Sue Lani Madsen: Past time for Inslee to call end to this emergency

Gov. Jay Inslee’s recent press conference marked two years running the state under an emergency proclamation. He wasn’t promoting the anniversary, his big news was moving the end of the mask mandate up to March 12 and a strong condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After finishing prepared remarks at press events, Inslee always says “You may fire when ready, Gridley,” introducing question time. It’s a reference to Commodore George Dewey’s order to his friend, Charles Vernon Gridley, captain of the USS Olympia, to fire the first shots on the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in what might be described as the U.S. invasion of the Philippines in 1898.

The questions are rarely as uncomfortable for the governor as Gridley’s torpedoes were deadly for the Spanish fleet. But on Monday two reporters did ask him when he planned to terminate the emergency declaration.

A clip from TVW.org of the governor’s response would make a great Video Jeopardy answer. The question would be “What are three lame reasons for continuing a state of emergency?”

In response to the first question from an Everett Herald reporter, Inslee ticked off why he needs to operate the state as a one man show. First, hospitals need an emergency order so they can continue to require masks. Second, to protect the ability of employees to wear masks if they choose. And third, because it improves our ability to get federal funds instead of using state tax dollars, and “that’s why we need to keep this as a tool.”

Hospitals have required masks, gowns, gloves and whatever else is necessary to protect patients, staff and visitors for decades. Employees have been wearing masks at work without incident in all sorts of settings for occupational safety and personal health reasons. As the mask mandate lifts, it’s reasonable to expect Washingtonians to respect each other’s personal choices and hospital rules.

Half of all states, led by both Democrats and Republicans, terminated their 2020 emergency declarations over the past year. As federal taxpayers, Washingtonians should be embarrassed at being told our governor is keeping the emergency going just so we can game the federal government for more money.

When a reporter from KOMO pressed the question, asking “Why not end the emergency today and let (Republicans) join you in these decisions,” Inslee used it as an opportunity to fire the opening salvo in the 2022 campaign season.

“Apparently, Republicans don’t care about employees who want to wear their mask … we respect working people and they don’t … I’m standing up for working people.” And then he managed to work in a solid blast at his favorite target, Donald Trump.

“They just want and have always wanted to follow Donald Trump,” Inslee said. “That’s the central problem here. Who first said this was going to be over by Easter, then he said you can take horse deworming products and has always diminished our ability to and refused to aid the state of Washington when I asked him to help. And the Republicans in this state have followed and continue to follow him and continue to refuse to stand up to his coup attempt.”

Seems like a fairly newsworthy exchange. You’d never know the question was even asked if your only source of news is this newspaper, and that was disappointing. A front page article below the fold made reference to the new mask mandate rules as part of ongoing coronavirus coverage. A second article on page 6 quoted Inslee statements supporting Ukraine.

According to KOMO reporting, there was swift response from Senate Minority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and other Washington Republican leaders. “The governor clearly seems to believe he has made all the right moves, and he is entitled to that view,” Braun told KOMO. “He is less entitled to assign motives to members of the legislative branch who dare to question his decisions and suggest a different path.”

Washington Republican Party Chairman Caleb Heimlich told KOMO “These statements made by Gov. Jay Inslee are not only blatantly false but they help contribute to the political divide in our country. When Gov. Inslee talks about unity he should first practice it himself.”

Inslee continues to boast how well Washington state has fared under his leadership because of the decisions he has made, pointing out accurately that “our death rate in the state of Washington is one of the lowest in the U.S. and the decisions we have made have been different than other states.”

Utah seems a reasonable comparison, with a large metropolitan area and a lot of rural landscape. According to the CDC, Utah’s death rate is 131 per 100,000 versus Washington’s 149 per 100,000. Utah used a regional shutdown approach versus a statewide and lifted restrictions earlier. Utah’s public health emergency order is still in place but there is no statewide mask mandate. And in spite of strong support from LDS leadership, Utah has a higher rate of vaccine hesitancy than Washington.

Gov. Inslee might want to cultivate a touch of humility until scientists tease out what is causation and what is merely correlation. And end the state of emergency now.

Contact Sue Lani Madsen at rulingpen@gmail.com.