New Hampshire has a few bills I like to call ‘Actual COVID Relief Legislation.’ They relieve the pain and suffering imposed by the unnecessary political response. Yes, it was unnecessary; Florida and South Dakota are proof of that. So, here comes HB 63, a bill that would forgive emergency order violations.
Related: “Florida got it right, and the lockdown states got it wrong.”
Many of these were violations against small businesses trying not to become so small they ceased to exist because of unneeded mandates.
This bill provides that the state shall not enforce, and shall reverse, any prior finding of violation of the governor’s emergency orders regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill also provides for annulment of an arrest or criminal conviction for violation of an emergency order issued in response to COVID-19.
Is it so much to ask, given what we now know? To the public Health Team Tyranny, the answer is yes. Liberty-shmiberty, his Majesty said no, and he meant it.
We’d expect the Democrats to oppose any such move, seeing as they continue to insist that New Hampshire did not go far enough. They wanted a little more New York or California (even though Florida did less and did better). The Left is all about control, and the standard set by Gov. Sununu, if left to smolder in existing law, will come back to haunt us at their hands, I guarantee it.
Preventing that dystopian future requires Republicans which, in a majority Republican legislature, should not be a problem except that it is.
When the roll was called, one Democrat (Donovan Fenton) voted for HB63 with all but 20 Republicans.
Yes, twenty Republicans voted against small businesses and for defacto Public health Tyranny. Would you like to know their names?
Joe Alexander
Michael Bordes
James Allard
Karel Crawford
David Danielson
Brodie Deshaies
John Graham
Robert Harb
Bob Lynn
Wayne MacDonald
John MacDonald
Norm Major
William Marsh
Betsy McKinney
Mark Pearson
Walter Stapleton
Joe Sweeney
John Sytek
Denis Thompson
Dan Wolf
Some might say, but Steve, HB63 still passed 188-169. What’s the big deal?
How about Republicans at least pretending to be the party of liberty and individual responsibility? Not enough, then reread the first paragraph and follow the links. None. Of. This. Was. Necessary.
We’ve shared the data almost daily since the BIG WINTER COVID PEAK! At no point during the entire escapade was anyone under 65 who was healthy at risk. People not so healthy under 65 could have made their own decisions without any mandates. Children did not need to go remote; school should have been in session.
Florida and South Dakota are proof of this, and they are not the only ones.
Now! There is nothing wrong with beginning cautiously when you don’t know better, but we’ve known better for a long time. Our pages are filled with facts that are suddenly becoming convenient 8-10 months after we reported them.
Members of the Free State of New Hampshire tried to get by, feed their families, and for that, they got punished. After the fact, the proper course of action for an abusive government that (as it so happens) was wrong is real COVID relief.
Take your boot off their necks, say you are sorry, offer them a bit of amnesty, promise to treat them like adults, and then do what you can to ensure that mistake never happens again.
To that end, the entire Democrat caucus (except for one) and twenty Republicans said no. The state was right, which is odd. The entire Democrat caucus is on the same side as Republican Chris Sununu, which is not flattering for his eminence.
They are the party of overreach and tyranny, and he’s their guy on this.
And, if HB63 passes in the Republican Majority Senate, I’d bet money Gov. Sununu will veto it.
Overriding that veto will be nearly impossible unless all the Republicans come together and a few Democrats admit in all honesty that maybe the fines or arrests were over the line. We all learned some lessons; let’s do the bygones thing and look toward the future.
Yes? No. I promise you they are almost incapable of that leap, but there is something to be said for constituent involvement. If enough of you say to them, we forgive them, give them amnesty, annul the records and let’s get past this; they might listen.
It’s worth a try. Our small business community would appreciate it, and the rest of New England would happily flock here to fill their shops with the business if only we’d let them all decide how to proceed.
Live Free or Die, right? Because Death is not the worst of evils. The past year is proof enough of that!
