Unmasking the passengers, and unleashing the Karens

A federal judge struck down the Biden administration’s mandate that masks be worn on planes, trains, buses, and other public transportation, leading to an immediate change in policy for most travelers.

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle for the Middle District of Florida ruled that the mask requirement “violates the procedures required for agency rulemaking.”

After the Biden administration waffled back and forth over whether to challenge the ruling, the White House dispatched Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to announce that they would.

Well, kind of.

“We are right now in the process of deciding, and we likely will appeal that ruling. Stay tuned,” Becerra foreshadowed.

Oh great.

Government guidelines on who needs to wear a mask when, where and how should not be as complicated as baseball’s infield fly rule or Great Britain’s order of succession.

But I guess this is the world we live in.

Here’s a modest proposal, even if the appeal is successful, all Spirit Air passengers should be exempt from masking.  After all, buying a ticket on Spirit is a public declaration that you have no regard whatsoever for your personal safety.

Speaking to an audience in Nevada with Silver State Gov. Steve Sisolak, Becerra announced, “But as I say, I respect the ruling, but I follow the science.  And I would urge, as Governor Sisolak just did, uh, people to take every precaution they think necessary to protect themself.”

At the same venue, with the same governor and the same audience, Becerra declared, “It’s good to see so many Nevadans, in person, without a mask, next to each other…”

Apparently, in Becerra’s mind, the virus is a threat at the Tom Bradley terminal at LAX, but not in a packed auditorium of maskless people at his event in Nevada.

Because of, you know, the science.

If Becerra was being honest, he’d tell us the truth: the mask mandate will continue until Biden’s approval rating falls below 30%.

The ‘science’ also apparently suggests that until the appeal is litigated, you should lie about your circumstances to manipulate the behavior of your seat mates on airplanes.

“If people want to stay safe, the best thing they can do — high quality masks.  And that when possible carry some extra masks.  I know this sounds crazy, but if you tell someone next to you on a plane, a K-95 or a surgical mask, and say, ‘I’ve got an elderly mother at home, I’ve got a child with cancer at home…will you please do me a favor.’ Having the people at least closest to you in that row, protecting yourself and them, can be the best safety.  So, carry some extra masks with you, carry some rapid tests with you, if you’re traveling,” said Dr. Kavita Patel, a primary care physician in Washington, D.C., who is also an MSNBC columnist and an NBC News/MSNBC contributor.

“My Grandma has COVID” is the new “the dog ate my homework”.

But, then again, nothing at the airport makes sense. It’s the only place I can think of that requires that you take your shoes off, laptop out, and go through a metal detector – then, once you’re in, they give you all the booze you can drink…and a knife.

For the record, on a plane, I don’t even like to ask the person sitting next to me if I can have the armrest.

It really is quite remarkable that “following the science” now requires that you lie to strangers, not follow crew member instructions, be confrontational on airplanes, and believe that the virus poses a danger only at the Departures gate.

John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.