Pritzker opponents criticize governor’s unilateral approach to COVID-19
Send a link to a friend
[August 28, 2021]
By Greg Bishop
(The Center Square) – Candidates vying to
unseat Gov. J.B. Pritzker are criticizing his continued unilateral
approach to the state's COVID-19 response.
Pritzker, a Democrat, has been issuing executive orders for 18 months.
Democrats, who hold veto-proof majorities in both of the state's
legislative chambers, have not objected.
On Thursday, Pritzker ordered all health care employees, educators and
college students to get vaccinated. He reissued a statewide indoor mask
mandate that starts Monday. Asked if he’d call the legislature back to
deal with the issue, Pritzker wouldn't commit.
The announced Democratic challenger, Beverly Miles, had previously said
she opposes vaccine mandates, but as a nurse she said she sees the
uptick in COVID-19 cases and now supports the mandate. However, she said
the governor is wrong to issue unilateral orders.
“The health care community needs to be on board, legislation has to be
on board, and the residents of the state of Illinois need to be on
board,” Miles said. She'd call lawmakers back for big decisions, she
said.
Republican businessman Gary Rabine said the governor is acting like a
dictator.
“It is unconscionable that the Governor would mandate all school
employees to be vaccinated,” Rabine said in a statement. “It is not the
government’s role to make healthcare decisions for its citizens. This is
a dictator-like government overreach, and it is one we, as a society,
must stand up to adamantly oppose.”
[to top of second column]
|
Beverly Miles, who's vying for the Democratic gubernatorial
nomination, on WMAY Friday. Separately, state Sen. Darren Bailey,
R-Xenia, and former state Sen. Paul Schimpf and businessman Gary
Rabine on social media.
-
WMAYNews Facebook, BaileyforIllinois Facebook,
PaulSchimpfforIllinois Facebook, GaryRabine Twitter
Pritzker’s mandate is if someone can’t or won’t get vaccinated, they
must be tested for COVID-19 at least weekly.
State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, said the mandates are out-of-control
government.
“Nobody, no one, should be mandating any of this nonsense,” Bailey said.
“It’s a choice and it’s your choice.”
Former Republican state Sen. Paul Schimpf said the governor doesn't have
the moral authority, citing instances of the governor’s handling of the
LaSalle Veterans’ Home COVID-19 deaths. Schimpf also criticized majority
Democrats for letting the state be ruled by one man.
“If they feel that the circumstances are so dire, that this is such an
emergency that we need a mask mandate for everybody in doors and we need
mandated vaccination, we need to go the proper route, we need to go
through the General Assembly,” Schimpf said.
The primary for both established parties is in June 2022.
|