Editor’s note: During the course of a week, issues are covered that might not lend themselves to full editorial comment, but they are worthy of The Sunday Telegraph weighing in – thumbs up, thumbs down or neutral.

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Thumbs DOWN – To the Executive Council for rejecting $27 million in federal funding for vaccination outreach, which would have allowed the state to hire a public health manager and dozens of workers to promote the COVID-19 vaccine and to address public concerns. Those against accepting the funds said the language in the grant paperwork would have forced the Granite State to comply with “future directive” issued by Washington, including possible vaccine mandates. The same language has appeared in other grants accepted by the Council. It also does not impede the state’s sovereignty, said both Attorney General John Formella and Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. The governor told the Executive Council, “I appreciate that you have concerns, but they’re based on fantasy. You reject these federal dollars, the federal government doesn’t put it in a savings account. … They’re going to send it to New York and California. The dollars are ours, for programs we already implemented. So, to say no makes no logical sense whatsoever.” All four of the Republican councilors voted against the grants, including David Wheeler, who urged Sununu to “stand up like the governor of Texas.” Although Sununu plans to join a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers, he said he won’t be following the lead of Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott, who on Monday issued an executive order barring private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines. We agree that this was a huge misstep by the Executive Council, especially in light of the continued increase in COVID-19 cases in the Granite State. Obviously, the Council believes strongly in New Hampshire’s Live Free or Die motto.

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