He has only himself to blame. Senseless, irrational, and transparently political decisions have undermined the integrity of Governor Jay Inslee’s “stay at home” order.
Protests and defiance are building. A protest against his order is set for this Sunday, April 19, 1-2 p.m. at the Capitol in Olympia. It has drawn regional and national attention and the numbers of those indicating they will participate is growing.
The protest in Lansing, Michigan that drew tens of thousands is sparking similar protests around the country. The Michigan protest was fueled by perhaps the worst abuses of a governor’s powers, starting with an order prohibiting physicians and hospitals from deciding which treatment would be best for COVID-19 patients to banning the sale of vegetable seeds but not other products.
Facebook groups dedicated to reopening Washington and fighting Inslee’s continued lock-down have in the past 48 hours drawn thousands of new members. The discussions range from traditional petitioning of government to outright collective violation of Inslee’s order.
Inslee enjoyed widespread support and trust at the start of his exercise of extraordinary emergency powers. But his obvious political favoritism, and his relentless insistence that there is no limit to his powers and that he can extend his lock down order indefinitely, and unilaterally, has eroded that support.
We have previously reported how Inslee has ignored statutory limits on his powers and has favored political allies, particularly unions, in defining the “essential” entities and activities that may continue. Inslee’s imposition of an order suited for I-5 counties on the rest of the state, despite dramatic differences in infection rates and economic and social circumstances, has generated growing contempt across much of Washington.
Some of the reaction is reasoned and principled. Opponents rightly point to obvious unconstitutional implications of Inslee’s order, and the senselessness of his ban on residential construction while permitting large-scale, unionized construction projects, and publicly financed projects to continue. The ban on fishing has also made it easy for people to take their first step in ridiculing Inslee’s order.
Inslee’s refusal to relent, and make his order dependent on safe practices rather than his subjective decision as to what is “essential,” threatens to trigger widespread defiance and, worse, casual disregard for health measures necessary to end to the pandemic in Washington.
The contempt Inslee has bred is now leading to people rejecting the need for social distancing. We are seeing more people asserting their right to ignore the one aspect of Inslee’s order that is based on unarguable medical science. Inslee has lost his ability to talk to these people. Instead, he is reverting to the old Inslee. Rather than thoughtfully address problems he created, he is eager for battle and is belittling those speaking against his unchecked powers.
This will lead only to a greater defiance, and a greater erosion of Inslee’s authority. The more Inslee looks, speaks and acts like a dictator, the more people will rise up against him.
Sunday’s protest in Olympia will not be the last. Inslee needs to change his approach, now, and start treating Washingtonians fairly, with respect, and correct the favoritism and senselessness of the aspects of his order that are feeding contempt.
Stop telling people they are not essential. We are all essential, Mr. Inslee. Every job that puts food on a family’s table and pays rent and bills is essential. Nobody is going to accept being told that what they do to keep a roof over their head is not essential. They are going to hate you for it.
You are dividing Washington, Governor. End the essential/non-essential made-up list. Accept that everyone is essential. Then focus on what can be done safely and how every worker in this state can get back to their jobs, and every business can reopen, while observing the same practices you have concluded were adequate for the businesses and operations you have allowed to continue since the inception of your “stay at home” order. End the favoritism, end the irrationality.
Or else this will really get out of control.
Related: How’s Jay Inslee Doing As Dictator?
Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our “About” page for more information.
I strongly disagree. You, and others are yelling “fire” in that proverbial theater called Washington state. No one has the right to potentially spread a deadly virus, period. It is incumbent upon media to support the protection of ALL people against this invisible killer. This is not the time to encourage political unrest! Yes, there are many inequalities, and yes, it is not fair, but, like a war, we are all in this together. No politics should ever separate the solidarity of Americans. Just like any battle, we have the backs of those on the front lines.
I am thoroughly convinced that our country and most of the free world is under attack from China and Globalist despots who would destroy the U.S. government, constitution and way of life. I am also convinced the Chinese Communists developed the Coronavirus in that notorious laboratory near Wuhan and allowed it to escape. When it overwhelmed the region’s population the Chinese government isolated the Wuhan region from the rest of THEIR country but allowed outbound flights to the rest of the world, ensuring that the disease infected virtually every other nation. This was purposeful and with the support of the thoroughly corrupted World Health Organization. It was late January, if you recall, before China and WHO finally acknowledged that the virus was transmittable from human to human, although both most certainly knew this from the beginning. Meanwhile, Democrat Globalists like NY Governor Cuomo and Democrat Congresswoman Pelosi, along with the leftist media, were encouraging people to continue their active social lives, given the disease presented no threat to Americans. Only President Trump, against the will of his medical advisors (Fauci and Birx), Democrats and the media, perceived the threat and cancelled all incoming flights from China and Europe. He was roundly ridiculed for being a racist for this, but saved God knows how many lives by his prudent actions. Without his vision and leadership the Coronavirus pandemic could well have claimed countless American lives.
Meanwhile, wanna-be dictators like Governors Cuomo and Inslee, flush with medical equipment and resources provided by the federal government, continue to take random potshots at the president. The desire of these two and hordes of other Globalists despots (Gates and Soros come to mind) worldwide is to bring down our president, our economy and our capitalist system. There is absolutely no reason why Washington State’s construction workers, factory workers and service industry workers should not return to work immediately, using personal protective equipment and common sense social distancing. Parks should be opened and small social groups allowed immediately in all areas of the state except Puget Sound I-5 counties (King, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom and Thurston). Restaurants should be allowed to open in all but the I-5 counties listed above, practicing common sense social distancing. From there our county and state governments should be monitoring results of this partial re-opening of commerce and society and proceed ahead with due caution.
To continue this lockdown would bring about a perhaps irreversible collapse of our national economy and government. Are you leftists prepared for that?