We at the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle received the great tidings that Colorado’s Governor Jared Polis had magnanimously decided that our “frontline journalists” would be part of the frontline for COVID-19 vaccinations. The definition of a “frontline journalist” is so loose that almost anyone working at the Chronicle qualifies. How glorious! We in the media have, of course, thought of ourselves as more special and better than the people we report on and if you have any doubts just ask Channel 9’s Kyle Clark. It is just so wonderful that Governor Polis has recognized the same. One of these days you too may be eligible for this life saving vaccine, but there is no great urgency on that front.
It is also great that the governor gets to make those life and death decisions. He has been ruling by proclamation for close to an entire year now with no end of the emergency in site. We, in theory, have a pesky election for the office in November of 2022, but why go to the annoyance of that charade. Polis spent over $23 million of his money in the last election and it is said he is willing to double that next time to harvest ballots.
Polis helped push campaign finance reform laws which make it impossible for anyone who is not extremely wealthy to win the governorship. It is amazing how laws that the purported purpose was to eliminate big money out of politics, in fact, allow only the wealthy to hold the top statewide office.
The COVID-19 emergency has worked out wonderfully for some. Many government workers and public school teachers have had a very nice, long vacation and are in no hurry to get back to full-time work anytime soon. Big box retailers and Amazon have grown wealthy on the backs of small businesses. Restaurants and bars have been decimated despite recent studies showing they do not particularly spread COVID-19. It just does not matter.
It also does not matter that highly effective treatments for COVID-19 exist if you’re wealthy and know the right doctors. During the pandemic the rich have gotten richer and the poor poorer but is not that the way it always works? The rich are in no hurry to end the emergency here in Colorado or anywhere else for that matter.
No, just sit back and enjoy the second year of the COVID-19 emergency. You cannot do anything about it even if you wanted to. The governor will one day make you eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine just like us “frontline journalists,” just not anytime soon.
- Editorial Board
You are so “special” Kyle. Governor Jared Polis (left) deemed “frontline journalists” like Channel 9 News anchor Kyle Clark (below) as so special as to deserve front of the line treatment for the COVID-19 vaccine.