O  SATURDAY | AUGUST 7, 2021 | PAGE A4

SYNDICATED COLUMN Policymakers disregard their own COVID mandates here’s a handy even if her mask policy device for deter- doesn’t reflect it. And T she surely considers her mining status in Amer- socializing too interesting ican society — whether and consequential to be someone feels obligated crimped by something as trifling as pandemic consis- to abide by his or her tency. own COVID rules or She’s not the first. One not. reason that Cali- fornia Gov. Gavin The true masters Newsom is under of the universe, threat of a recall the people who next month is that, imagine themselves in the midst of his the great and good state’s lockdown without which last fall, he couldn’t society cannot resist having a dinner with friends function, are the RICH LOWRY ones who preach at French Laundry but don’t practice, Syndicated columnist in Napa Valley, who mandate but one of the finest don’t comply. restaurants in the They are the mayors and country. the governors who tend At the same time, the to be at the forefront of state was prohibiting social COVID-19 lockdowns and events involving people SYNDICATED COLUMN other impositions, while be- from more than three lieving they needn’t pay at- households. tention to them themselves, At the same time, the certainly not if it might state was requiring that Once unhoused herself, congresswoman’s protest mean missing a dinner date such gatherings be held or a hair appointment. outside. forces White House to extend eviction ban This phenomenon isn’t At the same time, lockdowns were crushing the most important thing “lawmakers, our government, the levels campment continued, pressure to take about our response to the restaurants less famous, enters in the United States pricey and highly rated than have had limited protec- of government with some jurisdic- action mounted on the White House. virus, not even close. Yet, it R tion with this crisis, chose not to do On Tuesday, the CDC issued a new, understandably occupies an French Laundry. Then, there are the hair tion from eviction during the anything.” modified eviction moratorium, target- outsized place in the public exceptions to lockdowns. COVID-19 pandemic through a Banning evictions during a pandem- ing the 90% of U.S. counties with high mind and is one of the fac- House Speaker Nancy Pelo- ic makes perfect sense. Those experi- COVID-19 infection rates. tors that that has shred the combination of federal law passed si notoriously — and to her encing homelessness are often forced “I am an activist. I’m an organiz- credibility of the political by Congress in emergency relief fury — got caught violating into what the CDC calls “congregate er,” Rep. Bush said. “I got my start in and public health establish- the rules in San Francisco bills, and through emergency settings” where the coronavirus can activism after Michael Brown’s murder ment during the pandemic. during a surreptitious salon eviction moratoria declared by the spread like wildfire. Eviction bans in Ferguson in 2014. We protested Muriel Bowser, the appointment. Centers for Disease Control. This have been paired with emergency more than 400 days. We’ve protested mayor of Washington, rental assistance funds in the for years against injustices related to In Illinois, the state shut patchwork of protections D.C., is the latest official to down barbers and hairstyl- COVID-19 relief bills, so that police brutality and more, and even the demonstrate the requisite ists and Chicago Mayor collapsed on Saturday, as landlords can expect some housing crisis. There was no way that high-handedness and lack Lori Lightfoot cut a public House members fled the rent even from tenants who I can do that work at home in St. Louis of self-awareness to take are out of work. Of the $47 and then come here and see an atrocity service announcement de- U.S. Capitol, heading to her place among the most claring, “Getting your roots billion in rental assistance taking place, that I have a hand in, and memorable hypocrites of done is not essential!” their homes to begin their appropriated by Congress, just sit by and let it go.” the COVID-era. Then, Lightfoot turned long August recess. Most however, only $3 billion have As a seasoned activist, Bush knows Within days of handing around and got her hair members, that is. Con- actually been disbursed. that merely responding to crises is not down an indoor mask man- done anyway. When she, Blame is being passed enough. Three days before the evic- gresswoman Cori Bush AMY GOODMAN tion moratorium was set to expire, she date, Bowser was photo- too, got caught, her expla- around for the haphazard rental relief program. Con- introduced House Resolution 568. graphed sitting maskless at nation perfectly captured of wasn’t going Syndicated columnist gress blames the White House “The Unhoused Bill of Rights lays an indoor event. She offici- the attitude of the high-fly- anywhere. As a formerly for only giving them two days out civil rights protections,” Bush ated at a rooftop wedding ing COVID-19 hypocrites: ceremony — so far, so good unhoused single mother to pass a new eviction mora- explained. “What dignity looks like for “I’m the public face of this herself, she decided to torium. The White House says our unhoused neighbors ... The rights — then proceeded to the city. I’m on national media indoor reception where she protest the expiration of its hands are tied, pointing of every person who’s experiencing and I’m out in the public to a late June decision by the homelessness should be protected. and others didn’t mask up. e y e .” the latest eviction mor- A journalist for the conser- U.S. Supreme Court, in which They should have the same dignity as Ah, yes. To paraphrase atorium by camping out Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote, anyone who is housed.” vative Washington Examin- what Gore Vidal once said er reported on her lapse. on the Capitol steps. She “Clear and specific congres- The Alabama and Georgia affiliates about the impressive locks sional authorization (via new of the National Association of Realtors Bowser says that she was of the magazine editor Leon was joined by other House DENIS MOYNIHAN eating and drinking, which legislation) would be neces- have already filed a motion in federal Wieseltier, “She has very progressives including sary for the CDC to extend court seeking to overturn the CDC’s are allowed under her Syndicated columnist important hair!” of Massa- the moratorium.” Republicans new eviction moratorium. Meanwhile, edict, but all that’s visible Of course, the high-pro- chusetts and blame the Biden administra- coronavirus delta variant infections are on the table she’s sitting at file role of public officials tion for failing to disburse the funds, exploding across the country, pushing are a few glasses. No one is should impel them to be of Minnesota, along with scores of but the bipartisan bills that allocated hospitals beyond capacity. More than obviously eating dinner. Re- sticklers about following supporters. the $47 billion in rent relief largely 99% of recent COVID-19 deaths have gardless, since people tend their own rules. But that delegate the details of the programs to occurred in the unvaccinated popula- to eat and drink throughout would require a sense of By Tuesday, amidst mounting the individual states. tion. wedding parties, Bowser’s modesty long-ago overcome pressure from their protest, the Biden Progressive Democrats lay the failure The ongoing pandemic only high- explanation is really a justi- by the self-importance that administration extended the CDC’s to pass an eviction moratorium in part lights what activists like Congress- fication for being unmasked accompanies political pow- eviction moratorium for two additional on so-called “moderate” Democrats member Cori Bush have known all during the entire event. er and quasi-celebrity. months. who, they say, are protecting the in- along: Both housing and health care Why did she do it? Either The coronavirus hyp- “I could not walk away from this terests of large property owners. After are human rights, and until all of us are because she doesn’t really ocrites believe they live situation and go on vacation, recess, The Daily Poster reported that billion- protected, none of us is safe. consider her new mask in a hierarchical society, knowing that millions of people could aire Biden backer Grant Marcus, a real Amy Goodman is the host of “Democ- mandate that important, starkly divided between the end up on the streets,” Representative estate tycoon, donated $1 million to racy Now!,” a daily international TV/ or she considers herself too rule-makers and the suckers Bush said on the Democracy Now! the House Majority PAC, which raises radio news hour airing on more than important to be significant- who have no choice but to news hour, speaking from her protest money to help Democrats get elected 1,400 stations. She is the co-author, with ly inconvenienced by it — obey them. on the Capitol steps. She was moved, to Congress, Democratic Rep. Rashida Denis Moynihan and David Goodman, and probably both. Rich Lowry is a nationally she said, “to make sure that between Tlaib of Detroit called on members to of the Times best-seller “De- As a vaccinated person, syndicated columnist. He is 7 to 11 million people don’t end up return any donations from Marcus. mocracy Now!: 20 Years Covering the Bowser is at very low risk, on @RichLowry. forced out of their homes,” because As Cori Bush’s Capitol steps en- Movements Changing America.”

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