Okay, when Biden wins and calls for mandatory masks for all, how will that be enforced?

[panader0]

The County Sheriff where I live is against a mandate, saying it will be impossible to enforce.
People cannot be jailed, there aren't enough cells. I was thinking a fine, such as $50.00 for the
first offense. $100.00 for the second offense, and then time at the county zoo. (Jail)
That would create even more money for the county than speed traps.
Seriously, I believe that a mandate is needed, but wonder about the details.

[Binkie The Clown]

1. Would he "demand"? Or would he "convince"?

I suspect he'd get the people on his side rather than trying to strong-arm it through.

[PSPS]

6. That's right. Look at how Cuomo did it. Honestly explain the situation, justify what has to be done.

People hated the inconvenience just like everyone else, but were willing to follow his lead because he took the time to be honest, explain in easy-to-understand detail of what has to be done. This should have been a federal effort to begin with.

[Ms. Toad]

45. That doesn't work. That's what DeWine did -

from the strength of hs position as one of them. It did zero good. Cases started going down only when DeWine mandated it.

Those who aren't wearing masks now need a stick, in addition to the carrot.

[lapfog_1]

2. the officers should tackle violators

and kneel on their necks with their full weight for 8:46 seconds.

perhaps two lessons would be learned.

[Claustrum]

3. A national mandate was never going to be fully enforce.

Because that is relying upon the local police and sheriff to enforce it. And there is nothing Biden could do if they just decide not to. But having such a mandate would push most people to wear them. As more people do, the leftover will have to conform eventually.

[Xipe Totec]

4. Same way as no smoking is enforced.

Or mandatory seatbelts.

It takes time and steady social pressure but eventually it is accepted and enforced.

[RazzleCat]

35. this

I remember seatbelts, the majority just did it. Police would fine you if say you were in an accident and no belt, some abused it as a way to pull you over, but in general not so much. After time very good compliance, not perfect, but very good. Same pattern with smoking indoors.

Edit to add, keep the fine low, but allow local departments to keep the money, just like drug busts, that will motivate even anti mask departments to enforce.

[The Magistrate]

5. Seems To Be Plenty Of Call For Grave-Diggers, Sir

And there's the placebo end of vaccine and medication trials to consider....

[Blue_true]

7. Reduce any federal funds that Sheriff gets.

If the County Commission, which is the taxing and budgeting body, don’t come up with a plan to get that Sheriff in line, then decrease federal funding to that county until it gets it’s shut together.

Trump has routinely diverted funds from blue cities and states and the Courts did nothing. It is about time that Democrats use local funding from the Feds to bring rightwing public officials in line, when the nation’s future calls for them to cooperate to protect the nation.

[D_Master81]

8. In areas like where you and I live

It won’t be enforced. I believe Biden can only make it mandatory on federal property. He can encourage mask wearing and distancing, but he can’t force it. You have to hope states get the political courage to try to do something. After the lockdowns GOP states have mostly said screw it. Where I’m at in Indiana it’s full go open for the most part. Drove by restaurants that the parking lots were completely packed last night.

[Blue_true]

17. Cut off Federal funds to those places.

Trump has, over the last four years, routinely reduced or diverted funds from blue voting areas and the Courts have allowed him to do that. Cutoff Federal funds to recalcitrant cities and states and use Court rulings in support of Trump’s actions to point out why adverse Court rulings will be ignored.

[PubliusEnigma]

9. They talk tough, but they'll get in line when the new Sheriff gets to town.

[dware]

26. The New Sheriff cannot force states to enforce such a mandate,

and a mandate from the Pres. Biden would only apply to the Fed. Govt.

[Hortensis]

40. Right. Biden will lead and deal as presidents do. He's neither sheriff nor dictator.

Even Trump has not activated his emergency powers to compel citizen obedience, aside from using ongoing riots as an excuse for very limited local action to boost his image as a strongman. But a competent president has far better ways of using emergency powers, such as to organize production, and also has a lot of offers he can make to local governments short of that.

[dware]

48. That is exactly how he should play it out,

He can go on TV and explain to the American people in clear honest terms and the American people will follow suit

[Hortensis]

53. Yes. Trump hasn't exactly set new "norms," to put it mildly. :) nt

[backscatter712]

10. Make the fines larger. $500 on the first offense.

Make the second offense a misdemeanor about as serious as DUI/DWI, with four or five figures in fines, court costs, attorney fees, etc., because by not wearing a mask, one is literally endangering other through stupidity, just like drunk driving. The second offense should result in an arrest, possibly spending the night in jail, explaining yourself to a judge, taking mandatory public health classes, and suspension of one's driver's license (because you can't spread the bug quite so far if you can't drive, can you?)

[PSPS]

11. "Enforced" by being HONEST. Look at how Cuomo handled it, but do it at a federal level.

If people understand the real state of affairs, they'll step up. Remove the politics from public health.

[MoonlitKnight]

12. It's called leadership

It is what we have been lacking.

Leadership by example goes a long way.

[NightWatcher]

13. Take their name and when they get Covid they don't get to go to hospital.

Save rooms for those who try to stay safe.

The National Asshole Registry. Get on it and they'll drop your corpse off in the National Guard Armory parking lot.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. He can't make it legally mandatory by himself, but he has the bully pulpit

and can at least pressure Congress to enact a statute, or, failing that, can appeal to governors to do it. He can certainly lead by example. But it would probably be kind of like seat belt laws. In my state you can be fined for not using one, but in practice the cops aren't likely to pull you over for it; though if you are stopped for any other traffic violation they will also ticket you for not wearing your seat belt. The fine is only $25, though, and it's a petty misdemeanor that doesn't go on your driving record.

[Doreen]

15. That sounds good to me.

Put some pressure on businesses also. Where I live there are businesses who do not enforce it. They need to be fined for allowing people in unmasked. Oh yeah, another thing, signs saying "masks must be worn poroperly. With a picture of the correct way and the incorrect way.

[Orangepeel]

16. enforce through businesses

a mandate would allow businesses cover to refuse service to the nonmasked and they could be fined if they failed to enforce.

[hlthe2b]

18. It has to be enforced mostly locally. States issue/can suspend business licenses, & locales can fine

I know that means the oneness falls on the businesses, but hell, that is nearly always the case. I think local law enforcement has to be willing to cite individual "customer" violators with significant fines as well, but ultimately the enforcement comes when a business fails to refuse maskless customers from entering the premises. Just as it falls to bars to stop serving drunken customers or to refuse service to minors. Ditto convenience and other stores with respect to selling tobacco products to minors.

My county has had a mask requirement since late April. Colorado has had a statewide mandate for months as well and the latter HAS pulled business licenses, just as NYC (and other locales) have had to do.


But you know what works best? PEER pressure.

[cwydro]

19. I'll think about this after he wins.

All my energy is concentrated on the win.

Work the details out later.

[backscatter712]

20. Biden & the new Dem Congress should make federal aid funds conditional...

...on sufficiently strict implementation of a COVID mask enforcement strategy.

Grab those right-wing chud sheriffs right in the wallet!

[PTWB]

21. It is too late really for mandatory mask compliance.

Trump has politicized mask wearing to the point that there is a large group of his supporters who will never wear a mask under any circumstances - and probably some who are currently wearing masks but as soon as Biden tells them it is mandatory, they'll stop just to be obstinate.

We need to focus on education and encouragement instead of enforcement.

[Silent3]

22. Besides the benefit of just having the bully pulpit and a consistent national message...

...there are indirect ways to put some teeth into enforcement at the national level, provided we also win the Senate.

You just tie access to federal funds and benefits for the states to those states mandating the enforcement.

[Maxheader]

23. He can do it and it could be effective..

Instead of some piece of shit moron like stumpy promoting social gathers, school and business openings..

Joes will sell it to the country by his shear positive attitude. It will be different from the republicons

approach which was....nothing...

[maynard]

24. Places of business will help enforce.

In Nevada, can’t enter a place of business without a mask. No shoes, no shirt, no mask, no service. If you don’t have a mask, one will be provided. Don’t want to wear a mask....go somewhere else. The place of business gets fined if they don’t enforce. Win, win.

[pat_k]

27. Yes. But look to health depts to enforce -- not law enforcement.

As you say. It's up to businesses whether or not to enforce any mandate.

I think health departments have the power to enforce and are more likely to be "sane" about it than law enforcement

Also, I think businesses in violation should get a warning for first report of violation. Continued violation, health department closes.

If a local health department refuses to enforce, don't think you can do much about that but feel sad for the residents being exposed.

[pat_k]

25. Deleted. Duplicate

[ecstatic]

28. Too soon. Nt

[beachbumbob]

29. Tie it to federal funds and grants to the state, not rocket science.

[Midnight Writer]

30. Trump is encouraging his followers to not wear masks. Even holding maskless rallies.

When we have an Administration that does not give them permission, when people see ALL members of that Administration, ALL members of Congress, ALL TV personalities, taking this seriously, walking their talk, we will see more compliance.

Enforcement will be same as with most laws. People will see everyone else doing it and not want to be the outcast.

Won't work for everybody, granted, but will surely work better than active encouragement of recklessness.

[zipplewrath]

31. He explained it

He explained that he would call the governors and ask for their cooperation. If they didn't cooperate, he'd call on the counties and/or cities to support it. He'd also make it a requirement at all federal facilities. Mostly, he just has to depoliticize it and get people to cooperate.

[marie999]

32. Whether he signs an EO or signs a bill into law there are going to be law suits.

Also holding back money from states will only hurt the people.

[Brainfodder]

33. I'd vote for cattle prod use at this juncture?

Sheeple need treated as such?

[gulliver]

34. He won't be doing that.

He'll be coordinating with state and local officials and letting the doctors take the lead in discussing the science. More masks will be worn simply because of the absence of Trump from the stage also. Not wearing a mask will come to be seen what it is: failing to protect the vulnerable and failing the economy at the same time.

[moondust]

36. Ask Quebec.

"...the fines for refusing to wear the mask in indoor public places will be from $400 to $6,000 (CAD)."

https://www.newsweek.com/north-american-city-not-wearing-mask-fined-4500-1531526

It has been more than a month since they started this but I haven't followed how it's working. I'd think most Canadians would be much more civic-minded than the Trump cult so it's probably not as big a problem there. Some other countries have also tried fines but I don't know how they are working.

[Yeehah]

47. The US Congress could do the same thing here

The virus affects interstate commerce so Congress can legislate to require mask-wearing.

[Totally Tunsie]

37. First we line them all up against a wall...

[TomCADem]

38. Easy. Make Funding Contingent on Taking Steps to Combat the Disease

If Republicans Governors want to turn away federal funding to respond the pandemic to score political points, then that is their choice.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

39. We first need a general public that WANTS to wear masks.....

for the love of their fellow man. It must be done by a majority to be effective and stop the spread.

With a nation severely divided by the right-wing, I fear we'll never reach that point due to their upside-down thinking on liberty and freedom.

Fines like you mentioned tend to hurt the poor the most and masks would have to be plentiful and FREE. That's a tall order considering some medical personnel are still short on PPE.

We need to start back at the beginning where Trump blew it and focus first on a massive public education program with lots of PSAs, advisory signs in public places, mailings, etc.

Send all residents a small supply of masks and make replacements available by mail. Offer them with cute shit printed on them so long as effectiveness is not reduced.

There's really no way to enforce a mask mandate because you cannot insure that any mask a person is wearing is effective and properly worn. An inefficient mask is probably worse than none at all because it creates overconfidence, resulting in risky behavior.

KY........

[tonedevil]

41. I suppose some people...

may think shooting on site to be too harsh, but I think it would be effective.

[former9thward]

51. Fascism usually is effective.

They always said Mussolini made the trains run on time.

[yardwork]

42. In my city, the mayor made mask-wearing mandatory.

There was no enforcement except the honor system. No fines, no citations, but most people recognized how important it was and complied.

I think that's the best approach. We need leadership. Most people will do as leaders ask if it seems reasonable.

[KewlKat]

43. I thought joe said he'd start with the governors, then

Work his way done for compliance. I don’t think he said he’d mandate it from the federal level but something we do for others. I know he’s addressed it in a townhall, debate or somewhere.

[BainsBane]

44. In MN the fine is $1000.

They can fine you like a parking ticket.

[MichMan]

54. How many people have they fined so far?

[BainsBane]

55. I don't know

But they are enforcing it. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/hastings-grill-owner-fights-mask-fine/89-033250f8-b992-4d86-9bb7-d8b8ea27b23f

[kacekwl]

46. Sounds like a Fox news panel discussion.

It's like the seat belt law. Not necessarily looking for it but it you get caught without you could get ticketed. The mandate is to encourage mask use instead of like now a president discourage the use of masks.

[Hekate]

49. Seat belts. Motorcycle helmets. Smoking in public buildings. Lots of PSAs. I'm not worried at all.

Can’t recall if it’s CNN or MSNBC, but they’re spontaneously generating their own PSAs ....
Photo of a blue disposable mask. Caption: This Is Not A Political Statement. Then more text about how this mask saves lives.

Actually, we all know how this should be done. We’ve done it before. All it takes is intelligent leadership.

[kskiska]

50. Put all the offenders in cages and give them mylar blankets

until they change their minds.

[former9thward]

52. It can't be enforced.

The SC has said local authorities can't be required to enforce federal laws and regulations. Besides Biden walked back those mandate comments anyway.

[mcar]

56. He has said he would encourage state and local leaders

to put forward mask mandates. He has acknowledged he cannot do that nationally.