We go to the polls in a few days to decide whether to give Trump 4 more years or Biden a turn at bat. The key talking point for the former VP has been how he'd lead us through the pandemic far better than DJT. He's always seen with a mask in public (even when it is not necessary) and constantly holds one up and says by wearing it we can save thousands of lives. He's stated repeatedly that he wants a mask mandate as a way to fight the Covid-19 virus.
Sounds good - and, in fact, he's right. If we all wear masks when we cannot socially distance then the spread of the virus will plummet. We have South Korea as a good example of that. Unfortunately it ends up being a lot of malarkey in this country, and while well intentioned and scientifically sound, it's not going to move the needle here. Here's why.
Unless he is going to go the route of Martial Law to enforce mask wearing, it is up to the governors to enforce his mask mandate. As we have seen, a few governors have been willing to go there (looking at you, Gov. Whitmer) and the populace is not happy about it and push back. American DNA is quite different than South Korean DNA - we are not going to abide long standing and autocratic edicts from the overlords. So it is pretty safe to say that getting significant mask compliance by having the governors enforce it is a pipe dream. Governors whose states are not seriously impacted have no reason to do so, and those with Covid cases run the risk of significant backlash and legal overturn.
OK, forced compliance is out. But then let's at least lead by example and use the bully pulpit to get everyone doing their civic duty to not kill grandma. Biden clearly believes that setting a good example on mask wearing is important - at least when he knows the camera's rolling. I fully agree - one of the things I criticize Trump over is not setting a better example in this regard. But having the guy at the top setting an example is not going to be a game changer. Here's why.
Maryland is a pretty blue state with a fairly educated citizenry. We also happen to have a Republican governor who has absolutely done the right thing in terms of setting a good example to encourage Marylanders to mask up and keep six feet apart. Despite this, Maryland, like much of the nation and the world, is experiencing a significant uptick in Covid cases. According to WBAL radio, health officials announced Saturday that we recorded 145,281 cases of coronavirus, and increase of almost 1,000 cases in one day. We, like almost everywhere else, are trending up.
From an anecdotal standpoint I can corroborate the general ineffectiveness of getting people to wear masks by leadership example & exhortation. I live near Towson University and in a pretty blue neighborhood. When I routinely go for my 3 mile walk around the campus or my community I encounter people on my way - students, neighbors, and Baltimore County employees. I'd estimate perhaps 30% are wearing a mask, resulting in me giving them a wide berth when passing by (if I can). It was probably 60-75% back in June when we were all more fearful, but the trend is definitely down. This environment is probably as ripe as it gets for being attentive to messages from the governor, the CDC, and PSA promoting mask usage. Despite that, we're way short of compliance. Do you really think in this set of circumstances that the problem lies in Trump not wearing a mask, that if he did the folks not wearing one would suddenly don one?
To be clear, I believe that the media and the leaders (both sides) failed us. They found benefit in making mask wearing a political statement rather than a unifying symbol to save our neighbors and our economy. But if you think Joe Biden's promise to significantly control the virus by his "wear a mask" campaign is going to succeed, you're indulging in magical thinking.
