Partisan politics may disrupt Louisiana getting more folks back to business

America is re-opening amid pro-liberty protests as citizens are rising up and voicing their opinions in states where governors and local officials have clearly overreached with unwarranted attacks on liberty and are perceived as prolonging business shutdowns in spite of convincing evidence in their states that show it’s safe to start. The federal government, led by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, is supporting the state governors by issuing data-informed guidance to safely re-open. President Trump has stated many times his intent was to give maximum flexibility. In fact, some governors are using that flexibility, leaning forward to get their economies re-opened and people out of their homes to return to work.

In Louisiana, where I live, the Governor John Bel Edwards re-opened elective medical procedure facilities a full week before May 1^st and had not closed construction or all non-essential businesses even with his first stay-at-home order issued mid-March. Even when Governor Edwards extended this stay-at-home order to May 15, he continued re-opening processes such as getting restaurants to provide patio sit-down eating again, a move on solid footing according to the medical guidelines. In fact, in the last two weeks, both President Trump and Vice President Pence have publicly and openly praised Louisiana’s response and actions to re-open in accordance with Federal Phasing guidelines. But even Louisiana is now experiencing liberty protests and attempts by Republicans in the legislature to remove the governor’s emergency powers through petition—which is failing, and now a resolution.

So, what the heck is going on in Louisiana, a state that has not seen overreaching actions against liberty (for the most part) in its response to the pandemic? Its primarily partisan politics that is generating what is happening here. Republican state legislators are using their political consultants to generate messaging for use against the governor — who is a Democrat— during this national emergency. Frankly, I think it is disgusting; and yes, just as disgusting as the state’s brand-new snitch site for reporting businesses violating guidelines (which I am totally against, and you all know what to do with that).

It’s one thing to stand up and call for changing re-opening policy approaches such as regional versus statewide, but quite another to take the partisan political road. Using political attacks on a governor that is doing his job in a non-partisan way only hurts the credibility of attackers. Republican Parish (that’s what we call a county) Presidents across the state even agree with the governor’s approach, but we don’t see any political attacks on them.

As a lifelong Republican who even disagreed with much of the governor’s approach, I’m ashamed this is happening here and hope the 60-plus percent of Louisiana citizens who approve of the ongoing Louisiana response make their voices heard—just as the partisans are doing. The committee hearing where the resolution, HCR 58, was debated and passed out of committee on partisan lines recently was not very impressive. It was apparent the legislators are not all familiar with the measures that have actually been taken in Louisiana, such as that not all non-essential businesses were closed by the original order or any thereafter.

In his latest briefing (as H&GA hearing continues on legislation to block enforcement of his stay-at-home order), @LouisianaGov is stressing he didn't close many businesses that other states closed. "We obviously know the importance of keeping the economy open." #lalege #lagov

— Melinda Deslatte (@MelindaDeslatte) May 6, 2020

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director, retired U.S. Army Colonel James Waskom testified to the chaos and confusion the resolution would cause if passed in the command and control of the ongoing response operations. Not one legislator even bothered to ask Colonel Waskom a question. Think that through: the non-partisan expert charged with managing the emergency on a day-to-day basis was not asked a single question after he testified that his job of protecting Louisiana citizens would be made much more difficult and complex by passage of the resolution.

I will be watching to see what these partisans do to change laws after the pandemic to prevent infringements on liberty by governors and mayors, but I doubt I’ll see any action in that regard. How do I know? Look around—a lot of these folks have been in power a long time, and many wrote and passed current law.

Here is the bottom line:  all of us in this country need to be focused on the task at hand, get the country safely re-opened for business as soon as possible, and develop the best guidelines to protect the folks most at risk. The legislators in Louisiana needed to spend more than six hours discussing the approach we will take to protecting high- risk groups, nursing homes, and other congregant facilities, not causing utter confusion and concern about the re-opening that is already happening.

That’s the way we must go; get off the partisan politics page, and get on the same page as President Trump and Governor Edwards. It is not possible to completely stop the spread, only mitigate the impacts of the Wuhan coronavirus as much as we can as the process moves forward.

This piece originally appeared in RobManess.com and is used by permission.

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