Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, As I write this, I find myself trembling with anger, mitigated somewhat by incredulity and despair! We are in the midst of the greatest health crisis of our lifetimes. Nearly 450,000 Americans have died, in a few months it is likely the virus will have killed 600,000, and that number keeps going up. It is now a desperate race between life-saving vaccines and vaccine-resistant variants. In the midst of this extraordinary emergency, the Wisconsin GOP-led Senate voted to end the state-wide mandate to wear face masks.  This, despite the overwhelming opposition of health professionals, including the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Hospital Association, and many others. This mindless and selfish stupidity was supported by our senator, Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), despite the objections of several sensible Republican state senators. The fate of this truly horrible legislation now hangs in the balance as the Wisconsin State Assembly weighs its options. But it does not look good as the gerrymandered GOP majority in the Assembly is likely to support the Senate if it can. (Representative Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville), to his great credit, is committed to opposing the legislation. Congratulations, Todd!) The GOP fatuously argues that the mask mandate makes little difference. Many experts disagree and it is blindingly obvious that we need to do everything we can to fight this vile disease. Other than offending some puerile libertarian impulses, what possible damage can a mask mandate do? Who can doubt that Howard Marklein and company are happily prepared to risk the lives of Wisconsin residents in order to satisfy their base and in their determination to stay in power? David Frank Spring Green   Dear editor, Thank you to the Richland Hospital and their staff for the work you have been doing in River Valley to vaccinate area residents.  You have been doing a great job of communicating to the community. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.  Hopefully, we will be see similar actions from the outstanding Sauk Prairie medical staff. Their leadership needs to communicate their plans and activities. Eric Rapp Avoca   Dear editor, Being a snowbird in Florida is quite interesting.  We enjoy the sun, sand, and not shoveling snow.    In Florida, we have U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Florida).  He is revered in the Panhandle of Florida - never mind that he is a whacko of the first degree.  He is an avid Trumper, hanging his political future on being Trump’s cheerleader.  Whether Trump is a seditionist, a racist, an egomaniac only out for himself and his family...whether he caused untold hundreds of people misery, poverty, hunger, etc...Gaetz will deny and lie and cover for him.  How does this compare to Wisconsin?  We have Senator Ron Johnson (R-Oshkosh) our very own whacko. But we in Wisconsin have a more dangerous man in our state government. We have Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), a state senator.  Marklein is a CPA, supposed to be smart in financial matters.  And here we had Marklein vote against a mask mandate, which will now cause the state to lose millions in federal food benefits. And this is at a time when there are people in our state going hungry...when food pantry use is at an all time high.  Howard is no dummy.  He knows about power and greed, after all.  He knows that if the legislature amends the bill that ended the mask mandate and cost us millions of dollars...he knows that they can amend the bill, send it to Governor Tony Evers, who will then have to either veto it to keep the mask mandate, or allow it and lose the money….either way, Evers will look bad (through no fault of his own) and Marklein will then point his finger at what a lousy job Evers is doing.  Brilliant!!  End result will be to cost the state money and not take the blame.  Kind of like Trump causing an insurrection, a riot, loss of life...and getting away with it.  Wow...those Republicans.   Barbara Voyce Lone Rock Editor’s note: The mask mandate is in place because there is a statewide public health emergency. Without the emergency there would be no statewide mask requirement. The state is receiving additional federal food assistance aid, nearly $50 million per month, because there is a declared state public health emergency. So without the health emergency there would be no additional federal food assistance aid.