Governors have never met an Executive Order they don’t like. Now they’re using the word “indefinitely” on the end of mask mandates, lockdown restrictions, and social distancing requirements.
Mayors, public health officials, and several city councils have done the same.
“34 states now have statewide mask mandates in effect, including Republican strongholds like Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. Of the holdouts, many are less populated rural ones, although there are notable exceptions. Arizona, Florida, and Georgia have all resisted statewide mandates thus far despite suffering sizable outbreaks, although in AZ and TX the governor has allowed local jurisdictions to issue their own orders, which means many state residents are under a mask mandate anyway. And in Georgia it looks like Brian Kemp is about to drop his lawsuit to prevent cities from issuing mandates, so lots of state residents there should soon be under orders to wear one as well…86 percent of Americans are now wearing masks indoors around other people according to Gallup.”
Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer adopted a different take on “indefinitely,” expanding her power by declaring racism a “public health crisis,” meaning she is now free to use state emergency powers to engage in whatever limitless meddling she wishes to force state employees and perhaps citizens to do her bidding du jour.
Tyranny, what some call “corona fascism,” comes in many forms and apparently in the United States today its best suit is “public health.” It goes like this.
- Identify a virus,
- Scare the public via hysterical media,
- Opportunistic politicians then issue draconian executive public health orders qua restrictions, shutting down the economy and increasingly everyday life,
- Keep changing the goalposts: flatten the curve, have enough beds in hospitals, avoid a second spike, until we get a vaccine, till everyone is safe, so that state and local officials continue to have a reason, in their view, to issue “orders,’
- Use chaos created by race riots to advance governmental power and control, not over the rioters but over citizens,
- Point to science constantly but then ignore science or any consistency by approving, even encouraging, protests for “racial justice” even while continuing to restrict houses of worship, businesses, and more.
- Insert the word “Indefinitely” to assure the government executive stays “in charge.”
Sports, fairs, concerts, and other public events have now been cancelled well into 2021. Schools and universities are in a condemned if you do, condemned if you don’t scenario with students caught in the middle.
Ambiguity not confidence is the watchword for our economy if not ever day life.
Meanwhile, we’ve yet to hear reasonable explanations:
- why COVID-19 is worse and more threatening than a host of other viruses and illnesses that continue to infect people,
- why lockdowns and cancellations must continue if indeed wearing masks and social distancing are effective, or vice versa,
- why unilateral actions re COVID-19 somehow do not create a host of collateral damage, some more serious than the virus threat,
- what the real endgame looks like, other than “Indefinitely.”
Fear is not a worthy substitute for Freedom. Lockdowns should cease, schools should reopen, sports seasons should be rescheduled, and people should get on with their lives.
Ronald Reagan said, “Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.” I agree, wholeheartedly.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2020
*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact me or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com/, or connect with me at www.linkedin.com/in/rexmrogers.