The message from the GOP leadership has completely changed. Mitch McConnell openly supports wearing masks. Fox celebrities have fallen in line. Even Trump no longer disparages them. What’s going on here?
Two things. First, the party is coming across as callous and inept to moderates and the elderly. Second, the refusal to embrace the use of masks has a direct impact on the virus numbers, and, therefore, on consumer confidence.. If Trump has to eat a little humble pie in order to supercharge the recovery, well, so be it.
The real question here is whether the Reactionaries will accept the new message from the leadership and change their behavior. I think it will be a mixed bag. It won’t be nearly enough to bring the economy back.