Governor Little Has To Lead on Vax Mandate

We elect governors to lead in Idaho and every other state in the Union. The growing tensions between Idaho healthcare workers and Saint Luke's, Saint Alphonsus, and Primary Health are rapidly careening out of control.

We are less than eight weeks away from either a massive termination of healthcare workers who will not take the shot or an alternative that will not benefit the patients they serve. Does anyone want to get their health checked by an unhappy healthcare worker? We've heard from the speaker of the house, the senate pro tempore, the lieutenant governor, healthcare workers, and the leaders of the Boise medical community.

We haven't heard from Idaho Governor Brad Little. The state has heard from the governor on the drug crisis and other such issues, but there hasn't been a statement on Idaho, the reddest of the red, becoming the state where Idahoans have no rights when it comes to saying no to what's injected into their bodies.

Governor Little can end this crisis right now of possible medical uncertainty. Could we be adding to our worker shortage with the expected massive firings? Those folks will be collecting unemployment paid for by Idaho taxpayers. Do we want our medical providers to resemble the world of hospitality and retail, where hours have to be cut because of the worker shortage?

At the very minimum, the governor needs to comment on this situation. We do not need another 'let's let the legislature figure it out' statement from his office. Governor Little can show Idahoans that he can bring both sides together on a very challenging issue. He can publicly call on the speaker to get the legislature back into session. Or he can hold a summit with the medical providers and the workers to provide a solution.

Do we want to live in a state where the legislature will not answer the calls of its people? Where healthcare workers threaten a walkout that could impact the medical care of patients? Or medical providers losing their tax-exempt status as a payback for their policies?

Leaders lead, and our governor is a very gifted business/political public servant. Governor Little is the man who must step up to ensure that Idaho is a state of individual liberty and not a state-controlled by big-money business interests. Governor Little, will you step up, sir?