“…LeVine, a 51-year-old former Microsoft and Expedia executive and U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein for three years in the Obama administration, is a longtime player in Democratic politics. She and her husband, Eric LeVine, gave more than $400,000 to the Biden campaign and other Democratic causes in 2019 and 2020, according to federal campaign records.”
Jan 2021
“And despite steady calls for her ouster following the fraud and other ESD problems, LeVine maintained the support of Inslee. LeVine “led the Employment Security Department through an extremely challenging time and I never doubted that she had the best interests of working Washingtonians at the heart of all her endeavors,” Inslee said in a statement Friday.”
“Employment Security Department (ESD) Commissioner Suzi LeVine, who came under fire for delays in unemployment benefit payments and the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to fraud during the pandemic, is leaving her position to join the administration of President Joe Biden.”
Being on watch for fraud at Washington state’s Employment Security Department seems like it would be a normal part of the job, even if there was no pandemic.
Jan. 22, 2021 The Seattle Times
“Allies say she revived a dysfunctional and demoralized state agency. State Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, said that LeVine, who graduated from Brown University with an engineering degree, used her considerable technical and management expertise to help modernize an agency that had been slow to upgrade its systems.”
“She took an agency that was in the ditch … and I think she did an extraordinary job of turning that ship,” Carlyle said. “And then, [she] ran into the largest global pandemic in world history.”
Why did Governor Inslee allow this agency to struggle prior to July of 2018?
“It’s unclear at this time what job LeVine is taking with the new administration, but she has served as an ambassador for the U.S. government in the past.”
Why are voters presented with issues on the ballot that may not be legally decided by voters?
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
January of 2021
In the entire history of Washington State, how many times has any group attempted to breach a gate at the governor’s mansion because they were unsatisfied with public policy?
Which Governors have been in office when this has happened at any time in history?
Will elected officials and the press acknowledge that things may be different now?
Both Whidbey papers have stripped away all comments from past articles, and removed the opportunity to post comments to new articles.
This is the trend in the Puget Sound area.
Newspapers are suppressing or eliminating online comment sections. A forum for individual thought is not part of the plan. Newspapers are getting away from asking questions related to public policy while telling us they need more support from subscription and advertising sales.
“We’re getting very frustrated here in Northern California,” said Dr. Richard Wickenheiser, the Tehama County health officer. “We have a lot of anti-vaxxers and a lot of independent people who just feel that COVID was a hoax…”
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
January of 2021
In the entire history of Washington State, how many times has any group attempted to breach a gate at the governor’s mansion because they were unsatisfied with public policy?
Which Governors have been in office when this has happened at any time in history?
Will elected officials and the press acknowledge that things may be different now?
A society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
When the US Armed Forces are sent to Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Vietnam, etc.-how is that defending the US Constitution-or our rights and freedoms, or our physical security?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
We are honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by forcing people to pay for bombing Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan, then lying and telling them that this is all to protect American rights and freedoms.
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
When the US Armed Forces are sent to Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Vietnam, etc.-how is that defending the US Constitution-or our rights and freedoms, or our physical security?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
“The county’s rate of new infections continues to be very low. In the three-week period following the move into Phase 2, only two new infections were reported and both those were the result of people in the same family visiting another county, according to Island County Public Health.”
Sort of like rooting for your hometown high school football team to win the championship, but they can’t do it if other teams in other counties do poorly.
“And only one of the protesters was seen wearing a mask. The county’s Public Health director confirmed that the unmasked people packed together on the side of the highway were violating the state’s COVID-19 rules.”
Should decent people be placed on hold because bad people were doing bad things at the same time 3000 miles away?
The mask rules apply to individual people no matter what political causes they may support.
“Some of the people who traveled in our planes yesterday participated in the insurrection at the Capitol today,” she said. “Their violent and seditious actions at the Capitol today create further concern about their departure from the DC area. Acts against our democracy, our government, and the freedom we claim as Americans must disqualify these individuals from the freedom of flight.”
How do you separate these people from those who were not involved in any illegal activity?
Causing disruption on commercial aircraft is not to be tolerated no matter if you represent the Girl Scouts, the KKK or no group at all. The article offers no explanation.
“Airbnb says it will cancel all short-term reservations in the Washington, DC area next week, an escalation of its efforts around safety and the presidential inauguration.”
People of good will, who have attended the parade in the past, where the President may step out and wave to the crowds are not able to book a reservation because bad people did bad things?
What happened to the strict post 911/GWOT security protocols meant to maintain order on Jan 6th?
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan-working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
When the US Armed Forces are sent to Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Vietnam, etc.-how is that defending the US Constitution-or our rights and freedoms, or our physical security?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”
If the Girl Scouts or the KKK enter the interstate and block traffic/risk public safety people must be able to count on elected officials and LE agencies to do their job.
An important component of a free society is that different people believe different things and are able to act on their beliefs.
An example:
Some parents are OK with public schools. Some want to send their children to private schools. Some want to homeschool their kids. People get to move off in different directions. This is a safety valve.
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature. This is why we have so many different churches here.
People choose different churches to attend, or attend no church at all. This is a safety valve.
Years ago, it was understood that some people preferred to smoke. Some preferred to be vegan. Some preferred to eat meat. Some preferred electric cars, some preferred a powerful truck to pull a horse trailer.
We don’t ask voters to pick the two most popular churches and make plans for government to eliminate the rest because they may be spreading misinformation.
Will this help people to accept a one size fits all society?
I saw a comment somewhere that said Twitter is a private business and free to set its own rules. Does that also apply to the florist or bakery that does not want to create a product for a gay marriage ceremony? Does that also apply to a tavern that wants to allow indoor smoking?
If I ran a bakery-
Store policy:
We do quality cakes for all occasions-no customer application/background check required.
Growing numbers of happy customers and building our positive reputation is our goal.
Please tell your friends & contact us at any time.
In a free and honest society customers would support or walk away from the businesses of their choosing.
Maybe there is a minimal terror threat these days.
If suicide bombers with concealed explosives packed on their bodies wanted to disrupt American society at the US Capitol, it looks like there would be no SWAT team to keep them out or to have them show ID and pass through the metal detector.
US Troops at the border, REAL ID, Homeland Security grant money, CBP social media posts, strict post 911/GWOT security protocols, a $51.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, border wall efforts and the Post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, tracking of cell phones, etc.) appear to have played no role in preventing these crimes:
The War on Terror has prompted law enforcement authorities to calm the public by looking into the future and announcing that no credible threat exists.
“While officials say there are no credible threats following the bombing in Nashville, Long Island residents say they are still concerned.”
Where was the threat forecast before the Nashville event?
If the good guys can tell what the bad guys will do before they do it-surely, these powerful crime fighting tools will be used to shut down gang and cartel activity, heroin trafficking, bank robberies, mass casualty shootings, etc.
Credibility of LE and elected officials at all levels of government is questionable.
Seattle protests on I-5 go on for 19 nights. Washington State Patrol allows Interstate highway public safety protocols to be suspended until a fatality after dark one night.
I do not favor the ugly side of politics. When I was younger, both major parties took turns in the White House. It was routine. It did not involve the TV making claims that this is the most important election in our lifetimes, etc.
I think the ugly side of politics is a reaction that comes from trying to force a one size fits all society.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20. Can elected officials of any party or any member of the press help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
1967
Did the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?
Was it the Viet Cong that set up laws in 16 US states to prohibit interracial marriage?
Post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, Real ID, tracking of cell phones, etc.) appears to have played no role in preventing these crimes.
Good thing these guys were not part of a professional mercenary hit squad or suicide bombers with concealed explosives packed on their bodies. It looks like there would have been no SWAT team to keep them out or to have them show ID and pass through the metal detector.
What failed?
A second grade teacher making small children recite a pledge to a flag?
“Police seized five guns and arrested at least 13 people during the violent protests involving supporters of President Trump at the Capitol on Wednesday…”
Did the sergeant-at-arms and multiple law enforcement agencies fail?
Jimmy Carter at age 96 will not travel to the inauguration ceremony. He is a Navy veteran, known for teaching Sunday school and building houses for the needy. No scandals involving business dealings, cheating on his wife, etc.
Mitt Romney
Respectable politician. No scandals involving business dealings, cheating on his wife, etc.
I do not favor the ugly side of politics. When I was younger, both major parties took turns in the White House. It was routine. It did not involve the TV making claims that this is the most important election in our lifetimes, etc.
I think the ugly side of politics is a reaction that comes from trying to force a one size fits all society.
Suppressing choices
Years ago, it was understood that some people preferred to smoke. Some preferred to be vegan. Some preferred to eat meat. Some preferred electric cars, some preferred a powerful truck to pull a horse trailer.
I’m thinking back to maybe the 1980s. I am thinking of a guy who is a Democrat. He works in an auto plant somewhere in Ohio, Michigan or Indiana. He is a member of a union. His union supports the Democratic Party and the party supports his union.
When he is not at work, he enjoys towing his boat to the lake to go fishing. He enjoys deer hunting, camping, and tailgating at college & pro football games. He is a family man. He likes to fix up old cars.
Sounds like somebody I could get along with.
2020
There is a perception that democrats may be OK with rioting. They may hate police, or maybe they are just OK with a political party where some do. They want to put an end to cars powered by internal combustion engines. They predict worst-case scenarios related to climate change. They believe you should turn in your guns. A bbq grill, like a Weber probably isn’t a good idea because it will add to a carbon footprint. Ditto for campfires.
Maybe I have it all wrong. Maybe the people who support the Democratic Party fully reject riots, arson, mob violence, causing personal injuries, blocking traffic, property damage, and destruction of businesses and loss of life during protests.
I would let restaurant people run restaurants. They have an incentive to keep their customers safe and happy.
I would let church people run churches. Dozens of choices for worship would be in place. Each place of worship would be free of any mandates handed down by the Governor’s office. People would be free to attend any church or none at all.
I would let businesspeople run fitness centers.
I would let the owners of bars and taverns decide on indoor smoking, serving times, closing times, etc.
Bars and taverns to allow consumption of marijuana? Yes.
No furnishing to minors. No driving while impaired. Same rules as for alcohol.
Customers would support or walk away from the businesses of their choosing.
An important component of a free societiy is that different people believe diiferent things and are able to act on their beliefs.
Here’s an example:
Some parents are OK with public schools. Some want to send their children to private schools. Some want to homeschool their kids. People get to move off in different directions. This is a safety valve.
People choose different churches to attend, or attend no church at all. This is a safety valve.
Voting can act as a safety valve but voting is not changing the scene.
We don’t ask voters to pick the two most popular churches and make plans for government to eliminate the rest because they may be spreading misinformation.
Suppressing choices
Years ago, it was understood that some people preferred to smoke. Some preferred to be vegan. Some preferred to eat meat. Some preferred electric cars, some preferred a powerful truck to pull a horse trailer.
Imagine owning and operating an apartment complex.
The government says you must let a few dozen people stay in your apartment complex without paying rent. The government will decide when this new policy will change back to the agreed upon legal structure of the past.
Are tax obligations reduced when business activity is restricted?
Do property taxes go down when fleets of school buses sit idle and students remain at home?
The family friendly, hometown pride-oriented local small town papers and TV news folks are welcome to do interviews related to public policy. Unfortunately, they seem to avoid asking questions, while lining up for federal bailout cash.
People go to alternative media because small town papers and TV newspeople have moved away from asking questions.
“Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has again extended the state’s eviction moratorium, this time through the end of March.”
Love to see newspeople ask:
Have any arrangements been made to cover property owner’s costs for mortgages, taxes, repairs, maintenance, water, trash pickup, sewer, insurance, etc.
Who pays to have the apartment complex dumpster emptied if the property manager cannot collect rent?
Bars, restaurants, grocery stores and fitness centers had mask and sanitation protocols in place months ago. They are not trying to toss masks. They are trying to stay open the way they already have been in recent weeks.
Restaurants that have followed protocol must end indoor dining. Not restaurants that have served alcohol to minors, or caused food poisoning, but all restaurants. Even the very best restaurants.
People want to keep their businesses open, but may not do so, even if they follow rules that have been previously established. All restaurants, no matter how well they follow protocol must end indoor dining.
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
Governor Inslee,
Telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
“On the 12/20/20 in Salem Oregon constitution loving activists and freedom fighters gathered at the Oregon State Capitol building to have their voices heard during a rare in person legislative session. A small contingent of people had a peaceful plan to get inside the building with some help from politicians. As usual the politicians came through for the corporation rather than the people. Policy enforcers were called in and barred the people from entering the building. Only some press, politicians and of course their staff and the enforcers were allowed in. This caused a clash between the people and the blue line enforcement gang. After was all done and settled an a freedom activist attempted to burn a blue line flag as a symbolic gesture and was attacked by “patriots” and self proclaimed veterans who I’m sure would claim they fought for these rights.”
It seems typical that the cashier, who handles cash, coins and cards-also places napkins in the to-go bag.
This really doesn’t seem to make sense even before current concerns Re: COVID-19.
Food handler card? Cross-contamination? Health Department? State of the art protocols practiced by global corporations, restaurant management professionals, etc. No one seems to notice.
“Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has again extended the state’s eviction moratorium, this time through the end of March.”
Killing incentives to maintain apartment complexes and homes for rent. Killing incentives to pay rent on time. Killing incentives to be a good tenant.
Love to see newspeople ask:
Have any arrangements been made to cover property owner’s costs for mortgages, taxes, repairs, maintenance, water, trash pickup, sewer, insurance, etc.
Who pays to have the apartment complex dumpster emptied if the property manager cannot collect rent?
Reached max saturation about mid-December. Thinking I would be more at peace if I took a break form sharing/posting and commenting on Twitter Re: news-related items.
Hard to stay away.
Maybe I can post just once a week?
The desire is to live in a free and honest society.
The conflict is in turning it off and calling it out.
Calling it out:
People get their information from the TV, political parties and political personalities.
The press release style of news reporting means that a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest drug bust/federal grant money award, etc. Newspeople post this statement as is.
Preventing drugs from entering local communities would kill the chance for various agencies to get publicity for the occasional big drug bust happening in those communities.
Snohomish 2015
Local law enforcement agencies may benefit when the US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep heroin out of the US.
“Overdose deaths attributed to fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to rise at an alarming rate in the Puget Sound region,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino.
Federal agents swing into action after heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine move past federal agents manning a $51.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security-then on into a multi-state area:
“This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.”
“The Coast Guard Cutter Active returned to its homeport of Port Angeles Friday following a 46-day deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and unloaded 4,200 kg of cocaine worth $159 million.”
It’s like a moment of silence has been called for. It’s like man first landing on the moon anytime someone in whatever zip code gets the first vaccination.
The European Deterrence Initiative, which the soldiers are being deployed to serve in, is meant to “enhance the U.S. deterrence posture, increase the readiness and responsiveness of U.S. forces in Europe, support the collective defense and security of NATO allies, and bolster the security and capacity of U.S. allies and partners.”
Did the advantage of NATO allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
The idea that military aircraft are somehow linked to American freedoms calls for more discussion.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20. Can elected officials of any party or any member of the press help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms-The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
Created a new category to make a transition away from 2020. This category is meant to look at positive images and memories that have nothing to do with news, politics, TV, public policy, political parties, etc.
“One of the biggest signs that Trump caved was with respect to the long-secret JFK records of the national-security establishment. Just think — almost 60 years of secrecy based on the ridiculous notion of “national security.” Early on, Trump declared openly that he was gong to release the records, as mandated by Congress 25 years before in the JFK Records Act. And then at the last minute, Trump surrendered to the will of the CIA, agreeing to its demands for more years of secrecy.”
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
The press and elected officials are pushing hard to establish a one size fits all society.
Restaurants that have followed protocol must end indoor dining. Not restaurants that have served alcohol to minors, or caused food poisoning, but all restaurants. Even the very best restaurants.
Mask protests?
Masks have been widely used & accepted.
Bars, restaurants, grocery stores and fitness centers had mask and sanitation protocols in place months ago. They are not trying to toss masks. They are trying to stay open the way they already have been in recent weeks.
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
Safety valves being removed and forcing a one size fits all society
Different people make different choices. Some parents are OK with public schools. Some want to send their children to private schools. Some want to homeschool their kids. People get to move off in different directions. This is a safety valve.
People choose different churches to attend, or attend no church at all. This is a safety valve.
Voting can act as a safety valve but voting is not changing the scene.
People want to keep their businesses open, but may not do so, even if they follow rules that have been previously established. All restaurants, no matter how well they follow protocol must end indoor dining.
This approach would help in managing the lockdown of people in Washington State.
It could be applied to the purchase of smokes, booze, tanks of gas, trips to Costco, purchase and display of Christmas decorations (the big displays may attract a crowd) church gatherings, business operating hours, etc.
Just make all of WA function like a giant military base.
Freedom of individual expression could be fully controlled. No distractions. No dissent.
Governor Inslee,
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
Some members of the press are still asking questions:
Bars, restaurants, grocery stores and fitness centers had mask and sanitation protocols in place a month ago. They are not trying to toss masks. They are trying to stay open the way they already have been in recent weeks.
Years ago, If you were old enough to be in the Marines, you were old enough to drink on or off base.
There was no curfew. Atrocities committed by US personnel would come later.
We drank more than our share, but stayed out of trouble. Mind your manners and you’d find the local people to be warm and friendly. We made friends and were invited out to a few gatherings.
I think people feel locked up and there is a list of things they are not supposed to do. Heading out and joining a random group to wait in the line wasn’t on the don’t do list. Looks like a nice weather day.
What if a person owned a hot air balloon and enjoyed taking it up for a few hours. They could be accused of wasting energy or having too much time on their hands.
Americans do not live in a one size fits all society. It’s a good thing.
Bars, restaurants, grocery stores and fitness centers had mask and sanitation protocols in place a month ago. They are not trying to toss masks. They are trying to stay open the way they already have been in recent weeks.
The mask guilt trip is for people who have run out of things to say in discussing this.
Related:
Americans do not live in a one size fits all society. The US does not function like one, giant military base.
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature. This is why we have so many different churches here and people who opt out on attending services.
“They have taken to social media to ask customers to come dine inside, peacefully protest, and bring a protest sign with them. The owner, Dana Slovak, says his business will not comply with the shutdown.”
“The crew wants to stay open so we decided we either fight for it or we don’t. It is our constitutional right to stay open. This mandate is not constitutional law and we have the right to do this,” explained Slovak.
Americans do not live in a one size fits all society. The US does not function like one, giant military base.
All Americans are not attending something like Army boot camp together at the same time.
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature. This is why we have so many different churches here and people who opt out on attending services.
Reading comments online, many go something like this:
“It’s your fault for not wearing a mask in previous months.”
“I hope the anti-maskers are happy now.”
“A mask is better than a ventilator!”
“A mask is better than a grave.”
Since first required, I have worn a mask each time I have entered a post office, bank, grocery store, retail outlet, etc.
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
Some comments and editorials have mentioned The Greatest Generation and how they all pulled together during WWII.
I feel like a man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment.
Since that time, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation.
A wide variety of political personalities have occupied the White House.
We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam to stay safe.
Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Some may have become skeptical along the way.
The press seems to support whatever is handed down by elected officials. Newspeople play along by not asking questions.
WA National Guard deploys to Jordan.
Any newspeople available to ask if there is a military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war, linked to this movement of troops?
Telling us COVID is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work & designating marijuana & booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
I would let church people run churches. Dozens of choices for worship would be in place. Each place of worship would be free of any mandates handed down by the Governor’s office. People would be free to attend any church or none at all.
Along with other Governors, I would work to reduce National Guard deployments to distant lands unless a military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war, was linked to the movement of troops. The video below provides several references to preventing another 911.
As Governor, I would make myself available to the press as often as possible in order to answer questions and to assist them in their role in keeping the public informed.
The Governor’s office tells us what to expect in the way of new COVID restrictions. The Puget Sound area press passes along whatever the message is from the Governor without asking any questions for clarification or to attemp to keep the public better informed.
Social distancing rules have been in place and have been followed in grocery stores for months now. I have not seen any retailer that let up on mask wearing and social distancing protocols. If grocery stores have been doing their part, why pound them with a 75% reduction in grocery store services?
Various Comments Online
I have been reading comments online. Many comments go something like this:
“It’s your fault for not wearing a mask in previous months.”
“I hope the anti-maskers are happy now.”
“A mask is better than a ventilator!”
“A mask is better than a grave.”
Since first required, I have worn a mask each time I have entered a post office, bank, grocery store, retail outlet, etc.
Not disputing the mask requirement, but telling us that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and designating marijuana and booze sales as essential, may have made people wonder about the science here.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
It seems like the plan is to cause meaningless inconvenience.
If you notice the inconvenience, maybe you will think that the establishment is somehow going out of its way because it cares about protecting you.
Plan to spend more time to do your shopping.
It will become more competitive with a 75% reduction in grocery store services all across WA.
People will now need much more time for shopping.
Social distancing rules have been in place and have been followed in grocery stores for months now. I have not seen any retailer that let up on mask wearing and social distancing protocols. If grocery stores have been doing their part, why pound them with a 75% reduction in grocery store services?
How did the science tell us that a 75% reduction in grocery store services was required?
People will be waiting in long lines, in bad weather just to enter a grocery store. What is the medical advantage here?
Marijuana and Booze sales
Same regime that warned us of life and death COVID-19 concerns requiring regular people to stay home from work while telling us that marijuana and booze sales are essential.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
At 7:00 Dave Smith speaks about curfews and lockdowns:
Here in WA, we were told that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work while marijuana and booze sales are essential.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
Updated Restrictions
Seems like mask and social distancing rules have been in place and have been followed in grocery stores for months now. I have not seen any retailer that let up on mask wearing and social distancing protocols. If grocery stores have been doing their part, why pound them with a 75% reduction in grocery store services?
People will now need much more time to spend shopping with a 75% reduction in grocery store services all across WA. For sure, this will encourage people to stock up and hoard items.
There is a nice spot in Leavenworth to stop in for a beer and something to eat. I went to visit this location last week. It was the first time during COVID that I entered and sat down in an eating/drinking establishment.
Old Way
Walk in and select a seat from the large outdoor seating area. Server takes your beer order on a mobile device. Before server has a chance to leave the table, electronic order is received by bar staff. Your beer is tapped and out to your table like magic. We sit and eat and drink for an hour. During this happy hour, we never get up to leave the table. When it’s time to go, we pay and leave.
Would not change a thing. Really enjoy this place.
COVID Way
Everyone wears a mask.
You enter and are offered a table outside or inside. We selected an outside table. We are told that our order for beers and food must be placed with the cashier inside the restaurant by the bar.
Partner goes in to place order while I wait. Establishment now requires a credit card to start order. My turn to pay, so I say I’ll get it all on my card when I go in to order a second round.
Beer and food is still delivered to table, same as old way.
I go in to order a second round. I am unfamiliar with this part of the restaurant. Staff prompts me toward waiting to order/pay holding/staging area. Ordered another round and requested entire tab to be placed on my card. This is an extra step that would not be at all necessary pre-COVID.
If we wanted still another round, one of us would have to get up and return to waiting line to order/pay holding/staging area. We did not want another round after we had two beers and some food. Went back in to waiting to order/pay holding/staging area and used card to pay.
Any Medical Advantage?
How does requiring customers to migrate back and forth into a possibly unfamiliar part of the restaurant each time they want to order a beer or cash out serve any medical purpose Re: COVID?
It seems like the plan is to cause meaningless inconvenience.
If you notice the inconvenience, maybe you will think that the establishment is somehow going out of their way because they care about protecting you.
Still will plan to return to this location in the future.
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
People grew tired of standard politicians and a made for TV press that had moved away from asking questions.
Here in WA, protests became mob violence featuring arson, personal injuries, blocking traffic, property damage, destruction of businesses & loss of life.
TV newspeople still called them protests.
The Science
0:29
Here in WA, we were told that COVID-19 is a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work while marijuana and booze sales are essential.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
Marijuana and telling people they must stay home from work
Governor Inslee went wrong when marijuana shops in WA were declared essential while people with regular jobs were told to stay home because of virus concerns.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”
After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:
“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”