As kids get sick and die, the Arkansas legislature worries about its power and appeasing the MAGA

COVID and the kids: As kids get sick and die, the Arkansas legislature worries about its power and appeasing the MAGA crowd


Everybody is reporting today about new federal data that shows a sharp rise in pediatric COVID cases. And the apparent lack of concern by anti-mask and anti-vaccine forces (meaning the majority of the Arkansas legislature.)

As shown, the Arkansas Department of Health has begun a page on its daily report for pediatric cases.

They now account for 18 percent of all cases in Arkansas since the pandemic began. But more alarming is the trend: These cases account for 32.5 percent of current active cases. As schools report mounting cases, this percentage seems likely to increase.

Deaths are increasing among younger people.



Think about this as you watch the Arkansas legislature fight to retain dictatorial power over health policy in Arkansas. As I noted before, legal filings show loss of legislative power is more important to Arkansas legislative leaders Matthew Shepherd and Jimmy Hickey than children’s health. Their taxpayer-hired special counsel invented two laughable, embarrassing justifications for this:

1. The mask mandate ban encourages vaccinations. Two problems: kids under 12 can’t get shots and the power-mad legislature prohibited vaccination mandates as well.

2. Bans on local decision-making are necessary to keep the peace. Mandates cause dissension, your “leaders” say. God help Arkansas, they suggest, if ranting MAGA types can’t control public policy with shouts, threats, misinformation and bullying.

Read more: https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2021/09/05/covid-and-the-kids-as-kids-get-sick-and-die-the-arkansas-legislature-worries-about-its-power-and-appeasing-the-maga-crowd