New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently threatened to fine any doctors who give COVID-19 vaccines out of order up to one million dollars. As it turns out, there are more than a few people out there who happen to find these types of comments to be disconcerting. Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, is chief among them.
The mayor has clearly had enough, as he has been telling any reporter who will listen that the governor is not being reasonable here. He’s also displeased by the governor’s unwillingness to take any sort of personal responsibility for what is taking place. He has been passing the buck the whole time. The back and forth taunts have begun and we cannot wait to see where this goes next.
The New York Post has more on the topic. “Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday slammed Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to fine hospitals as a means of speeding up the state’s highly criticized slow vaccine rollout. “That’s just arrogance,” de Blasio said in an interview with NY1’s Errol Louis of Cuomo’s claims that the monetary penalties could speed up the process.
Hizzoner went on to defend the city’s health care workers and told Cuomo to lay off the threats. “Does he think that our health care professionals are uninterested in vaccinating people? How about trusting the people who have been our heroes?” de Blasio said.”
The governor was also asked to provide an update about the state’s current roll out struggles with the vaccines. When Cuomo was asked about the matter directly, the blame game continued. Once Cuomo told people that they needed to be asking the mayor instead, things were sure to get ugly. This type of rhetoric is never going to go over well with anyone.
“We need rules that maximize the pace, that help us speed up and reach the people who are available, who are a priority and who are ready, willing and able, it’s common sense,” the mayor said.
“So, the state can help us here. Stop threatening people.”
That seems simple enough to understand. In reality, there is more than enough blame to go around. Anyone who wants to place all of it on one party is missing the point completely. So far, only 46 percent of the available vaccines in New York City have even been used. Now, Cuomo is giving the doctors until Friday to use all of the vaccines or they will be fined $100,000.
This is pretty confusing, right? It seems as if Cuomo is trying his best to set a trap for everyone to fall into. He also seems to be shocked by the amount of push back that he is getting, which is also surprising. We have our theories as to why this is. Cuomo has been getting a lot of praise this year and some are even referring to him as a shadow president.
For the first time in a long time, he is facing widespread media criticism. The Emmy Awards and book deals are giving way to actual critiques. Of course, he does not know what to do with himself now. When you have been a golden boy for as long as he has, it is hard to see where anyone else is coming from. He thinks that his way is the best and that is all there is to it. Sadly, the rest of the state knows better, and therein lies the problem.
As for de Blasio, this is just another day that ends in y for him. He also loves to blame others and is probably just mad that Cuomo beat him to the punch. He’s not about to start taking any real responsibility for the state of affairs in New York City. We are just glad to see them fighting with each other for a change. It was getting tiresome to see the GOP getting blamed for every little thing that happened.
