{"id":17106,"date":"2022-02-06T08:56:28","date_gmt":"2022-02-06T13:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jimbovard.com\/blog\/?p=17106"},"modified":"2022-02-07T20:52:16","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T01:52:16","slug":"usa-today-covid-hypocrisy-shows-crackdowns-must-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimbovard.com\/blog\/2022\/02\/06\/usa-today-covid-hypocrisy-shows-crackdowns-must-end\/","title":{"rendered":"USA Today: Covid Hypocrisy Shows Crackdowns Must End"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 class=\"gnt_ar_lbl\" data-c-tl=\"Opinion\" aria-label=\"This piece expresses the views of its author(s), separate from those of this publication.\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jimbovard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/USA-Today-logo-300x300.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-11907\" src=\"https:\/\/jimbovard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/USA-Today-logo-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jimbovard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/USA-Today-logo-300x300.png 225w, https:\/\/jimbovard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/USA-Today-logo-300x300-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>USA Today, February 6, 2022<\/h3>\n<article class=\"gnt_pr\">\n<h1 class=\"gnt_ar_hl\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/2022\/02\/06\/restrictions-drop-around-world-covid-hypocrisy-revealed\/9317726002\/\">From Canadian truckers to European protests, the world is fed up with COVID crackdowns<\/a><\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_shl\">After two years of prohibitions designed to placate fears rather than protect public health, can we compel our rulers to end COVID-19 restrictions?<\/h2>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"gnt_ar_by\">by James Bovard<\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_ar_pb\">Opinion columnist<\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_ar_b\">\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">If hypocrisy were a panacea, the COVID-19 virus would have been banished from earth long ago. Politicians and government officials have brazenly violated the COVID edicts they impose on everyone else. But after two years of prohibitions designed to placate fears rather than protect public health, can oppressed citizens around the globe compel their rulers to end absurd restrictions vexing their daily lives?<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">At the National Football Conference game on Jan. 30, California\u00a0Gov.\u00a0Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and\u00a0San Francisco Mayor London Breed\u00a0were photographed sporting ear-to-ear smiles. It was easy to detect their grins because they were scofflaws \u2013\u00a0not wearing masks. Newsom imposed a <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/coronavirus-live-updates\/2022\/01\/05\/1070811627\/california-indoor-mask-mandate#:~:text=California%20announced%20it%20is%20extending,according%20to%20health%20department%20officials.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">statewide mask mandate for indoor events<\/a> and Los Angeles County dictated that masks must be worn\u00a0for <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"http:\/\/publichealth.lacounty.gov\/acd\/docs\/WhenToWearAMask.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">any \u201coutdoor mega events\u201d<\/a>\u00a0with more than 5,000 attendees. After controversy erupted, <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/la-mayor-eric-garcetti-offers-breathless-defense-of-maskless-photo-with-magic-johnson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Garcetti claimed he wasn&#8217;t breathing<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Newsom defended himself by claiming \u201c<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/JSOOCDkZy9CjMzOBNT5GE2k?domain=deadline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">he had his mask in his\u00a0left hand when the\u00a0photo<\/a>\u201d was taken. The governor neglected to cite any scientific studies on how left-handed masks deter COVID-19 transmission.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-usatoday-native-article_link-opinion-2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al gnt_x__prmt\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-google-query-id=\"CNbGjZOU6_UCFSoDaAgdjhsAoQ\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_0__container__\" class=\"gnt_x__prmt\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_0\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" role=\"region\" src=\"https:\/\/3dfb63cbf780459a4660b70892372ce3.safeframe.googlesyndication.com\/safeframe\/1-0-38\/html\/container.html\" name=\"\" width=\"0\" height=\"362\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" data-is-safeframe=\"true\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-google-container-id=\"2\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">Hypocritical and absurd restrictions<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Newsom and Garcetti have been two of the most heavy-handed COVID enforcers in the nation. <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2021-11-13\/san-diego-county-judge-dismisses-let-them-breathes-school-mask-lawsuit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Newsom dictated<\/a> that all <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdph.ca.gov\/Programs\/CID\/DCDC\/Pages\/COVID-19\/K-12-Guidance-2021-22-School-Year.aspx#:~:text=*On%20October%2020%2C%202021%2C,will%20continue%20to%20monitor%20conditions.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">school children<\/a> must wear masks\u00a0despite the <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/health-59895934\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">minimal\u00a0or non-existent evidence<\/a>\u00a0that masks protect kids from\u00a0COVID transmission. And in Los Angeles County, <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/ktla.com\/news\/local-news\/l-a-county-school-staff-required-to-wear-medical-grade-masks-students-asked-to-mask-up-outdoors-when-crowded\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">students have to mask up even outside<\/a>, under some circumstances.\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/nation\/2021\/09\/14\/california-recall-election-governor-gavin-newsom\/8266488002\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Newsom survived a recall election last year<\/a> that was sparked in part by photos of him dining maskless with his political donors at an elite restaurant in Napa Valley.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">On President Joe Biden\u2019s first day in office, he\u00a0decreed that <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/hpSPCG6XB5iWqRLJKcQrnT4?domain=whitehouse.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">masks\u00a0must be worn any time people were on federal property.<\/a> A few hours after signing the order, <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/biden-mask-federal-property-lincoln-memorial-mandate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Biden went maskless at the Lincoln Memorial.\u00a0<\/a>Biden spokeswoman <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/HqD7CJ6K0qipyvQ83TvcZt9?domain=twitter.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Jen Psaki justified the breach:<\/a> \u201cHe\u00a0was celebrating a historic day\u00a0in our country. \u2026\u00a0We have bigger things to worry about.\u201d\u00a0When I hiked in national parks in the following weeks,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/iZRZCKr7JZf89NrqzsGIi6_?domain=aier.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">people screamed\u00a0at me for not wearing a mask.<\/a> I should have told them that I was merely acting presidential.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-usatoday-native-article_link-opinion-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-google-query-id=\"CK3ilJOU6_UCFSoDaAgdjhsAoQ\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_1__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_1\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" role=\"region\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_1\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-google-container-id=\"3\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/world\/boris-johnson-report-covid-lockdown-parties-downing-street-rcna14175\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">British Prime Minister Boris Johnson may be toppled from power<\/a> because of parties at his residence that brazenly violated the COVID-19 restrictions he imposed on his fellow citizens.\u00a0Prior to Johnson\u2019s bashes, Britain inflicted some of the most absurd COVID-19 mandates in the world, including prohibiting couples who live in different homes\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/BmunCL91K8fNXrYPysry-Jv?domain=independent.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">from having sex indoors<\/a>. One of Johnson&#8217;s top scientific advisers, Neil Ferguson, was forced to resign after being caught violating lockdown edicts with\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-politics-52553229\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">extramarital trysts<\/a>, and Johnson&#8217;s health secretary resigned last year after video showed him violating social distancing guidelines by\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/L5BQCNkKM9CV98MNDtyMj-i?domain=washingtonpost.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">passionately kissing an\u00a0aide<\/a> (both had other spouses).<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">More from James Bovard:<\/strong><a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/2022\/01\/27\/covid-testing-shortage-blame-fda\/9210788002\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Who screwed up COVID-19 testing? Blame Trump, Biden and our health care bureaucracy.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Even without the taint of neon-bright hypocrisy, heavy-handed government policies are evoking pushback around the world. \u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/factcheck\/2022\/01\/28\/fact-check-guinness-world-records-canada-truck-line-not-record\/9242177002\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">A 40-plus-mile\u00a0convoy of\u00a0\u00a0truckers recently arrived in Ottawa<\/a> to protest <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/crowd-in-toronto-cheers-on-anti-vaccine-trucker-convoy\/2022\/01\/27\/bc5f24da-7fb8-11ec-8cc8-b696564ba796_story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau\u2019s vaccine mandate<\/a> and other pandemic policies.\u00a0Massive protests have also rocked <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/world\/protests-erupt-over-virus-rules-in-austria-italy-croatia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">France, Austria, Italy, Croatia and other European nations<\/a>, while Australians have battled police over that nation\u2019s penal-colony-style COVID straitjackets.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-usatoday-native-article_link-opinion-4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-google-query-id=\"CK7ilJOU6_UCFSoDaAgdjhsAoQ\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_2__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_2\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" role=\"region\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/usatoday\/native-article_link\/opinion_2\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-google-container-id=\"4\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">People are reclaiming their freedoms<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Many people who initially tolerated sweeping prohibitions have lost faith that unlimited submission will magically produce total safety. \u00a0As the number of confirmed COVID cases <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/NK7NCPNKOZSvZR548hQcyAX?domain=google.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">worldwide\u00a0approaches 400 million<\/a>\u00a0and the number of deaths approaches 6 million, reciting the phrase \u201cscience and data\u201d is no longer sufficient to sanctify any command from any government official.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">As the pandemic drags into another year, citizens around the world are recognizing that temporary decrees could permanently decimate their freedom.\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/8eWvCQWKP0IB9pN6MU5nU40?domain=nbcnews.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito warned<\/a>, \u201cThe pandemic has resulted in previously\u00a0unimaginable restrictions on individual liberty.\u201d Freedom House warned that since the pandemic began, \u201cthe condition of democracy and human rights has worsened in 80 countries\u201d and \u201cofficial responses to COVID-19 have laid the <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/kkcuCR6KQoinQ1grjTrFXAp?domain=freedomhouse.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">groundwork for\u00a0government excesses\u00a0that could affect democracy for years to come.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">COVID and the World Health Organization:<\/strong><a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/2022\/01\/25\/covid-health-requires-investment-who\/6623963001\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">COVID-19 has shown sustainable financing of WHO is needed to deliver health for all<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">After lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and vaccine passports failed to stop the spread of COVID, it is time for other nations to \u201cgo Danish.\u201d \u00a0Even though Denmark now has\u00a0the <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/PVyYCVO2XPh0X6PlNhOq0M0?domain=cnn.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">second highest infection rate in the world<\/a>, Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced, &#8220;We say goodbye\u00a0to the restrictions\u00a0and welcome the life we knew before. <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/di55CW6KY7izxKyjRtoJnAY?domain=newsweek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">As of Feb. 1, Denmark will be open<\/a>.&#8221; The Danish government tacitly admitted the failure of COVID restrictions and canceled the indoor mask mandate, COVID passport requirements, and most other restrictions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Denmark is not alone:\u00a0Norwegian Prime <a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/WyGLCpYoJQhQy2308CPsc37?domain=twitter.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Minister Jonas Gahr St\u00f8re announced Tuesday that his nation would\u00a0drop almost all COVID restrictions<\/a>. Last month,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/8VTPCqxpKYfLRQjy5tXdsLA?domain=reuters.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Ireland announced\u00a0the end of most COVID\u00a0restrictions<\/a> and the Irish are looking forward to heartily celebrating St. Patrick&#8217;s Day.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2022\/01\/06\/USAT\/76a659b7-ff41-4e3b-aadc-6393ac2f68af-Bovard.jpg?width=459&amp;height=336&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"James Bovard in Washington, D.C., in May 2016.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"James Bovard in Washington, D.C., in May 2016.\" data-c-credit=\"CSPAN\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Will citizens elsewhere tolerate living in Cage Keeper Democracies where their votes merely designate who will place them under house arrest? Biden, who promised in his inaugural address to\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/0QZgCXDXZofBGRMnVUG0h4a?domain=latimes.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">\u201covercome this deadly\u00a0virus,\u201d<\/a> now\u00a0admits\u00a0that<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/protect-us.mimecast.com\/s\/dpCMCYEY1vFkgq63EcY8psK?domain=whitehouse.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\"> there is \u201cno federal solution\u201d to COVID-19.<\/a> With growing recognition that government decrees won\u2019t make a virus vanish, it is time for politicians to cease pointlessly destroying people\u2019s freedom.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>James Bovard, author of\u00a0&#8220;<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Attention-Deficit-Democracy-James-Bovard-ebook\/dp\/B00TDQ1SJO\/ref=sr_1_2?ots=1&amp;slotNum=0&amp;imprToken=44b94cab-36d7-b0a9-f60&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1509052899&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=attention+deficit+democracy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">Attention Deficit Democracy,<\/a>&#8221;\u00a0is a member of USA TODAY\u2019s Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter:\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JimBovard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|inline click|${u}\">@JimBovard<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>USA Today, February 6, 2022 From Canadian truckers to European protests, the world is fed up with COVID crackdowns After two years of prohibitions designed to placate fears rather than protect public health, can we compel our rulers to end COVID-19 restrictions? by James Bovard Opinion columnist If hypocrisy were a panacea, the COVID-19 virus [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11907,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2124,2559,869,3170,1646,3157,2349,3171,2575,122,1253,2551,3172,2313,2919,3158,2974],"class_list":["post-17106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-biden","tag-boris-johnson","tag-britain","tag-cage-keeper-democracy","tag-california","tag-canada","tag-covid","tag-denmark","tag-garcetti","tag-hypocrisy","tag-ireland","tag-newsom","tag-norway","tag-pandemic","tag-samuel-alito","tag-truckers","tag-virus"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - 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