Why Biden’s national mask mandate is a national mask suggestion: Where the president can — and can’t — order Americans to mask up

Vox via MSN ^ | 01/20/2021 | Sara Morrison

[SeekAndFind]

President Joe Biden’s first official act on his first day in office was signing an executive order mandating that masks be worn on all federal properties and by federal employees and contractors.

“The first order I’m going to be signing here relates to Covid,” Biden said. “It’s requiring, as I said all along, where I have authority, mandating that masks be worn, social distancing be kept on federal property.”

The original story below was published on November 9, 2020.

When President-elect Joe Biden accepted the Democratic nomination on August 20, he said part of his Covid-19 plan would be a “national mandate to wear a mask.” Five months later, on January 20, he’ll have his chance to try to implement one.

“It’s time to end the politicization of basic, responsible public health steps like mask-wearing and social distancing,” Biden said on Monday. “The single most effective thing we can do to stop the spread of Covid: Wear a mask.”

He followed that up with a tweet encouraging the use of masks.

But it won’t be easy to implement a mask mandate for the whole country, especially when 16 states still don’t have statewide mandates. (The AARP listed 33 states with mask mandates by the end of October. Utah, which issued its mandate on Monday, makes 34. Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico also have mandates.)

With limited federal powers at his disposal, Biden will have to convince everyone from state and local governments down to individual Americans that masks are one of the best and easiest ways to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

[SeekAndFind]

Where the president can — and can’t — order Americans to mask up

There are varying schools of thought about whether the president has the authority to issue a national mask mandate, as many other countries have. Some attempts to do so at the state and local level have been met with lawsuits and refusals to comply, as masks have become an increasingly politicized and contentious issue.

Biden has said he will issue an executive order requiring masks to be worn on federal property. Beyond that, Biden’s version of a national mask mandate, as spelled out in his new transition website, does not appear to come from him. Instead, he’s going to be “working with governors and mayors” to encourage them to issue their own mandates, as well as remind Americans to wear masks.

While the majority of America’s governors have issued statewide mandates, 16 states have not — including Mississippi, which revoked its mask mandate in October (Gov. Tate Reeves is requiring masks in certain counties).

[a fool in paradise]

Millennials

https://twitter.com/SaraMorrison

[lightman]

Ping.

[Uncle Miltie]

China Joe, Take this mask and stuff it where the sun doesn’t shine.

If you can navigate around your loaded Depends.

[White Lives Matter]

This means that oilfield workers on drilling rigs and other type equipment on federal lands would be effected hampering production. Ever thought of wearing a mask stifling your breathing working on a Derrick?

[Slyfox]

Limited powers for an illegitimate occupier of the Oval Office.

It has been nearly a whole freaking year!

Everything Fauci told us was a lie.

[foreverfree]

Bump

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Why Biden’s national mask mandate is a national mask suggestion

Because the office of the president does not come with the powers to mandate that all citizens wear masks. The president is the head of the executive branch of the federal government, and the commander in chief of the US military - that's all. He does not have the power to order Americans to follow his whims.

[Uncle Miltie]

https://thefederalist.com/2020/10/12/cdc-study-finds-overwhelming-majority-of-people-getting-coronavirus-wore-masks/

[BunnySlippers]

He is ONLY mandate ng it for federal employees ...see the quote:

[quote] by federal employees and contractors. [/unquote]

[Viking2002]

It bears repeating...........

[BunnySlippers]

I’m not sure that quote only applies to federal employees ... or everyone.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Try to put a mask on me and you will not like where I put that mask.

[plain talk]

““It's time to end the politicization of basic, responsible public health steps like mask-wearing and social distancing,” Biden said on Monday”

... by what ... politicizing covid-19? Federal property includes parks. so if you are hiking alone miles from another human being I suppose Biden expects you to wear a mask.

Hmmm. Biden didn't wear one when he was inaugurated.
He was on ... federal property, right?

[A strike]

Biden’s very first act in office is to validate and underscore government totalitarian power due to ‘emergency’.

[Fungi]

This laughter, ridicule, and mocking of the demented clown in the oval office will only last so long. Give him some time to show himself for what he is—a fool non pareil, a demented clown, a jackass with no moral compass. He will not appear on TV or anywhere for more tha a few minutes before his incompetence, idiocy and mental derangement becomes a laughing stock. Jackass Joe, a Kamel whore waits in the wing. FU JOE AND THE HO.

[TigersEye]

... Where the president can put his mask mandate.

[bicyclerepair]

Yesterday in Orlando I went to a goodwill store with no face diaper on. As i walked down an aisle a woman looked at me terrified. Held her hands up as if being mugged and said you dont have a mask on. Then ran away from me in fear.

[olivia3boys]

Federal employees are pretty much all working from home anyway.