The Blog

2020-

2020-12-17 d
THE COVID-CON II
"In other words, they’re mad as hell, and they’re not gonna take this anymore."

Californians Are Fed Up With Newsom’s Draconian Shutdowns

Golden Staters lose patience with the governor’s tin-pot tyranny.

Welcome to California, where our dictator has movie star hair, a dayglo smile, and an impeccably progressive resume.

What he likely doesn’t have any longer is the support of a majority of his constituents.

Californians don’t like to break the law, except when it comes to speeding. Maybe the nice weather discourages civil disobedience. But after Gavin Newsom’s latest diktat on December 3 — his most onerous closure and stay-at-home order since March — millions of citizens in the Golden State have reached their breaking points. With the tremendous economic, mental, and physical costs they’ve borne because of school closures and economic shutdowns, many of them are beginning to suspect that their sacrifice hasn’t been worth it. They’re even starting to wonder if Newsom’s irresponsible orders are making matters worse for their families, their state, and their country.

In other words, they’re mad as hell, and they’re not gonna take this anymore.

When COVID hit the state back in March, Gov. Newsom — aka Prince Gavin, Governor Hairdo, Gruesome Newsom — began issuing the first of his executive orders without the input of the state legislature. As Generalissimo, Newsom relishes giving lengthy press conferences in which he delivers long-winded, self-aggrandizing speeches filled with an endless torrent of clichés and corporate buzzwords. He “leans into problems,” “believes in science,” and stays “proactive.” He “unpacks issues,” “moves the needle,” and “looks under the hood.” He’s a “game changer” who “hits the ground running.”

Yet behind his glib patois and his lip service to “localism” and “community choice,” Newsom is operating a command-and-control autocracy in California. Since March, he’s signed more than 58 executive orders relating to COVID and other issues. Even after several judicial decisions condemned his unilateral actions, he’s shown no interest in letting counties (or the state legislature, for that matter) devise their own solutions to local problems.

His latest order prohibits in-person, indoor Christmas services or any in-person Christmas gatherings for people from more than one household. It restricts movement outside the house (including travel) to “essential services.” Hotels must close their doors to out-of-town guests. Retail stores are limited to 20 percent capacity. All outdoor dining is prohibited (indoor dining has been banned since July), and bars, wineries, nail care, personal services, barbershops, and salons must close their doors until at least December 28. Newsom’s heavy-handed restrictions on religious services also remain in place, despite two recent Supreme Court decisions striking down similar unconstitutional limits on the right to worship.

(Not surprisingly, northern California has so far avoided the stricter protocols, which means you can still get a glass of overpriced, over-oaked Chardonnay at Newsom’s PlumpJack Winery in Oakville.)

Californians’ anger at the San Francisco Sun King over his shutdown orders — and his own failure to follow them — has been bipartisan.

... Even Los Angeles, which has seen the brunt of COVID cases, is showing signs of rebellion. On December 5, Angela Marsden, a local bar owner in Los Angeles, tearfully explained in a viral YouTube video how Newsom forced her to close her outdoor eating area, even though an identical area next to it was allowed to operate under a loophole exempting movie production companies. Actor Michael Rappaport has a similar video in which he loudly (and profanely) tells Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti exactly what he thinks of the shutdowns. (read more)

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