Back in California, the recall election has effectively stripped Gov. Gavin Newsom of his COVID-19 emergency powers. There are no more daily COVID-briefings and no state mandates.
In contrast, Michigan’s legislature has more directly removed these powers from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
In a rebuke to Gretchen Whitmer, the Republican-led Michigan state House of Representatives repealed a 76-year-old law that gave the governor broad emergency powers used to lock down much of the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.In a 60-48 vote mainly along party lines, the Emergency Powers Act of 1945 was officially scuttled. The state Senate had already voted to kill the act last week.Though the legislation does not take effect immediately it was a clear shot at Whitmer, whose strict shut-down policies stirred protests last year, but also made her a political darling among Democrats.
The 1945 emergency powers law came to the state legislature via a petition drive. Therefore, under Michigan law, it cannot be vetoed by Whitmer and will go into effect 90 days after the legislative session.
Conservatives will still be busy dealing with Whitmer’s antics for a while longer.
A conservative group that organized the ballot drive next plans to target a public health law that enabled Whitmer’s administration to keep intact capacity restrictions and mask requirements for eight additional months until voluntarily lifting them in June after infections subsided amid vaccinations….Rep. Andrew Fink, a Republican from Hillsdale County’s Adams Township, said the ‘idea that we need the governor to do our job for us once into the outbreak of a new virus … is disturbing in its distrust of the citizens of this state.’I think that idea is depressing in its view of the Legislature’s capacity to conduct its work in difficult circumstances.
Of course, progressives insist this move is going to cause death and disease.
An organization that opposed the change called Keep Michigan Safe decried the move, saying in a statement, “Today, House Republicans voted to eradicate an important tool for elected leaders trying to save lives and stop the spread of deadly, infectious diseases like COVID-19, Legionnaire’s, tuberculosis and anthrax.”
Meanwhile, as small businesses in Michigan begin recovering from the COVID-19 restriction, Whitmer is sending nicely worded letters thanking them.
Business owners across the state will soon be opening up letters of gratitude from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.The letters were sent July 23, 2021, to more than 200 small businesses owners who Whitmer determined stepped up in exceptional ways during the COVID-19 pandemic.“I am completely in awe of the resilience and determination of Michigan’s small businesses to stand strong and push forward during such unprecedented times,” said Whitmer. “Small businesses are crucial to the success of our economy, and we are more than ready to get back on track and uplift our local entrepreneurs to continue to make this state a great place to work and live.”
I have a feeling most of those businesses are celebrating the end of her COVID-reign.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY