California Lockdown: Residents Tired of Being Treated as Lepers

Burning down the village to save it will only ensure the total collapse of the economy. 

UPDATE BELOW: Gov. Gavin Newsom is continuing to enlist loyal Californians to apply social pressure on each other to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus hospitalizations, despite that the curve never really was a threat in the Golden State we now know. The shutdown did not stop the virus. When we open up the economy, the virus, as with the seasonal flu, will continue to spread. Most will recover from it.

Ratting out businesses and neighbors is now “social pressure,” regardless of whether they are considered “essential” or not.

“That social pressure we’re seeing out there for people to do the right thing is the most powerful enforcement tool we have, and we’ll continue to use that as our moral authority advanced all throughout the state of California,” Newsom said during the announcement of his March 19 shelter-in-place order.

Tuesday, Gov. Newsom outlined the steps that California needs to take to return to normal following the COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown, except what he outlined was nothing more than a continuation of the lockdown and mitigation measures the state already employs. He offered no specifics or a date.

Meanwhile, state retail and sales tax revenues are gone leaving many to ask just how the state will be able to pay for all of the public services it currently pays for. The longer the state stays in lockdown, the more businesses will have to turn to federal bankruptcy protection, potentially overwhelming the federal courts.

Poverty kills more people every year than a virus. The longer the economy is shut down, the worse it looks for pushing more Americans into poverty.

Californians all across the state have been made to feel as if they are lepers or carriers of the black death if they venture outdoors for some fresh air, visit with friends and neighbors, take up a golf game, take a drive along the coast or in the foothills, or go to an “essential” job. Some cities and counties have assisted in this ratting-out by creating mobile apps, or calling 311 and pressing #6 to report a neighbor outside without a mask on.

If social media is any indicator of the angst, frustration and anger of California residents, they are done with the lockdown. Californians appeared fairly amenable early on with the stay-home orders, as there really wasn’t much data yet on the coronavirus and many were scared. Californians figured public officials would ask for 2-3 weeks of home quarantine, and the loss of businesses and jobs might have been absorbed.

After Gov. Newsom’s non-plan for reopening, Californians are done with being made to feel as lepers for going outside or to the grocery store without a mask on. And they are done with being treated as criminals for getting in the car to go anywhere. And Californians are done with the ruination of their businesses.

Early on in the lockdown, California Globe was contacted by a few Sacramento residents who reported they had been pulled over by police and were not told of a moving violation, but were asked where they were going, and told to prove it was to an “essential” job. Since then, similar reports have come in from all across the state of local police and highway patrol officers pulling drivers over and asking where they were headed. In some counties people have been issued citations for taking a much-needed sanity drive, but never told how being in a car alone was a threat to anyone.

Some county health officers have issued draconian orders to stay home. Residents were told to stay home on Easter Sunday, and that family gatherings were not allowed. Picnics in public parks were not allowed, and state and regional parks were closed.

The people have had enough. Around the country citizens are expressing their frustration with tyrannical leaders with protests. Expect to see the same in California – especially with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti threatening he will not allow large gatherings or public sporting events in the near future, and a 6-10 month time span for reopening the city.

The American people were willing to accept 2-3 weeks at home, especially with President Trump talking at the end of March about opening up the country by Easter. Now it may fall to county leaders.

One county that could announce opening back up for business is Kern County, home to the oil and gas industry and a bounty of agricultural products. The screen shot below shows Kern County public health coronavirus data. There is no pandemic in Kern County, with population of 888,988. But most business has been shut down. Farms, dairies and ranches are forced to throw out milk, meat and produce. Instead, the state should be purchasing these food products and stockpiling them. This would cover the losses for farmers and ranchers, and provide food to the needy in the state.

Imperial County is another county with no pandemic on its hands, that could open back up for business. With a population of 181,574, the economy is also heavily based on agriculture.

The majority of California counties can reopen for business. It will take courage and political will from county supervisors to open the flood gates for getting back to business.

The suffering the lockdowns have caused may be far greater than the virus. Burning down the village to save it will only ensure the total collapse of the economy.

UPDATE: Congressional Candidate Andy Caldwell (CA-24) provided the following video clip of the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC.

Caldwell says: “Gavin Newsom did not come up with a plan…he simply repeated the talking points on reopening our economy from the utterly corrupt Chinese controlled World Health Organization.”

“The WHO is in the pocket of China, and don’t have America’s best interests in mind. China subjected the US to the virus and now they want to subject us to an indeterminate shut down.”

“Shame on Newsom for establishing criteria for reopening CA from the same people responsible for this virus in the first place.”