WI GOP convention heads for Brown County, a Covid-19 hot spot

The Wisconsin GOP-created Covid-19 containment fail puts its consequences and contradictions on full display when it holds its in-person state convention next week in Brown County.

That's a noteworthy locale these days because Brown County is ranked #2 in confirmed Covid-19 cases among Wisconsin's 72 counties.

The choice is super-ironic, given that the state's positive case load is again spiking after state GOP legislative leaders won a ruling at the State Supreme Court which ended the Governor's statewide Covid-19-control emergency plan.

 A Forbes business staff writer, saw the cause-and-effect relationship.

Wisconsin Sees Coronavirus Spike 2 Weeks After Abrupt Reopening

And a fair review of the GOP's Covid culpabilities should include mention of State Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack pooh-poohing during the Court's deliberations [sic] of the already-heavy Brown County Covid-19 caseload when she dismissively suggested that 'regular folks' there - and not the local meat-packing workforce - didn't face much virus risk.

Furthermore, the GOP's legislative leaders who won their case never came forward with their promised alternative plan to the Governor's plan they blew up because they said local governments - you remember that long-dead WI GOP talking point, don't you - were free to craft plans locality-by-locality - as if creating a crazy-quilt of uneven rules statewide was smart, or even a 'plan.'

[GOP Assembly Speaker Robin] Vos downplayed the concern, saying “we don’t necessarily need a statewide approach.”

“We already know that local health departments have the ability to utilize their power, which is already there to deal with those situations if they feel it’s unsafe,” Vos said.

Except that a Racine County District Court Judge just overturned the City of Racine's Covid-19 control ordinance.

And if that ruling sticks, and becomes a statewide template, there could be even fewer Covid-19 control measures across Wisconsin.

A state already gaining notoriety as one of a handful where people are everyone pretty much on their own.

Ironically, Green Bay media have taken note:

Wisconsin one of four states with no statewide face mask requirements

So it falls to private sector owners and operators and venues - not medical experts advising public officials - to make critical public health decisions for Wisconsin.

For example, the Marinette, WI shipyard where an of-course Maskless Trump spoke in late June had mandated masks at the event on the premises - for everyone else.
 
And while I believe the Green Bay convention center where the GOP convention will be held is not requiring that visitors wear masks, the party says it will provide them.

And then everyone is on his or her own. 

Ironic, again, isn't it the Green Bay Packers who intend to play games a few minutes from the convention center at nearby Lambeau Field this season will require attendees to wear face coverings.

Packers say masks will be required, seating could be limited if fans allowed at games 

And while you process these ridiculous and contradictory consequences spawned by the Wisconsin's GOP-delivered Covid-19 fail, take in that possible convention attendee Ron Johnson still isn't sold on meeting and masking - 

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) was spotted carrying — not wearing — his mask into a senators-only lunch on Tuesday and said, “I haven’t seen how particularly effective these are.”

- at least one other likely convention attendee has shown he knows how to mask-and-suit-up. 

Vos worked at a Racine County polling place during the April election after saying it was "incredibly safe" to venture outside.