Here is from Royko on Judge Lina Hidalgo:
Sure hope she is a one term wash-out. The media shows Emmett far more often then her.
Emmett who?
Easter is in 18 days. I wonder if Royko has picked out what he is wearing to his packed Easter Sunday service?
Kidding aside, I get where folks want to scrutinize, study, comment on and criticize Judge Hidalgo’s stay-at-home order. This is America.
Chron reporters were comparing her order to the Dallas County order. The Chron E-Board gave her a shout out of sorts. Folks are debating what services are essential and which ones are not and the Chron has a story on this subject today. Hurricane preparedness and evacuation expert Bill King, who is also a good friend, has a take that I have posted below.
Let me just say this as an example. When Bill King put forward recommendations on how to evacuate the Gulf Coast as a hurricane approached, he had the luxury of studying how we had responded to previous hurricanes. Judge Hidalgo, Dallas County and others don’t have that luxury.
This isn’t a case of we have a Category 4 sitting out in the Gulf and here is what we have to do or we will be sending the Hurricane Plane up and gather data or here is what the Doppler Radar is picking up. Folks, we have major news organization reporters sitting in their basements providing us with the news. The only so-called data folks like Judge Hidalgo have is sort of real time of what is going on in China, South Korea, Italy, Spain, New York City, Seattle – you get the picture or rather lack of picture.
There really isn’t a playbook folks can reference on a fast moving virus that we still don’t fully understand.
Here is part of King’s take on Judge Hidalgo’s order:
Not much will change. Almost all of the restrictions in the order have already been adopted by the County’s residents, businesses and institutions. In addition, the definition of “Essential Activities”, “Essential Businesses” and “Essential Government Activities” is so broad just about anyone can find an exception for almost anything they want to do. Even liquor stores are exempt. But given the circumstances, I guess I can see a strong case for them being an essential business!
Mostly this seemed to me to be a public relations effort to get some people that are not practicing social distancing to take it more seriously. For example, some friends told me that they went to run at Memorial Park over the weekend and people were basically shoulder to shoulder on the jogging track.
I want to commend Mayor Sylvester Turner for the role he played in this. My sources tell me that for the last several days he has been pushing back on more draconian restrictions Hidalgo had originally proposed. Ultimately, he was forced to go along with her because under state law the county judge has the final say. His presentation at the podium was critical in allaying fears as he mostly emphasized how little effect the order would have on what people are already doing.
After this is all over, we need to have a conversation about the sweeping powers Judge Hidalgo has purportedly just exercised. Just think for a minute about an elected official presuming to have the power to tell people they cannot go to their places of worship. Pretty sure that wouldn’t pass constitutional muster. I also wonder if some creative plaintiff lawyers may come up with some inverse condemnation claims for affected businesses.
In the end, will this do any good to prevent our hospitals from being slammed with a spike in COVID-19 cases? I don’t think there is any way we can or ever will know. I am skeptical. But it might do some good and only marginally increases the burden residents are already under.
If you ask me, draconian restrictions are probably warranted for those who aren’t essential. I would rather be inconvenienced than dead. A lot of folks around us aren’t taking this a serious as they should. We all know that and see that.
Go on ahead and say what you want about Judge Hidalgo, at least she is not singing the tune the arsehole from 1600 Pennsylvania is singing, you know:
“Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet.”
If you need convincing on whether or not liquor stores are essential, check this story: https://globalnews.ca/news/6724155/coronavirus-liquor-stores-essential-addiction/.
Sen. Bernie Sander says he wants to debate former Vice President Joe Biden in April. Joe Biden should say nope!
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