By Greg Sargent
Columnist
Today at 10:45 a.m. EST
Almost immediately after Glenn Youngkin unexpectedly won the Virginia gubernatorial race, some observers spied a tantalizing possibility: Youngkin might show that in today’s Trumpified GOP, there’s still a place for a center-right politics that rebuffs Donald Trump’s worst impulses and charts a new route to a right-leaning majority.
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But Youngkin is already going full Trumpist on at least one issue: Banning school districts from requiring masks. In the face of widespread resistance to his efforts, he’s hitting back in a way that’s positively Trumpy in its toxic bad faith and utter contempt for judicious governing.
In an interview with influential right wing radio host John Fredericks on Monday night, Youngkin demonstrated why he has brought on this controversy. The episode, reported by The Post, captures something essential about the pathologies that Trump has unleashed in our politics, and the tendency of so many GOP politicians to eagerly go along with them.
Youngkin laced into “left liberals” and school board “bureaucrats,” blaming them for the turmoil that has erupted in response to his new policy. Youngkin recently signed an executive order allowing parents to opt out of mask requirements without offering any reason, but dozens of school districts are keeping the mandates in place, arguing that state law requires them to do so.
“I’m not surprised at all to hear these reactions from school boards that have consistently prioritized bureaucrats and politicians over the rights of parents,” Youngkin insisted. He said school districts keeping mask requirements “aren’t recognizing the rights of parents today.”
First, let’s talk about what utter garbage this is. The pragmatic center-right businessman-turned-politician and “cheerful suburban dad” candidate is already blaming others for his horrible botching of this issue, which is fueling chaos as parents and schools try to figure out what they’re supposed to be doing.
Eugene Robinson: We’re already seeing what a mistake Virginia’s voters made
It should have been obvious this would happen, because the law arguably requires school districts to keep mask requirements in place. State law directs school boards to implement covid-19 mitigation strategies advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the “maximum extent practicable.” The CDC advises universal masking.
Indeed, some school boards are now suing to reverse Youngkin’s executive order on exactly this basis. Though the courts will ultimately sort this out, the boards are plainly following a reasonable reading of the law, and Youngkin can’t pretend this conflict is their fault.
What’s more, it’s galling for Youngkin to suggest this is only the handiwork of power-mad school boards trampling on parents’ rights. Large majorities in Virginia favor school mask requirements. And given that school boards are by any reasonable assessment acting lawfully, Youngkin himself may be the one abusing his power here.
On top of all this, Youngkin’s own stance on this represented a shift. The Post reports this important nugget involving Fredericks, the conservative talk radio host:
Instead, Youngkin is following the path of Ron DeSantis. The Republican governor of Florida sought to use state power to punish school officials for protecting kids as they saw fit, to play to a national right wing audience. Indeed, this is a key reason DeSantis emerged as the public face of the post-Trump GOP, his superficial conflicts with Trump notwithstanding.
The Post's View: Youngkin fuels a culture war and puts schools at risk
The important point here is that Youngkin is opting for the path that is predictably causing maximal social conflict and discord, in no small part because Trump supporters expect it of him. He seems to be relishing this conflict himself: Just like DeSantis, Youngkin has threatened to use executive power to force school boards into compliance, though he’s kept this vague.
We don’t know how far all this will go. It’s possible Youngkin will revert to a more Hogan-like stance on this or on other issues. This could get resolved in court. Perhaps Youngkin will find a way to split the difference by allowing localities to make these decisions, creating a bifurcated situation where districts in blue areas have mask requirements and those in red areas don’t.
But for now, Youngkin has thrown in his lot with those who fully expect a politics designed to maximize social antagonisms, and won’t settle for anything less. “Trump in a red vest,” indeed.
Columnist
Today at 10:45 a.m. EST
Almost immediately after Glenn Youngkin unexpectedly won the Virginia gubernatorial race, some observers spied a tantalizing possibility: Youngkin might show that in today’s Trumpified GOP, there’s still a place for a center-right politics that rebuffs Donald Trump’s worst impulses and charts a new route to a right-leaning majority.
Opinions to start the day, in your inbox. Sign up.
But Youngkin is already going full Trumpist on at least one issue: Banning school districts from requiring masks. In the face of widespread resistance to his efforts, he’s hitting back in a way that’s positively Trumpy in its toxic bad faith and utter contempt for judicious governing.
In an interview with influential right wing radio host John Fredericks on Monday night, Youngkin demonstrated why he has brought on this controversy. The episode, reported by The Post, captures something essential about the pathologies that Trump has unleashed in our politics, and the tendency of so many GOP politicians to eagerly go along with them.
Youngkin laced into “left liberals” and school board “bureaucrats,” blaming them for the turmoil that has erupted in response to his new policy. Youngkin recently signed an executive order allowing parents to opt out of mask requirements without offering any reason, but dozens of school districts are keeping the mandates in place, arguing that state law requires them to do so.
“I’m not surprised at all to hear these reactions from school boards that have consistently prioritized bureaucrats and politicians over the rights of parents,” Youngkin insisted. He said school districts keeping mask requirements “aren’t recognizing the rights of parents today.”
First, let’s talk about what utter garbage this is. The pragmatic center-right businessman-turned-politician and “cheerful suburban dad” candidate is already blaming others for his horrible botching of this issue, which is fueling chaos as parents and schools try to figure out what they’re supposed to be doing.
Eugene Robinson: We’re already seeing what a mistake Virginia’s voters made
It should have been obvious this would happen, because the law arguably requires school districts to keep mask requirements in place. State law directs school boards to implement covid-19 mitigation strategies advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the “maximum extent practicable.” The CDC advises universal masking.
Indeed, some school boards are now suing to reverse Youngkin’s executive order on exactly this basis. Though the courts will ultimately sort this out, the boards are plainly following a reasonable reading of the law, and Youngkin can’t pretend this conflict is their fault.
What’s more, it’s galling for Youngkin to suggest this is only the handiwork of power-mad school boards trampling on parents’ rights. Large majorities in Virginia favor school mask requirements. And given that school boards are by any reasonable assessment acting lawfully, Youngkin himself may be the one abusing his power here.
On top of all this, Youngkin’s own stance on this represented a shift. The Post reports this important nugget involving Fredericks, the conservative talk radio host:
He’s Trump in a red vest. There you have it: Youngkin might have followed the more judicious path of another GOP governor in a blue area, Larry Hogan of Maryland, who left this up to local officials. That would have been in keeping with the pragmatic center-right approach that Youngkin advertised during the campaign, a sort of conservatism that nominally respects local control.
Instead, Youngkin is following the path of Ron DeSantis. The Republican governor of Florida sought to use state power to punish school officials for protecting kids as they saw fit, to play to a national right wing audience. Indeed, this is a key reason DeSantis emerged as the public face of the post-Trump GOP, his superficial conflicts with Trump notwithstanding.
The Post's View: Youngkin fuels a culture war and puts schools at risk
The important point here is that Youngkin is opting for the path that is predictably causing maximal social conflict and discord, in no small part because Trump supporters expect it of him. He seems to be relishing this conflict himself: Just like DeSantis, Youngkin has threatened to use executive power to force school boards into compliance, though he’s kept this vague.
We don’t know how far all this will go. It’s possible Youngkin will revert to a more Hogan-like stance on this or on other issues. This could get resolved in court. Perhaps Youngkin will find a way to split the difference by allowing localities to make these decisions, creating a bifurcated situation where districts in blue areas have mask requirements and those in red areas don’t.
But for now, Youngkin has thrown in his lot with those who fully expect a politics designed to maximize social antagonisms, and won’t settle for anything less. “Trump in a red vest,” indeed.
