Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said in a media interview the morning of Dec. 25 that we should never allow a governor to shut down the economy.
“Nobody thinks the governor can somehow be a dictator in charge of the economy,” Paul said in an interview with Newsmax. “My state of Kentucky, people can’t eat indoors, they can’t eat outside, their kids can’t go to school. It’s worse than New York City right now, and the governor has closed schools despite all the scientific evidence and past evidence that there has not been a dramatic increase in cases while schools were open.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear previously ordered restrictions related to the outbreak, including the need to wear masks or face masks; small private parties only; small indoor establishments such as gyms to accept customers at minimum capacity; take-out meals only; and students not being allowed to attend school.
Many governors across the United States have closed small businesses to varying degrees, citing an increase in the number of confirmed cases of the local CCA virus (New Coronavirus). There has been a boycott by people and small business owners in all states – the lockdown has put them in financial crisis and people need to survive.
In New York State, the governor announced another ban on indoor dining in restaurants in mid-December, despite an already struggling restaurant industry and owner opposition to the dining ban. The restaurant industry has warned of possible work stoppages and layoffs during the holidays.
Both New York and California are currently experiencing a wave of “out-migration,” with many people moving to other states due to epidemic restrictions. According to preliminary statistics from the Census Bureau, between July 2019 and July 2020, 126,000 New York residents will move to other states, the most of any U.S. state in the same period.
In response, Paul said these governors are shutting down the economy because they are continuing to receive federal stimulus money, including the recent CARES Act. “(New York Mayor) Whitehouse and Governor Cuomo can only open the economy if they spend everyone else’s money.” Paul said.
He continued, “I don’t think we should be giving states any more money and ‘rewarding’ this egregious behavior. Indeed, this may be the worst time in our nation’s history because of the concentration of power in the hands of a few.”
In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has been doubly criticized. She cited the state’s surge in diagnoses as a reason for imposing too many restrictions, such as a Nov. 15 order that closed restaurants and bars for indoor dining for three weeks from Nov. 18 to Dec. 8, restricted high schools and universities to online classes and forced many other businesses and events to stop or close.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Dec. 21 that it is almost certain that all Southern California homebound orders, which were to expire next week, will continue to be extended.
The latest government data shows that more than three-quarters of small businesses in the U.S. have been hit moderately or more severely by the Communist virus outbreak, with the lodging and restaurant sectors being the hardest hit.
In addition to small businesses, prayer sites have also been affected by the restrictions. Some governors have tried to limit the number of people going to the sites for prayer, and some have tried to limit the opening. In California, Christianity, along with Protestantism and Judaism, and a number of other religious organizations have been banned from holding indoor gatherings of any kind.
The California Supreme Court justices said Newsom’s recently released Blueprint for a Safer Economy and Regional Stay at Home Order are not being implemented fairly and with minimal restrictions for the public good, in violation of the First Amendment’s provision ensuring freedom of religious practice such as prayer.
Paul said in the interview that the governors should have given good advice instead of just limiting the rights granted by the First Amendment.
“I’m not saying (the CCM virus) isn’t deadly, and I’ve lost two friends in a week because of it.” Paul said.
“I’m not saying there’s no good advice. If an 85-year-old man asked me if he should go to church and sit there for two hours, I would say it’s better not to go. But I would never force to say you shouldn’t go to church, I would never force to close a church, I would never force to close a religious school.” Paul said.
Recent Comments