Cities and States at Odds on Decision to Reopen Now or Delay
By DL. White
Californians are hitting the beach after weeks of “stay home, stay safe” policies; however cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in the 49er state. As of May 1, there have been 49, 917 confirmed cases, with 1,982 having lost their battle against the deadly virus in California.
Governor Gavin Newsom was forced to issue an order to close Orange County beaches following an outpour of locals to the sandy seafront. State and City governments are often at odds; however, not since the election of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States and possibly the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President has there been as much dissention in these “United States of America.”
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the need for businesses, schools, as well as City and State governments to come to a halt have impacted lives domestically and internationally as nothing else has.
Combating COVID-19 and not providing a host (body or bodies) for the deadly virus to spread and infect more individuals led to a forced in some instances shutdown of the normal economic flow around the world. From China, to Rome, to Spain, the Vatican Square, Venice, the Nile and the Middle East, all became literal ghost towns as movement came to a halt with only outside movement being of the completely necessary.
America by all practicality began its fight against COVID-19, late. While most countries began shutting down in February, it was not until March when Governors across the country began enforcing closures of schools and businesses.
The decision to close schools and businesses was initially met with some resistance; however, as hospitalizations increased and lives began to be lost, most of the citizenry began to comply. After weeks of the “stay home/stay safe” policy, unrest and misinformation from the President began uproar across the country with individuals demanding the economy reopen for business.
The uproar appears to be as partisan as politics in the age of one Donald J. Trump.
President Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell, appear to be politicizing the issue of COVID-19 response to states considered Blue (Democratic voting or lead by a Democratic Governor) vs. those states considered Red (Republican voting or lead by a Republican Governor).
McConnell, had the audacity to suggest (out loud) that States should file bankruptcy?