Wilhour Reminds It's Okay to Ask Questions

As of Wednesday, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's 30-day emergency powers come to an end.

Local St. Rep. Blaine Wilhour of Beecher City thinks it's time for the governor to call members of the Illinois General Assembly to the table to discuss where things stand and to discuss how to proceed regarding the COVID-19 virus.

Wilhour suggests that constituents deserve input on potentially opening parts of the state less affected by the virus. He also says the state's residents want a plan for how and when to open the economy and put Illinoisans back to work. He said, "If the data shows that we are not ready to reopen on a regional basis, fine, but it needs to actually show that. We need to set parameters and establish benchmarks to reopen and we need to start today."

Wilhour said a couple of weeks ago, he asked for legitimate data from Pritzker's administration to ensure good data-based decisions were being made, and said, "I was roundly ridiculed by Springfield insiders calling me an 'unserious idiot' who was sowing seeds of doubt."

Wilhour said, "The idea that we shouldn't question any of these moves is dangerous, irresponsible and downright scary. Maybe we are doing everything right--maybe we are not--but asking questions and making sure we are making good decisions based on real data is absolutely essential."