From last week but still of interest:

House Republicans on Wednesday angrily criticized a new order from the Capitol Hill physician to wear masks inside the Capitol due to the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, leading Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy a “moron” over his argument that the decision was not based on science.

Oh that’s why she called him a moron. Well, yes – that is a moronic thing to say. The whole anti-mask pageant is strikingly stupid and perverse.

“This is some serious nanny-state stuff that will only breed resentment. No kidding,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) said on the floor, complaining that the House should be focusing on border security. He added: “This institution is a sham. We should adjourn and shut the place down.”

But it isn’t nanny-state stuff. It’s what you do when there’s a contagious lethal virus cutting a swathe through the population. It’s the other way around – whining about preventive measures to avoid catching and spreading a lethal disease is childish. There should be nannies smacking them all and putting them in a corner, but there aren’t.

When Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) entered the chamber, a Democratic staff member handed her a mask. Boebert grabbed it and dropped it on the floor…

According to people who were there but didn’t want to go on the record because Republicans might do another insurrection.

Boebert is among the most outspoken Republicans against mask requirements, arguing that they are a sign of authoritarianism rather than an attempt to prevent the spread of a disease that has killed more than 611,000 Americans.

For what purpose? What authoritarian goal is it that masks will help forward? What do Democrats gain from mask requirements other than what we all gain by stopping the pandemic?

“We might as well start calling this a Perma-demic,” she tweeted Wednesday morning. “Permanent masking. Permanent state of emergency. Permanent control. This will go on until the American people just say enough is enough. The tyrants aren’t giving this up!”

It isn’t control though. Masks are irksome, for sure, but that doesn’t make them “control.” It’s not like: step 1, mandate masks, step 2, get everyone marching in lockstep, step 3, profit. It’s just not that easy.

“Make no mistake — The threat of bringing masks back is not a decision based on science, but a decision conjured up by liberal government officials who want to continue to live in a perpetual pandemic state,” McCarthy tweeted shortly after Monahan sent his email Tuesday night.

But they don’t. Republicans are the ones who are telling their voters not to mask, and thus prolonging and rejuvenating the pandemic.