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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Cal Bahr (R)

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REP. BAHR: GOVERNOR WALZ GETS IT WRONG AGAIN

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

St. Paul – Today, Governor Tim Walz rolled out new measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic. These new restrictions include closing bars, restaurants, and fitness centers for four weeks. Rep. Cal Bahr (Republican-East Bethel) offered his reaction.

“The Governor has no idea what he is doing,” said Rep. Bahr. “In March, the Minnesota Legislature gave Governor Walz $50 million to prepare our healthcare infrastructure for a crisis. Furthermore, we received vast sums of money from the federal government. This was done to ensure that Minnesota had proper hospital bed capacity, sufficient ICU bed capacity, and an adequate PPE supply.”

Rep. Bahr continued, “We prepared for this. We went into a shutdown this spring to prepare. We built out our hospital bed capacity to 8,984 beds. We also built out our ICU bed capacity to roughly 1,848 individual ICU beds. But now the Governor says we aren’t prepared. He says we have to shut down again. Well, which is it? Did all of his executive orders work as he claims, or are we not prepared enough? Governor Walz can’t have it both ways.”

Bars and restaurants will be permitted to offer takeout service only. Additionally, organized youth sports, weddings receptions, and funeral receptions will be suspended. Rep. Bahr added, “Does the Governor think we can choose when we die?”

“Governor Walz is also flooding Minnesotans with mixed messages,” said Rep. Bahr. “In an April press conference, Governor Walz said, ‘looking over the life of COVID, yes, most of us will eventually get this.’ He knew this was coming, and he knows this virus is going to spread. Viruses have been here since the dawn of man. Yet he keeps trying to prevent people from living their lives. Is stealing a summer from Minnesotans not enough? Must he also steal Thanksgiving as well?” 

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