Thread by @kamcc71

For 15 months, @GovPhilScott was an international darling on the pandemic stage - a paragon of reason, of science-adherence, of counterprogramming to the unfolding #GOP mayhem.
He spoke with clarity and he led. In a very blue state, he won reelection with 68% of the vote. 🧵 (1/)

And then he bit the poison apple or the kiss wore off or really, who knows what the hell happened, but something truly Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde unfolded over the summer and he turned into a haunting shell of his former self. He turned away from reason. He turned away from science. (2/)

At every point where good choices could have been made, bad choices were made - if impotent shrugging is a choice. Nevermind, it truly is.
The Secretary of Education @danfrench shrugged and now swears No. One. Could. Have. Anticipated. This. Tonight some schools go remote. (3/)

The Commissioner of Health @healthvermont Dr. Levine managed to mealy-mouth his way into utter betrayal of the Hippocratic oath while also ignoring the 91 in his department who begged for course correction. Signed their names and begged. To try to save lives. (4/)

@MikePieciak tried to Rumplestiltskin data into gold & week over week tried to polish the turd. Scott's henchmen swatted at anyone who pointed at the naked emperor & begged for a return to reason. Those seeking PUBLIC HEALTH were called divisive and accused of politicizing. (5/)

Week over week the data worsen and the data are lives... lives lost, lives altered forever. We beg and beg for darling to come back to help us and he goes inward in the cruelest of ways.
Our rates climb and climb and no amount of harm is enough to turn the ship. (6/)

And now, in his cruelest move yet, he holds the #vtleg over a barrel. They can reconvene on Monday to pass only mere fig leaf to punt on his incompetence. They can give blessing to 250+ municipalities taking up mask mandates nearly acre by acre. A no-peeing zone in the pool. (7/)

If instead, they do what needs to be done - a data-driven mask mandate, he promises to veto it. And if he vetoes it, they cannot reconvene to try to override the veto.
So, they should accept the fig leaf right? They should be grateful until their session starts Jan 4th? (8/)

How many will die in this time? How many will be saddled with #LongCovid - trapped in a sadistic political game by a man who gave up or showed his true colors or something awful?
We are driving off a cliff with our entire healthcare system in the balance & schools teetering. (9/)

Please don't do it @SKrowinski @SenatorBalint - don't be the fall-women for his failure. What he is offering is pointless.
Turn the light back on him and name the failure day over day over day. GET CAUGHT TRYING. Go down fighting. Die on the hill of doing the right thing. (10/)

He wants you blamed as you rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.
He's the one who struck the iceberg.
Demand more lifeboats - the chairs don't effin matter.

Please lead. He's clearly not going to but he will happily place the albatross on your necks. Please. #vtpoli (fin/)