Iowa needs a mask mandate

Groups from the Iowa medical community and many local governments have asked Gov. Kim Reynolds to make face masks mandatory during this pandemic.

Her reply is to encourage Iowans to 'mask up.” While she understands the request, she says, ' ... there's people that would tell you just the opposite.”

Really? Who are these 'people,” and what are their credentials? Is the overwhelming evidence of science so wrong? Or does the governor refer to people like the self-proclaimed expert who lives a thousand miles east of Des Moines? You know the one. He lies a lot and spends too much time on Twitter. Heck, even he wears a mask now! Or maybe it's his new pal, the alien DNA lady? We should know who these people are.

Isn't it time for the governor to face facts, work for the people who hired her and practice transparency for a change? While she's at it, making masks mandatory indeed requires enforcing the mandate. She's the chief executive of the State. She should do her job. Wouldn't that be refreshing? It might save lives!

John Klaus

Mount Vernon