Arizona Democrats in the State Legislature Call for More Action from Governor Ducey and Republican Legislators to Combat COVID 19

Arizona Democratic Leaders in the State Legislature held a press event on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, and called on Governor Doug Ducey and their Republican legislator colleagues to take more steps to combat COVID 19 and help the people adversely affected by the Pandemic.

The Democratic attendees were:

• House Democratic Leader – Rep. Reginald Bolding.
• Senate Democratic Leader – Sen. Rebecca Rios.
• State Representative Dr. Randy Friese.
• State Senator Sally Ann Gonzales, Chair of Indigenous Peoples Caucus.
• State Representative Lorenzo Sierra, Latino Caucus Treasurer
• State Representative and State Senator-Elect Kirsten Engel
• State Representative Mitzi Epstein.

The consensus among the Democratic Panelists, some of whom either had COVID 19 (Representative Sierra) or lost family members (Senator Gonzales) who did, was:

• Governor Ducey and the Republicans are not doing enough to fight COVID 19 or help the people affected by it.
• We are, according to Representative Bolding, at a “crisis point.”
• Workers, children, teachers, and the most vulnerable need better protection.
• It is time to listen to the experts and medical specialists and take a science-fact-reality based approach to combat the Coronavirus Pandemic.
• Republicans, according to Senator Rios, are “more focused on fake election theories than helping Arizonans get through the very real pandemic.”
• Republicans, with their cavalier attitude towards wearing masks, hosting meetings with COVID infected Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, getting the virus, and ignoring safety guidelines during freshman legislator orientation, are jeopardizing the safety of fellow legislators and staff. Representative Sierra pointed out that Republicans and their fringe leaders are also dividing Arizonans with their false presentations that it is not necessary to deal with the Coronavirus.
• Not to rely on just getting the vaccine. Distributing it to all Arizonans will take months.
• Hospital capacity, according to Dr. Friese, is at the brink and non-COVID-related procedures, like cancer surgeries, are in danger of being delayed for some patients.
• Native American Nations like the Navajo and San Carlos, according to Senator Gonzales, are being devastated.

The Democratic Legislators called for the following measures to combat COVID 19. These included:

• A statewide mask mandate.
• No public gatherings of greater than 25 people.
• No more indoor dining.
• A 10:00 p.m. curfew.
• Postponing athletic events.
• Reform the Arizona Unemployment system and increase weekly funding for recipients. Representative Epstein will be sponsoring legislation on this.
• Making sure all schools are safe and properly funded with sustainable monies.
• Benchmarks for reopening and closing businesses and schools.
• Increased aid to renters and landlords and extending the eviction moratorium. Senator-Elect Engels called for both measures.
• Increased aid to counties and cities to stem the growth of food insecurity.
• Enforcing COVID 19 safety procedures at the state legislature.

As Senator Rios said toward the end of the event, that most of these calls to action like the statewide mask mandate, the limits on public gatherings, and the restrictions on indoor dining are temporary. They are only meant to help combat the Coronavirus and bridge the time to when everyone has been vaccinated.

It is time for Governor Ducey to stop trying to thread the needle in order not to annoy his conservative base. They already hate his guts for following the law in certifying the election for Joe Biden and Mark Kelly. He has nothing to lose by fully embracing science now.

It is also time for Republican legislators to embrace reality, facts, and scientific truth. They have been wrong at all stages of this pandemic. They need to admit their mistakes, be straight with their voters, and start working to make the Grand Canyon State safer for all Arizonans.

The Pandemic will last longer if they do not.

It is time for the members of the former Party of Lincoln to leave the world of the Trump Zone-Fox Island-Disinfowars-QAnon.