ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
Rep. Steve Johnson
Our State Representative, Steve Johnson, “The Maskless Marvel,” appears to be so obsessed with making Gov. Gretchen Whitmer look bad that he’s willing to make taxpayers pay for her alleged indiscretions.
I’m writing about his shepherding a bill through the Michigan House this week that would force us working stiffs to pick up the tab for whatever financial harm businesses may have suffered because of her policies in combatting the Coronavirus.
I’m amazed that a politician would insist us taxpayers foot the bill for something that would be difficult to determine and put an unnecessary burden on people who are already struggling financially.
Johnson posted on Facebook Tuesday:
“Today we passed House Bill 4501, which would force the state to repay the unconstitutional fines of business owners. It would also ensure business owners are given leniency on their first offense. If the Governor can violate her orders without any repercussions, then why should our business owners be fined?”
Johnson earlier posted, “Photos surfaced over the weekend showing Gov. Whitmer in open violation of her own administration’s orders regarding restaurant capacity restrictions. In light of this, I have sent a letter to Governor Whitmer calling on her to refund all fines against businesses that violated her COVID-19 mandates. Why should small businesses be fined for failing to follow the Governor’s orders when even the Governor doesn’t follow them?”
His bill passed 74-54. At first glance it appears to be giving Big Gretch her deserved comeuppance, but some critical thinking tells us otherwise.
The photo indeed showed her and friends in a restaurant without masks and sitting more than six at a table. The governor must plead innocent to the first charge and guilty to the second, and she has apologized.
Whitmer announced last Friday that all people who have been vaccinated twice don’t have to wear masks indoors. Twenty-fours hours before the photo appeared. So… no foul. However, the maximum of six people at a table was rescinded Monday, two days after the picture was taken.
I seriously doubt there was a crime committed here, but I think she deserves a fine for the six people “offense.” Let her pay, not Michigan’s taxpayers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson has spent a great deal of time over the last several months railing against a governor who chose to try to protect the public health rather than adhere to a political philosophy that Johnson and his ilk have misappropriated and abused for too long.
Mr. Johnson has demonstrated a hatred for our governor that is over the top, much like what Ranger Rick charges many he diagnoses with “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Mr. Johnson has consistently refused to wear a mask to respect others during a pandemic that has killed nearly 600,000, showing callous, selfish disregard. Even worse, he has gone to bat for those who also refuse to mask up in public indoor settings, such as restaurants.
To be sure, the legislator is throwing red meat to his supporters, making it good politics, but bad and perhaps even dangerous policy.
But his fans are loving it.
I don’t see where the U.S. Constitution, which Johnson professes to follow so closely, has ever declared hypocrisy a crime. Otherwise, Mr. Johnson and his pals today would be in the hoosegow as well.
Stop the personal politics of hatred and division. We have serious problems we’re trying to deal with here. Beating up on the governor doesn’t solve them.
Mr Young
Johnson keeps talking like a “Monday quarterback ” has he ever suggested how he would of handled the virus. Not that I can find, but he sure knew the mask was a tool to use to his advantage. Feeding the anti maskers all the fuel they needed to oppose it’s use. But never offering a better solution.
Now we taxpayers are supposed to “pay the freight ” . And 74 of those we elected to office agreed….and why not it’s not their money. We pay their wages so no “skin off their nose”.
There is no perfect human being. So unless you never violated and of the Governor’s executive orders. What makes Johnson or anyone else different than the Governor for temporarily not following the rules. Remember you who casts the first stone must be perfect. Which certainly Mr Johnson is not and likely noone reading this is either.
It’s a no harm no foul moment
State Representative Steve Johnson certainly continues to live in your head………….I love it………….
Cheers!!!
Unfortunately for many businesses, it was, and still is, easier to be shut down than follow the litany of rapidly changing mandates and orders from the government (federal, state, and local). As a small business owner I am required to daily verify that I am following all of the required orders. It can be tough to make sure every “I” is dotted and “T” is crossed and is nearly impossible to be certain that I have everything as the governments require. Unless you are a small business owner with more than a couple employees, you have no idea the struggle they have gone through. While I don’t agree with Steve’s approach to this virus, he has a very good argument to give businesses a chance to make things right if they are found in the wrong.
To give you an idea, I have a business of 6 employees which falls under the following categories from EO 2020-175: “Workplace Safeguards for All Businesses”, “Outdoor Work”, “Construction”, “Manufacturing”, “Retail”, “Offices”, & “Recordkeeping”. Within these categories, there are a total of 80 rules that our business must account for daily.
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-538728–,00.html
OK, I’m just an ol farmboy so maybe I need a little help understanding. How is refunding fines paid by business owners forcing taxpayers to “pay” out of our “donated to the state” funds? If I grasp this correctly this money was seized by the state from businesses that defied gretch and her goon squad because they maybe had bills to pay, children to feed or maybe even employees that enjoy eating and a roof over there heads. Imagine that! As far as I’m concerned the businesses that were severely impacted should be able to personally sue her for damages paid from her checkbook not the states! We know that will never happen with their self legilated teflon sheilds. In hindsight it seems pretty obvious her policies were not nearly as successful as she would like us to believe because Michigans numbers were going up while “open” Texas and Floridas numbers were going down this spring. I have felt from the beginning that if you are worried about getting sick stay home, the rest of us enjoy our freedom. Maybe you shold try writing without the slant Dave. Just saying.