Opinion: The Orange County Register
What is and isn’t essential should be left up to individuals, not government
California’s “stay-at-home” orders have revealed a rather snobbish demarcation of businesses: those that are essential, and those that, well, just are not.
The demarcation is arbitrary, and increasingly, this condescension of who matters and who doesn’t is being resisted by everyday people in red and blue states.
State leaders should rethink their classifications of what is essential and understand that ALL businesses are essential. Why? Simply put, they are essential to those who patronize them, otherwise, they would not be in business.
As someone who grew up as a diehard Democrat, now Libertarian, I find myself increasingly disappointed, particularly, by the political leadership in Blue States, especially my own home state of California. It is run by out of touch elites, “woke” and overpaid “public servants” who want to decide our entire lives.
California’s “stay-at-home” orders have revealed a rather snobbish demarcation of businesses: those that are essential, and those that, well, just are not.
The demarcation is arbitrary, and increasingly, this condescension of who matters and who doesn’t is being resisted by everyday people in red and blue states.
State leaders should rethink their classifications of what is essential and understand that ALL businesses are essential. Why? Simply put, they are essential to those who patronize them, otherwise, they would not be in business.
As someone who grew up as a diehard Democrat, now Libertarian, I find myself increasingly disappointed, particularly, by the political leadership in Blue States, especially my own home state of California. It is run by out of touch elites, “woke” and overpaid “public servants” who want to decide our entire lives.
Luther is a real hero — not just for mothers everywhere, but for every small business owner who, in this crisis, have been shuttered, our livelihoods and skills demeaned as “non-essential.” Small business is truly the lifeblood of this nation’s economy. Without small businesses, this economy wouldn’t exist.
With major deficits looming, California must understand that all businesses should be allowed to immediately reopen, instead of the socially engineered “phased” reopening the governor has proclaimed. A phased reopening simply puts the planning authority into the hands of a sanctioned bureaucracy with no input from a free market.
People have been warned; they understand that leaving their home is a calculated risk. For the able bodied and healthy, it is a risk that they have the right to make. Businesses are incredibly innovative and will work to their highest and fullest capacity to safely provide services to their clients. The consumer will ultimately make that decision as an individual.
In 1987, in his infamous Berlin Wall Speech, President Regan declared, “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev… tear down this wall!” Today I tell my governor, “Mr. Newsom, open this state!” California must be open for business.
If Gov. Newsom fails to open up our economy and let people like myself patronize the businesses we find essential, then I might just have to fill up my gas tank and drive to her salon. Google tells me it’s a 20 hour drive from Los Angeles to Dallas–and who knows… maybe I won’t want to return.