(Annie Black) – President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines for a PHASED re-opening of the country on Thursday, but said the ultimate decisions will be made by the nation’s governors.
“You’re going to call your own shots,” Mr. Trump told the governors in a conference call. “We’ll be standing right alongside of you and we’re going to get our country open.”
So the ball in Nevada is in Gov. Steve Sisolak’s court – who said in his most recent press conference he had no idea when Nevadans will be allowed out of the house or when various businesses will be allowed to reopen.
And no plan for doing so.
The closest he got to explaining how we’re going to get our lives back yesterday was…
“It’s not going to be just flip on a light switch and everything goes back to normal because that’s not how we’re doing things here.”
The thing is, NO ONE is saying we should flip a switch and immediately go back to normal. We all know that’s not going to happen.
However, as columnist Victor Joecks pointed out this morning…
“Nevada has flattened the curve and its economy. It’s time to talk about reopening. … No one is recommending joining 50,000 strangers at a baseball game. But it is reasonable to expect a timeline for opening and easing restrictions on lower-risk activities and for those at lower risk.”
“Nevadans shouldn’t expect Sisolak to stop the spread of coronavirus,” Mr. Joecks concluded. “But they should now expect him to lay out the metrics and benchmarks he’ll use to determine when to open the economy.”
Sooner or later, one way or another, we MUST begin the process of reopening Nevada before, as the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted in an editorial on Thursday, we suffer “permanent economic damage.” The RJ continued…
“That’s why it’s vital for Gov. Sisolak to deliver more than vague bromides and instead communicate to restless Nevadans – many of whom have been hunkered down at home for more than a month – his blueprint for gradually getting the state up and running again.”
That RJ also noted that the continued shutdown, with no end in sight, or even a discussion of such an end, could potentially trigger unrest among the citizenry.
Indeed, as the governor continues to over-react and mismanage the balance between health concerns and the economic devastation being caused by the #SisolakShutdown, Nevadans are growing increasingly impatient.
Small protests began popping up in Reno and Las Vegas on Easter Sunday over the governor’s order banning church services, even when those participating did so from the safety of their own cars.
And more are planned for this weekend, including one in Carson City that has been named “Operation Nevada.” Here’s their call-to-arms, so to speak…
“This is the starting point for all Nevadan’s to line up in our vehicles and/or to walk to OUR state capitol to show our disappointment in the ‘governor’ regarding his drastic and tyrannical decisions affecting our state! We are Nevada strong!! We are Northern Nevada strong!! This is our opportunity for us to support all of our amazing small businesses as well! Come join us! This is an open invite. Send to all of your friends!! Put out your American Flags! On your homes, on your business, on your vehicle! Wave them high and proud!”
The group is organizing a similar rally in Las Vegas that will be held at the Grant Sawyer state office building. And you can expect far bigger crowds at both than on Easter Sunday.
Meanwhile, some elected officials are becoming far more outspoken in the urgent need to begin laying plans for ending the #SisolakShutdown.”
At the Las Vegas City Council meeting on Wednesday, Mayor Carolyn Goodman lit into the governor…
“This shutdown has become one of total insanity. I am asking: Open the city. Open Clark County. Open the state. …
“For heaven’s sake, being closed is killing us already, and killing Las Vegas, our industry, our convention and tourism business that we have all worked so hard to build. The longer we wait to do this, the more impossible it will become to recover. …
“We cannot keep our heads in the sand and think it’s going away. We’re adults with brains who can know what to do to wash our hands, to take all precautions not to spread this disease.”
Exactly. And she’s not the only elected official who’s had enough.
“I believe it is time to strategically allow small businesses that can maintain safe practices to open up,” wrote Assembly Minority Leader Robin Titus on Twitter on Wednesday.
Added Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer in a press release Thursday morning…
“I am asking Governor Sisolak to begin the process of notifying the public and the members of the Legislature on his plans to reopen Nevada. …
“I understand the need to remain focused on the health and wellbeing of our residents, but it is also our duty to provide the public with clarity and specifics about Nevada’s plan for health and economic recovery. It is not too early to begin this conversation. Nevadans are hurting, families, educators, and small businesses need to plan for tomorrow.”
Yes, it’s LONG past time for bringing the 63 elected members of the Legislature into a Special Session to begin discussing the situation – including taking IMMEDIATE actions to cut the budget.
The longer the state government continues to operate as if nothing’s changed, the more difficult and painful the inevitable cuts are going to be in the future. It’s time to flatten the budget shortfall by laying off and/or reducing salaries for non-essential government workers.
I realize many Nevadans are still afraid. And the relentless media hysteria, reporting infection and death statistics with all the glee of the Grim Reaper, isn’t helping. But here’s the thing…
If we reopen, say, Best Buy and Lee’s Liquor…providing they follow the same safety precautions as grocery stores and pharmacies…and you’re afraid you might catch the Wu-Flu if you go there…DON’T GO THERE.
But don’t stop everyone else from going there.
If it’s not yet time to liberate Nevada, at the very least it’s time to start talking about when and how we’re all going to be able to, once again, Leave Home for Nevada.
Mail-In Election Update
The Nevada Democrat Party has sued the Nevada Secretary or State and Attorney General, demanding that “ballot harvesting” be allowed.
Most people probably don’t know what ballot harvesting is…or how dangerous it is to the integrity of our elections, especially for Republican candidates.
Fortunately, Courtney Holland, “MAGA Meetup Las Vegas” founder, posted a number of links to articles explaining it on her Twitter feed today. Here you go…
- What is ballot harvesting?
- How Ballot-Harvesting Became the New Way to Steal an Election
- The Story Behind New Mexico’s Victory Over Vote-Fraud-Protection-Free Mail-In Voting
If you’re not following Courtney on Twitter, you should. She’s GREAT. Click here
And if you’re not following me on Twitter yet, click here
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“As we reopen our economy, let’s be sure to look at those regulations we suspended and ask if we really needed them in the first place.” – U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)
Annie Black is a Mesquite City Councilwoman and Republican candidate for Nevada State Assembly District 19. You can get more information by visiting www.electannieblack.com
