Written by Ainsley Jackman
On August 21, a coalition led by local Republican leaders sent an open letter to Gov. Newsom with some respectful suggestions on how to better handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter was signed by County Supervisors Kristin Gaspar and Jim Desmond, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, Oceanside Mayor Peter Weiss, Vista Mayor Judy Ritter, Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall, and even Democrat Escondido Mayor Paul McNamara.
They are reacting, along with millions of other Californians, to Newsom’s irrational and ineffective approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the authoritarian actions he has taken in recent months. California’s depressing unemployment statistics do not reflect kindly on him, and neither do the results schools have been reporting.
In the letter, they note the severe impact that Gov. Newsom’s restrictions have had on our community, and suggest a simple change that might help make a big difference: replacing the “essential/non-essential” metric for closing businesses with one based on adherence to health and safety standards. They point out the fundamentally flawed nature of the “essential” distinction, referring to its preference for big businesses despite the fact that small ones often better adhere to safety standards. Requiring that businesses meet certain safety measures to open ensures that customers are adequately protected wherever they go, while allowing currently neglected businesses to stay afloat.
It’s inspiring to see our local leaders approaching these issues so powerfully and offering simple, reasonable solutions. Their fight for our rights an against Newsom’s destructive actions is a testament to their leadership, and will hopefully lead to meaningful change at the state and local level.
