Face-Covering Sunset

The federal face-covering mandate on public transportation to combat COVID, which is set to expire on May 3, was originally supposed to expire yesterday, April 18.  Ironically, a federal judge in Florida decided to put the kibosh on it yesterday.

Federal judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle (above), of the Middle District of Florida, struck down the mandate, saying that it exceeded the authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and added that the CDC had not properly followed notice and comment procedures.  Calling the mandate "arbitrary and capricious," Judge Mizelle added in her opinion, "Wearing a [face covering] cleans nothing. At most, it traps virus droplets. But it neither 'sanitizes' the person wearing the [face covering] nor 'sanitizes' the conveyance," Mizelle wrote.

If you suspect that Judge Mizelle is a conservative lackey who knows nothing about science, you're on the mark; the 35-year-old jurist was appointed by Trump despite her lack of judicial experience and had clerked for Clarence Thomas.  She was also rated by the American Bar Association as "not qualified" because she had never tried a case in a courtroom.  Also, as noted, she serves in Florida, her home state.  Florida is one of 21 states suing to get the public transport face-covering mandate thrown out.  Florida, however, is not a state known for heavy usage of public transportation.  It is, though, known as a state where high-speed rail was stopped - twice!

Aah, I don't care.  I mean, I'm resigned to the fact that this COVID pandemic will likely last until the end of time (which could be any day now) and I don't need to worry about it because I'm never going to take a bus, a train, or a jet airliner anywhere ever again.  Oh, yeah, I'm still debating whether or not to shred my never-used passport.

The Justice Department is looking into the possibility of appealing Judge Mizelle's ruling.

The Miller's Tale

The economic stimulus bill finally passed, and President Obama will sign it possibly as early as Tuesday. I got to thinking that the Republicans will do everything to stop it not because of the cost or the insufficient (for them) number of tax cuts, but for the fact that this bill will take money from some to help someone else.

For example, Republican Representative Candace Miller of Michigan voted against it in part because the bill is helping to finance bullet trains, particularly one to run between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Now why would she object to federal funding for bullet trains - indeed, all public transportation, as she intimated?

Gee, maybe because the preponderance of public transportation would cut into the very profitable business of Michigan's best known product - cars?

Rachel Maddow inexplicably couldn't see the logic of the Congresswoman's vote.

Expect Representative Miller to be very supportive of any future economic stimulus measure specifically aimed at highway spending.