Politicians Using Their Platforms for Good During The Pandemic

There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on the entire country in terms of healthcare and the economy. Almost every person has been touched by the pandemic in one way or another, and unfortunately, with a vaccine still many months away – if not a year or more – there don’t seem to be signs of life returning to normal anytime soon. What has become interesting during this pandemic is how public figures have chosen to use their platforms for good and the well-being of others. 

While it can be easy to get caught up in all the bad news of the day, there are actually plenty of politicians out there each and every day working their hardest to ensure they use their platform for good during the pandemic. This means looking after the well-being of their citizens in terms of keeping them safe, healthy, and as financially secure as possible, by giving attention to the economy. So, let’s highlight some of the politicians who are using their platforms for good during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York

Perhaps the most vocal from early on in the COVID-19 pandemic has been New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. New York was hit very early on with the pandemic, and still remains the hardest-hit state in the entire country. Right from the start, Cuomo took the no-nonsense, direct, and transparent approach, not just with the virus but his government’s response and what was expected of New York residents in order to flatten the curve and then find a new normal.

Among the many things that Cuomo has tackled and stressed during the pandemic is the need for masks and face coverings when out in public places where social distancing isn’t possible. He has also worked with frontline workers, food banks, and those who are vulnerable to the disease. He was one of the first to call for an increase in testing, which the country has gradually ramped up during the past couple of months.

New York has recently seen a small uptick in positive cases of the virus, and Cuomo has stated that he won’t hesitate to bring in stricter measures in order to keep people safe, regardless of what that means for his popularity in the polls. Currently, the state is divided up into various stages of reopening based on a number of factors.

Rep. Dennis Bonnen, Texas

Then we have Rep. Dennis Bonnen, Speaker Bonnen of the House of Representatives in Texas, who has been very vocal throughout the pandemic on keeping people safe and healthy, citing this is the only way to get the economy back to where it once was. In fact, in a Dennis Bonnen recording with a news outlet, which you can listen to on his website, Dennis Bonnen went into detail about the importance of wearing a mask or face coverings. 

He noted the issue has become politicized but pointed out that he strongly believes this is the way to give people their freedom, and a way to get the economy going again since the mask can cut down on the transmission of the virus.

Representative Dennis Bonnen, wife Kim, and their two sons all live in Lake Jackson, TX, which is part of Brazoria County. Brazoria County, just like many other parts of Texas, has been affected by the virus, so in his official Dennis Bonnen designation as speaker, he has been doing his best to keep the public informed and encourage hand washing, wearing masks, and of course, maintaining physical distance from others. You can find more information on Dennis Bonnen here.

Governor Jay Inslee, Washington

Washington state was another early hot spot in the country and was initially hit quite hard. The state took drastic measures to contain the spread and was able to get some rather positive results. 

Governor Jay Inslee has been working for months to ensure the case count stays low and residents stay safe. He hasn’t held back on sharing his thoughts. Unfortunately, Washington is starting to see another uptick in case counts, and the Governor has jumped into action once again. This has prompted Gov. Inslee to warn residents that the “cases and deaths will soon increase substantially if COVID-19 continues to spread at the current levels”.

Gov. Inslee has been a huge proponent of using public health guidelines and measures to keep the virus in check. All you have to do is take a look at the campaign he has launched with the message “Wear A Mask Washington,” as he believes this is the only way to re-start the economy in a safe way.

This is just a small look at the many politicians across the country who are using their platform for good during this worldwide health pandemic. They are politicians that react to the moment and are looking ahead for ways to continue to flatten the curve and stamp out the virus as much as possible.