Fridays have long been known as the day on which to bury bad news. And when a story that has largely positive feedback comes along, it’s a perfect opportunity to cover for more “controversial” decisions. President Biden was granted just such an opportunity when he announced that, following CDC guidelines, masks for the vaccinated would no longer be federally required. But what was the purpose in delaying this move until two weeks after the CDC had given the recommendation?
Speaking on Hannity, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said, “I see Joe as out of it, a little checked out. I am concerned that I am not the only one that sees it.” He continued:
“You know the only reason why they changed not wearing the mask? Gasoline went to $7, and there were gasoline lines, and he wanted to change the news.”
With reports coming in that in Washington, D.C. roughly nine out of ten gas stations are either empty or in short supply, Virginia being at 50% capacity and Maryland following close behind, a big distraction covers a multitude of sins. However, the fallout from the Colonial Pipeline hack was not the only major story to go unnoticed.
A Proclamation Tsunami
Late on Friday, May 14, President Biden issued a number of Proclamations. Among the usual hullabaloo of celebrating World Trade Week and Emergency Medical Services Week, came a swath of altogether more newsworthy decisions. The president issued a proclamation revoking President Trump’s 2019 Proclamation 9945, which sought to ensure that all immigrants to the United States could pay their way in terms of having approved health care coverage. In a statement, Mr. Biden said:
“My Administration is committed to expanding access to quality affordable healthcare. We can achieve that objective, however, without barring entry of noncitizens who seek to immigrate lawfully to this country but who lack significant financial means or have not purchased health insurance coverage from a restrictive list of qualifying plans.”
Rather than expand the list of qualifying plans, the president revoked the whole order.
So Much for Section 230
As well as ensuring that American taxpayers are burdened with extra costs, the commander in chief also used an Executive Order to rescind several of President Trump’s rulings, most notably Executive Order 13925. This was written in response to heightened Big Tech censorship and sought to ensure that Section 230 would be accurately used and applied by government agencies – as in making sure that any social media company that censors out of partisanship be considered a “publisher.”
Joe Biden’s order demands that all work in this area, and any committees or task forces engaged in it, be “abolished.”
Buried Deep
It is notable that few media outlets are carrying a single word on these sweeping stories. By Monday morning, they will be old news and will have passed into the ether without word nor comment, leaving the American public largely none the wiser. It’s almost as if it were planned that way.
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Read more from Mark Angelides.
