WARNING: Politic Slop AND Coronavirus

Senator Cook, Representative Marshall, and Representative Horman:

I'm as sick of the covid-19 pandemic and the stress it's brought into my life and the lives of my family, co-workers, and friends, as the next person.

One thing I am particularly sick of is individuals, groups, businesses, and governments who want to regulate the response to the pandemic through politics, rather than sound science and health policy. I see such efforts being promoted by members of the state legislature, and Janice McGeachin, our lieutenant governor. I want to go on the record with my representatives in Boise as being opposed to current attempts by the state legislature to abruptly end Governor Brad Little's emergency declaration or to circumvent state and local health officials in their science-based efforts to battle the pandemic.

I currently work two jobs. Both employers take the pandemic seriously and have committed time, effort, and money to protect employees. Tragically, we still have to face the death of four co-workers, despite the best efforts put forth to protect us while keeping our jobs going and the economy open.

I applaud the efforts of many local business, which we continue to support, for the efforts they put in to maintain cleanliness and safety and to protect their workers.

I currently do volunteer work with the Boy Scouts of America, and applaud both national and local council leaders for their efforts to move forward with programs while doing their best to protect Scouts and volunteers.

I am a member of a church that has taken the pandemic seriously and moved to help congregants remain in contact with each other and the church while observing the protocols put in place both by church leadership and the state government.

I expect nothing less from my state representatives. I expect my state representatives to base policy on sound reasoning and science, not politics. I want this pandemic to end. But ending emergency declarations precipitously out of politics, rather than ending them based on sound science and health policy, is dangerous for all Idahoans, whether they support the declarations and science or not.

(Also sent to Gov. Brad Little)