Asshole Anti-Vax Republicans Must Wear Masks

 Rubin:

House members on Wednesday voted down a Republican proposal to end the chamber’s mandate that lawmakers wear masks while on the floor (although not when talking). As Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) explained at her news conference on Thursday, this is in keeping with the advice of the Capitol’s attending physician, who says masks are still necessary because so many (Republican) members remain unvaccinated.

Pelosi observed that Republicans have only themselves to blame for the ongoing mask mandate. “It is unfortunate that a large number of people in the Congress have refused to be vaccinated or … have been vaccinated and don’t want to admit it.” She says she can’t tell which because of medical privacy. “It’s their personal business,” she said. “But … as the doctor said, until they are vaccinated, we cannot have meetings without masks.” Her ire rising, she observed, “We have a responsibility to make sure that the House of the Representatives chamber is not a petri dish because of the selfishness of some.”

In a throwaway line, she suggested the alternative to the mask mandate could entail sticking members who refuse to be vaccinated up in the House gallery. “I mean, we could come to a place where we say, if you don’t want to wear a mask and … if you’re not vaccinated, don’t even come to the floor,” she said. “We have facilities up above in the Gallery where people can come to vote.” Maybe put them behind a plastic screen, too? The idea is comical, but it gets to a serious issue: The burden of pandemic restrictions should eventually fall on the unvaccinated.