Idaho Lt. Gov. McGeachin’s executive order banning mask mandates is top-down big government

While Idaho Gov. Brad Little was away from the office, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin on Thursday gave Idahoans a taste of what life would be like if she were governor.

McGeachin issued an executive order prohibiting any government entity from mandating face masks be worn.

“Neither the state nor a political subdivision may mandate that an individual in this state must wear a face mask, face shield or other face covering for the purpose of preventing or slowing the spread of a contagious or infectious disease,” McGeachin’s order states.

First of all, aren’t executive orders supposed to be bad? Didn’t the far-right fringe of the Republican Party in Idaho spend much of their time this legislative session railing against executive orders by the governor?

Second, even if you agree that executive orders are overreaching — including those issued by Gov. Brad Little — McGeachin’s executive order Thursday is equally an overreach, just in the opposite direction.

If, for example, Boise school district board members decide that they prefer to listen to science and want to keep their students safe by mandating masks, McGeachin’s executive order takes that local control away from them.

If she really wanted to adhere to her own principles of “limited” government and limited executive power, she would issue an executive order that rescinds any orders the governor previously issued. At the very least, that would get back to the notion of letting local public health districts, school boards, city councils and county commissions decide for themselves what’s best for their constituents.

Nope, not with McGeachin. Clearly, what we’d get is top-down, executive government mandates.

Big government is good for me but not for thee.

Next, McGeachin’s executive order is based on false premises.

“Whereas, the remaining mask mandates issued by the health districts, public schools, school districts and political subdivisions of this state due to the COVID-19 fail to serve a public health and safety purpose,” reads her order in part.

Multiple scientific studies have shown that, indeed, wearing masks helps slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, and mask mandates led to lower rates of spread after mandates were issued.

“Whereas, serious concerns continue to be raised regarding both short-term and long-term negative effects caused by wearing masks,” the order proclaims.

Serious concerns continue to be raised by whom? Your Aunt Jillian on Facebook? That doesn’t count.

McGeachin also continues to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the spread of the virus, and a complete lack of compassion.

When Melissa Davlin of Idaho Reports asked McGeachin whether she was concerned about children younger than 12 who aren’t currently eligible to get the vaccine, she said no.

“That’s not the population that is at risk,” she told Idaho Reports, adding that nothing prevents teachers from wearing masks if they wish to do so.

Children can still spread the virus, particularly if those children are not wearing masks. They can spread the virus to their teacher, who is more at risk.

And, as Davlin rightly points out, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports that 26 Idaho children have been diagnosed with a serious COVID-19 side effect called Multisymptom Inflammatory Syndrome, or MIS-C.

Finally, this is simply performative and political theater. Her order doesn’t really mean anything. The governor will simply rescind it when he’s back in town.

McGeachin is hoping to paint Little into a corner, daring him to take action.

Little should rescind the order as quickly as possible — and not leave the state for the next year.

Scott McIntosh is the opinion editor of the Idaho Statesman. You can email him at smcintosh@idahostatesman.com or call him at 208-377-6202. Follow him on Twitter @ScottMcIntosh12.