As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott phases in reopening, some in his party are testing his rules

[Elderberry]

Texas Tribune by Patrick Svitek and Alex Samuels April 30, 2020

Abbott’s instinct so far has been mostly to deescalate, staving off confrontations that could hobble the careful course he is charting.

Gov. Greg Abbott promised that reopening the Texas economy would be a slow, deliberate process.

Not everyone got the memo — or wants to go along with it.

As he guides Texas through arguably its most sensitive phase of the coronavirus pandemic yet, Abbott is facing a variety of tests to his pacing, mainly from a limited but increasingly vocal group of fellow Republicans who want a swifter reopening. It comprises some usual suspects — activists who have been complaining about his coronavirus response for weeks — but also some newer agitators, including a smattering of local elected officials, business owners and state lawmakers who have given Abbott leeway until now.

Abbott’s instinct so far has been mostly to deescalate, staving off confrontations that could hobble the careful course he is charting. On the line are countless lives — and the potential for a resurgence of the virus for which Abbott would shoulder most of the blame.

But with the anticipated second phase of business reopenings still over two weeks away, the political obstacle course will undoubtedly continue for Abbott, if not intensify. He announced Monday that all restaurants, retail outlets, movie theaters and malls can reopen Friday at 25% capacity. He has already sought to assuage calls for quicker action by teasing that he could reopen places like barbershops, hair salons and gyms before the May 18 target date that he initially set for phase 2.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has been more aggressive than Abbott in pushing for an economic restart, sought to address the agitation during a tele-town hall Tuesday with conservative activists. He said the state’s reopening process is being partly “driven by what doctors tell us, and they don’t run the show, but we do listen to their advice, and … they’re gonna be a little bit more cautious than you as an entrepreneur [or] myself might be.”

More: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/04/30/greg-abbott-texas-reopening/

[IsailedawayfromFR]

As his rules may not follow the law, this is justifiable.

At the most, there are only 782 deaths from CV19, or far less than the deaths from the common flu during the past flu season.

Abbott needs to protect the vulnerable in nursing homes, restrict the big 5 cities and leave the rest of us alone.

That is what Texans want too.