wheel while COVID-19 rages on in Michigan,” Gustafson said in a statement.
“Whether it’s cutting hush money checks, instituting deadly Andrew Cuomo-inspired nursing home policies, or hiding from her constituents, Michiganders deserve better leadership than Gretchen Whitmer.”
Story cited here.
