PA: When The Wolf At The Door Is Your Governor

[mountaineer]

Jul 2, 2020,05:00am EDT
When The Wolf At The Door Is Your Governor
Mark Chenoweth

The novel coronavirus pandemic has many Americans struggling to keep the wolf from the door of their homes and businesses. For Pennsylvanians, the threat is even more menacing, because the Wolf at their doors is the governor. Worse yet, the state supreme court just invited him in.

Like many of his counterparts across the country, Gov. Tom Wolf unilaterally declared a state of emergency in response to the pandemic. In a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency issued on March 6, he put himself in charge of the state’s response to Covid-19 to the exclusion of the elected legislature. Since that date he has issued multiple executive orders with binding legal effect—that is, new rules or suspensions of laws (with at least temporary effect)—never approved by the legislature.

As in many states, the State of Disaster Emergency gives the governor ostensibly temporary powers to bind the citizenry without legislative participation. While efficient in cases of true cataclysm—particularly when a legislature is unable to convene—such executive edicts do not benefit from the careful deliberation and democratic input of a full legislative process. Nor do the governor’s rules keep the law-passing separate from the law-executing—as the state constitution requires. Rather, he has now consolidated both powers in a way that enables him to target favored or disfavored businesses or industries (or, say, favor gatherings for social protest purposes, but disfavor gatherings for religious worship purposes).   ...

More at Forbes

[Applewood]

@mountaineer

Well, Goober told the counties that they can implement their own lockdowns, shutdowns and whatever they think is necessary to curb the supposed rise in COVID cases.  Being that Allegheny County is run by his fellow Democrats and since the county has allegedly seen an increase in COVID cases, the county has now shut down bars, restaurants and casinos for a week:

https://www.wtae.com/article/allegheny-county-announces-one-week-closure-of-bars-restaurants-recommends-voluntary-stay-at-home-protocol/33093338

This order forbids public gatherings of more than 25 people.  No word if that also includes the almost daily "peaceful protests" going on in the county.  I still believe that is where any increase in COVID cases recently came from.   

And honestly, I don't trust that there has been that much of an increase.  The state was previously caught adding unconfirmed cases to its tally.  How do I know the fudging of numbers still isn't being done and at every level of government, not just state?

I'm not happy with pols wielding so much power over us peasants.  This supposed response to  the virus has been ridiculous.  I remember back in the 50s, a classmate and her family were quarantined.  Not sure what the disease was -- back then we had polio, tuberculosis, measles, mumps, chicken pox and a whole slew of diseases that are now almost all but eradicated.  But I don't remember such drastic steps being inflicted on whole communities -- certainly, my classmate's quarantine didn't last more than two weeks.  I'm sure; in any event, it wasn't months like today's leaders want. 

The author of this article is correct; the state legislature should be the one to curb Wolf's powers.  But even with a Republican controlled legislature, I don't see them doing anything about it.  In Pennsylvania, the Democrats and the Republicans are essentially the same. 

[mountaineer]

Allegheny County is horrible.  My sister and I dined out in a neighboring county the other day. Everyone at the restaurant was having a great time, no masks, imbibing adult beverages if they so desired. You know, just acting like normal people - something that seems to offend Wolf and Fitzgerald.

[Applewood]

@mountaineer

The order also includes a "recommendation" that people stay home for a week, except for essentials like groceries. 

It's the 4th of July weekend and even though public celebrations are canceled, you can bet your bottom dollar people are going to have barbecues and other celebrations in their homes.  They are not going to cancel their plans.

Wanna bet next week, that "recommendation" will turn into a forced, indefinite lockdown?    Then the real fireworks will start.