California Gov. Newsom Cancels State’s COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders…Unexpectedly
Critics point to continuing recall effort as the chief factor in the governor’s timing.
On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted all regional coronavirus stay-at-home orders across the state, a change that could allow restaurants and businesses in many counties to reopen outdoor dining and other services.
All counties will return to the colored tier system that assigns local risk levels based on case numbers and rates of positive test results for coronavirus infections.
Most areas will be classified under the “widespread” risk tier, which permits hair salons to offer limited services indoors but restricts many other nonessential indoor business operations.
“Today, we can lay claim to starting to see some real light at the end of the tunnel as it relates to case numbers,” Newsom said at a Monday news conference. “Each region’s a little bit different, but we are in a position projecting four weeks forward with a significant decline in the case rates, positivity rates. We are anticipating…still more decline in hospitalizations and more declines in ICU, and that’s why we’re lifting that stay at home effective immediately today.”
The timing is lucky for me: I have an appointment for a manicure tomorrow, which I desperately need.
Yet, there may be more to the timing than a drop in positive cases or hospitalizations. I noted that there had been a surge in signatures on the statewide petition to recall Newsom, and with 1.2 million signers already, a mere 300,000 more are needed to hit the 1.5 million required.
Critics suggest that the cancellation of the strict lockdown rules is a further sign that Team Newsom is worried.
Republicans said Newsom was easing the rules as the recall campaign nears the required threshold to qualify for a statewide ballot. Organizers have until mid-March to gather 1.5 million signatures to force a recall against Newsom, who is halfway through his first term.
“This Governor’s decisions have never been based on science. Him re-opening our state is not an attempt to help working Californians, but rather an attempt to counter the Recall Movement. It’s sad and pathetic,” California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson tweeted.
State officials said the decision to lift the stay-at-home order came amid improving trends in California’s rate of infections, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit capacity as well as vaccinations. But Newsom’s administration has not made the data public. Health officials have said making it public would confuse and potentially mislead the public.
Whatever the rationale, one can certainly question that the decision was based on the number:
California closes outdoor dining (left), California reopens outdoor dining (right). [Obama shrugging confused gif here] pic.twitter.com/RXUAEUgSzS
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) January 25, 2021
It is interesting to note that some Big Tech executives who once supported Newsom are now funding the recall effort.
…David Sacks, a prominent tech executive, donated about $60,000 when Newsom first ran for governor a few years ago. Now he’s supporting a recall, and his wife, Jacqueline, contributed $25,000 to the recall effort last week. Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive and a major Democratic donor, has said publicly that he is a supporter of the effort, although the billionaire has yet to make a donation to it.
The other tech leaders, though, rank among the biggest overall donors to the recall effort, which has raised about $1.5 million to date. That could all presage real money in a recall campaign that would likely cost more than $100 million in total.
“Certainly they wouldn’t be upset to have some buy-in from Silicon Valley, but I don’t know if I’d say that their involvement would be ‘crucial’ during this initial qualifying stage,” said Rob Pyers, research director for California Target Book, which analyzes money in California politics. “Once it’s at that point, then just by virtue of their deep pockets, Silicon Valley becomes an important player.”
The moves come as some leading tech industry figures — especially those with a conservative bent — are rebelling against a tax system, Covid-related policies, and a broader culture that they see as repressive.
In conclusion, that meal at the French Laundry may be the most expensive meal Newsom has ever had….it may cost him his future political career.
How bad did the French Laundry debacle hurt Gavin Newsom? Nearly half-a-million signatures on the petition to recall him bad. https://t.co/Sz4r2oSQ4r pic.twitter.com/tpBeL6pzdc
— Ben Fritz (@benfritz) January 25, 2021
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Comments
Too little, too late.
I wonder what machine politician will be served up to replace him… It’s not as if we’re allowed to let the voters decide.
Iosif Biden has plenty of relatives looking for work…
Folded a lot easier than I thought he would. Take note Californians. He’s a weak, scared little hairdo of a man.
To be honest I am surprised. I would have expected that Newsom would have a Democrat judge toss out some or all of the petitions for some bogus reason.
Subotai Bahadur
I don’t think Newsom can have them tossed until there are enough to actually recall him. Then yes, I expect a far more strict eligibility standard will be used than was used to vet the Nov 3 election.
Gavin Newsom fighting recall – “No more lockdowns. And, everybody gets a Puppy!”
Communications Intercept
SOURCE: PROJECT APPLE
SUBJ: PHONE CALL BTWN BIDEN J AND NEWSOM G
UNK PERS: Governor, please standby for the president.
GOVCAL: OK.
POTUS: Hello?
COVCAL: Good morning Mr. Trump.
POTUS: Hello? What? Oh, C’mon man! This is Joe!
COVCAL: What? – MUFFLED – “I thought this call was from the president.”
UNK PERS: Muffled- “Sir, it is. Joe Biden is the president.”
COVCAL: Muffled – “No, seriously.”
UNK PERS: Muffled – “Sir, seriously. I mean, he thinks he is.”
COVCAL: What can I do for you Joe?
POTUS: I’m signing an executive order today curing COVID. So, you can set your people free, as long as they double mask.
PERS BELIEVED TO BE FAUCI IN BACGROUND: “A plastic bag over the head tied tightly around the neck would be more effective, Mr. President.”
POTUS: Anyway, I have declared COVID cured, so, if you could send your wife over to the White House to sit on my lap, I would appreciate it. And, err, can you make sure she uses some nice shampoo before arrival?
COVCAL: Well, I’ll ask her if that’s something she’d be willing to do.
POTUS: Tell her it’s for the country… The patriotic thing to do. For unity’s sake.
COVCAL: Sure thing, “Mr. President.”
UNK PERS: Faint in background – “Air quotes – funny.”
POTUS: OK, remember, COVID is cured, and send your wife over. Don’t make me send Corn Pop over to straighten you out. That’s a nice hairdo you have there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it.
END INTERCEPT
French Laundry: “What lockdown?”
He should be recalled just for the amount of fossil fuel he uses in his hair daily.
“The moves come as some leading tech industry figures — especially those with a conservative bent — are rebelling against a tax system, Covid-related policies, and a broader culture that they see as repressive.”
As the saying goes: I was born at night, but I wasn’t born last night. For decades Big Tech has been all in on cracking down on civil liberties and enacting sky-high tax rates. Newsom is no different than the other totalitarian control freaks Big Tech has been getting elected, so it defies belief that they are suddenly opposed to these things.
Something else is going on here. Perhaps Newsome has irritated some of his Big Tech patrons. Perhaps someone bloodthirsty woker-than-thou maniac is waiting in the wings. Or maybe there is the old-fashioned Stalinist philosophy at work here: periodic purges are a way to remind the politicians they work for the rich and powerful, and to never forget it.
Can’t you just feel it? As soon as the deadline for collecting signatures on the recall petition passes, there will be “new evidence or developments” that will require even more stringent restrictions on the people of California. And at this stage, the organizers are just trying to qualify the issue for the ballot.
If they qualify for the recall election, look for the establishment to do everything they can to make voting as difficult and inconvenient as possible. No mail-in voting for you! It’s too susceptible to fraud.
And if they don’t get enough signatures, it will just be pure retaliation. Don’t forget, he comes from San Francisco and S.F. area politicians know about political retaliation (think Pelosi, Feinstein, Swallwell).
Especially against those with the temerity to question or challenge their betters.
If Newsom believed this was the right course of action, he wouldn’t have backed down as soon as his position was threatened. I wonder if we can recall a President?
Perfect opportunity for an outdoor hanging, if only for lack of a tree. Lamp post could be workable, traffic signal, improvise and overcome.
Oh yeah, don’t forget to impeach him, before, during and afterwards.
Wonder if this means Disneyland will reopen. I’ll bet the Mouse will be more than happy to immunize their whole staff of cast members and abide by the same standards of Disnetworld which have been quite effective.
Good post. It is always nice to hear about places other than America.
Thankful I was not drinking anything.
I wonder if Pelosi called him and said she needs another hair appointment.
Lockdowns harbor a principal mode of transmission. People need to leave spaces with a greenhouse effect, and go out for sun, fresh air, and to socialize. There is no evidence that restrictive mandates change the course of viral evolution, which follow the same progression across jurisdictions. In fact, restrictive mandates create bubbles: flatten, delay, and prolong spread, where super spreader events may happen. Meanwhile, the collateral damage is progressive and persistent.
I’d say, “If any of them were liberals they aren’t any more”, but I’ve never known anyone suffering from that particular mental disorder to be able to learn any lessons whatsoever.