It’s the new third rail of American politics — mask mandates.
Gov. Charlie Baker won’t touch it, but acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey may be about to find out just how dangerous — or decisive — it can be.
Many people detest mandates, especially from the government. Governors in other states like Texas have refused to join the move to impose mask mandates.
But Janey is weighing whether to impose indoor mask mandates in Boston, weeks after she refused to endorse so-called vaccine “passports” like ones that are required in New York City to go to restaurants and other public spaces.
Janey has taken lots of flak from her mayoral opponents for not imposing New York City-style vaccine requirements but she has held firm, saying doing that would shut out many people of color from going out to restaurants or shopping.
But the mask mandate could be coming soon to Boston, where liberal voters dominate the political landscape.
Janey could portray it as a bold and necessary step to keep the public safe from the dangerous delta strain of the coronavirus.
Imposing a mask mandate could also blot out what was an admittedly rough stretch for Janey when she compared vaccine passports or cards to slavery.
Baker has so far stubbornly refused to impose mask mandates in Massachusetts, leaving it up to local jurisdictions. That decision goes against recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control for people to mask up indoors, regardless of whether they are vaccinated.
“I”m not considering changing the mask guidance at this time,” Baker said this week. “We pay a lot of attention to the data associated with case counts and with hospitalizations and the tragedies associated with the loss of life, but you can’t look at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and look at our vaccination rate, our hospitalization rate, and compare it to where the rest of the country is.
But many Massachusetts cities and towns are joining the mandate move, with Arlington being the latest example.
So does Baker look strong to more conservative voters who don’t like mandates, but ineffectual to more liberal voters who don’t mind masking up for health reasons?
He could find out if he runs for a third term next year. Baker’s handling of the pandemic will be the top issue on voters’ minds and likely decide whether he gets another term. Democrats have already been pounding Baker for failing to impose mask mandates, but there’s no indication that the criticism has hurt Baker’s high approval ratings.
Janey is on shakier political ground — with the election just weeks away — which is why her decision on mask mandates is so important.
