He’s wanting to re-open to appeal to the Reps so he can win a third term against Democrat Beto O’Rourke. I’m skeptical it will work but you never know. I think it’s a bad idea personally, just based on the numbers/ cases.

It seems like a lousy idea. I wonder if other states will reinstate strict quarantine requirements for people coming from Texas.

When is Abott up for reelection?

@janbb 2022. It’s pretty heated already though.

And Mississippi just did the same.
Texas still is in the top 10 of case counts, fyi.

I think it’s about time. I may even go to Texas just to sit inside for a meal. Deaths are way down, hospitalizations are way down, and herd immunity is kicking in. Time to start living again. I applaud his move.

@Jaxk I don’t think the science agrees that herd immunity works due to the variants already found in the US. Does that concern you at all?
I understand the economy needs it as does our collective mental health, but I am concerned about that. I’m a freedom lover but I don’t have a death wish either.

The CDC estimates that the variant will be the predominant one “by mid to late March,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday at a webinar held by the American Public Health Association.
The predicted surge is why many experts highlight the need to double down on safety measures such as face masks, social distancing and avoiding crowded areas. Helping to lower cases will also reduce the virus’ chance to spread more and mutate, experts have said.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/24/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

@KNOWITALL – No, I’m not concerned about the variants. There is no indication that they will have much impact on hospitalizations or deaths. I feel like I’m living in the movie ‘Invasion of the body snatchers’ where Everyone realizes Donald Sutherland and his girlfriend have not been converted and they all point and scream. Just like they do when someone is caught not wearing a mask.

I’m also tired of people of all the experts telling me what is or isn’t an imposition on my personal freedom.

@Jaxk: I guess only time will tell, for FL and TX, in about a month or so, when we see if the numbers (illnesses and deaths) go up or remain the same. It will be an interesting experiment and the country will be watching.

Florida has been open for long enough to get a feel already. Not much evidence that there is a problem.

@Jaxk: Yes, but they did also have a mask mandate in place, I believe.

Abbot is a freaking moron. This is a ploy and distraction. But who cares how many people croak, as long as we save money for Big Business? Had it not been for the weather disaster, the mask requirements would still be in place. I’d bet you a dime to doughnuts. But now that people are trying to sue big time, Ooopps, we need to do something!

Our Legislators in Texas are two faced money grubbing dicks anyway. This may be off topic, but its the same type of situation with the illegal migrants. The Repub politicos thrive on trashing the migrants, and support the concentration camps and separating families, in order to appeal to thier redneck dumb ass base. Yet every construction site in this state is chalk full of them. “Yeah, lets build that wall and keep the migrants out (wink wink, nudge nudge)”. No worries J.B., keep the donations coming in, and we will look the other way. Our base are too stupid and poorly educated to know the difference. END OF RANT

@Jaxk I understand, many here feel the same way.

Missouri hasn’t had much of a mask mandate (except urban areas) but case counts continue to drop. We dropped to under 5% which is the lowest since June 2020. Of course other states are just taking it a little slower.
————————————————————————————————
In Chicago, tens of thousands of children returned to public school this week, while snow-covered parks and playgrounds around the city that have been shuttered since last March were opened. Mississippi ended its mask mandate, too. Restaurants in Massachusetts were allowed to operate without capacity limits, and South Carolina erased its limits on large gatherings. San Francisco announced that indoor dining, museums, movie theaters and gyms could reopen on a limited basis.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/us/coronavirus-reopening-texas.html

Georgia (where I live) has been pretty much open since October. Almost all restaurants are open, and most of them have stopped doing spacing – they’re at almost full capacity.

There isn’t a state mask mandate any more, but almost all retailers of any size are requiring it in the stores. (Kroger, Costco, Publix, Home Depot, etc.) The local Ace Hardware has a sign “please wear masks” but nothing like “You MUST..”. Doctors offices, of course, require masks.

My grandkids have been in school since December, wearing masks.

As I wrote a couple weeks ago, most people that I see around do wear masks in public, but certainly not all,.

I think people here are generally making smart decisions. It’s the stupid ones you need to be afraid of.

I think this decision is idiotic and irresponsible. Be strict, require masks and then adjust accordingly, when things get better! People are still dying from Covid!

@baby856 But but but there is money to be saved, and law suits to avoid! What are you, some bleeding heart hippeye! Hillary Billary! Obamas’ mamma is a Mooslim! Them Dems gonna git yer guns! God guns gays! Gawd Bless Murica!

@baby856 – Things are getting better. It’s the adjustment part you seem to be arguing against.

I wish I could count the number of instances over the past year in which our leaders and so many of our citizens have underestimated this disease. Have any of you wondered how much money has accrued to those with the foresight to understand that this disease would far outpace the predictions of knucklehead governors and the chamber of commerce? The bottom line— You just cannot lose money through overestimating the irrationality of the American public.