It will soon be a full year of the United States battling COVID-19 and every state has handled it differently. In Michigan, we require masks almost everywhere combined with social distancing. We have closed restaurants for indoor dinning many times throughout the year and it has been detrimental for small businesses, not just restaurants.

• Yes, COVID-19 is a serious virus and needs to be handled with caution however, should the government have control over the private businesses when it is destroying their livelihood.
• It is causing many people financial difficulty and yes we did get stimulus checks however, what happens when that money runs out because rent needs to be paid and when you're not earning money $2000 can go pretty fast.
• These regulations are affecting people's way of life and causing debt. According to (crainsdetroit) Michigan restaurants are expected to lose 1.2 billon in sales in April alone.
• Private businesses are being forced to shut down their businesses or face hefty fines and at one point the threat of jail time.
• Businesses are very much capable of making the correct choice for themselves and their customers but instead the government decided to just shut it down. ​​​​​​​

Now, some people may think that shutting a restaurant or small business down for a bit isn't that big of a deal when in fact it is a devastating loss. Not only are they losing the time restricted products they bought but they are also losing employees to the increase in unemployment. When the restaurants first shut down it was bad enough then they kept extending the date to reopen and extended it 2-3 more times. This was forcing business owners to open anyway due to not having enough funds to wait any longer.

Throughout this pandemic, the government has been telling private businesses to shut down. Private businesses are worried they won't be able to survive during Covid-19. People are worrying about how to make money and keep their jobs through the pandemic. With the government enforcing private business to shut down, how are they supposed to make money?  

What's Going On Elsewhere:

• While many states were going back to lockdown, Florida decided not to and wanted to help people out.
• Florida is taking a step further compared to many other states, and trying to help people out.
• "Over the past many months, Florida has led the way in protecting the jobs and livelihoods of its hard-working citizens..." (Ron DeSantis').
• "... Florida is leading the nation in the number of people submitting business formation applications and (they) are one of the top destinations for business relocation" (Ron DeSantis').
• People don't want their businesses to be shut down again, especially from what it has cost other private businesses.
• People need to make a living, and Florida is helping people do just that.

Our solution is to let private businesses have the choice to stay open through the pandemic. The pandemic has been a roller coaster and has been tough for people. We need to not pile more stress on people, especially with private business owners wondering when they will be able to reopen again. People need help getting back to where they need to be, and as seen from the progression in Florida, it can be done.

Anyone living in Michigan can be affected by private businesses being shut down. Private businesses help build communities. If restrictions keep happening to private businesses, they won't be able to make money and go out of business. 

The Senators and House of Representatives are responsible for deciding this situation. Below are possibly the Senators and House of Representatives in your area.

If you live in...

Midland: Senator: Jim Stamas Phone: (517)-373-7946 Email: SenJStamas@senate.michigan.gov House of Representative: Annette Glenn Phone: (517) 373-1791 Email: AnnetteGlenn@house.mi.gov

Saginaw: Senator: Ken Horn Phone: (517)-373-1760 Email: SenKHorn@senate.michigan.gov House of Representative: Amos O'Neal Phone: (517) 373-0152 Email: AmosONeal@house.mi.gov

Bay City: Senator: Kevin Daley Phone: (517)-373-1777 Email: SenKDaley@senate.michigan.gov House of Representative: Timothy Beson Phone: (517) 373-0158 Email: TimothyBeson@house.mi.gov

If you don't live in any of these areas, you can go to Senators website and House of Representatives website and fill in your address to find your Senator and House of Representative in your area. 

MASKS ACTUALLY HELP THE ECONOMY

Maybe you don’t think that you need to wear a mask for yourself or others. Okay. But what about the economy? A recent study by economists at Goldman Sachs found that wearing masks could prevent the U.S. GDP from dropping by 5%. Don’t think that’s a lot of money? It is. $1,027,000,000,000 to be exact. (That’s over a trillion dollars.) 

YOU DON’T WANT TO KILL OTHER PEOPLE, RIGHT?

In light of everything we’ve learned about COVID-19 since January, it’s important to remember one point in particular. We can be contagious with the virus for up to 72 hours before we have symptoms, over which time we can unwittingly make dozens of other people sick. COVID-19 isn’t just an illness; it’s a gaslighter. It makes us think we’re well until, suddenly, we realize we’re not. Wearing a mask protects the people around you. It is the neighborly thing to do. Because even though the U.S. has reopened, the pandemic is still infecting tens of thousands of people every day. We are not out of the woods yet.

TOTALLY GROSS: COVID-19 DROPLETS CAN TRAVEL 20 FEET

“But I’m standing 6 feet away! I don’t need a mask.” Wrong. COVID-19 droplets leaving someone’s mouth can travel 20 feet in a one mile-per-hour breeze. Masks can help mitigate breathing these droplets out and in. 

BAD VENTILATION IN BUILDINGS FORCES YOU TO BREATHE OLD AIR

Many buildings in the United States have terrible air circulation. Instead of pumping in fresh air, they recirculate old air that can make us sick. Hospitals aren’t exempt. Only 2% to 4% of hospitals offer negative pressure rooms, which use vacuum pressure to contain the viruses you exhale inside its doors. So don’t believe for a second that your random office building manager understands epidemiology well enough to ensure your safety.

NO ONE IS INVINCIBLE

While vaccines are not yet available to everyone, communities can still protect themselves effectively. Even once vaccinated, it's important people continue to wear masks. "There's enough data to show that you won't get terribly sick, but we don't know that you can't be an asymptomatic spreader. 

ITS ABOUT CONTROL

To those looking to benefit politically from emergencies, COVID presents an opportunity to advance plans targeted to transform American freedom and the American way of life,” McCann writes. “Mandatory-masking policies provide a valuable foundation to weaponize the virus against American liberty—now and in the future.

IM FULLY VACCINATED

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

STATE MASK MANDATES UNCONSTITUTIONAL? –

The power to regulate commerce presupposes the existence of commerce. Congress cannot use its Commerce Power to force people into economic activity. A person, who chooses not to wear a mask, is beyond the scope of commerce power. Moreover, I do not think it would be a proper exercise of federal power to compel someone to place something on their face. There is no tradition of such a law. Moreover, the states are ready and able to enforce social hygiene measures–even short of a mask mandate. I do not see the sort of collective action problems that (arguably) justified the ACA's individual mandate.

Perhaps Congress could simply impose a 1 penny tax on those who choose to go unmasked? So long as you pay the tax, nothing will happen to you. I'll wait to see the draft bill.

BUSINESS FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO COVID-19.... UNEMPLOYMENT GOES UP...TAXES GOES UP

There is the extension of unemployment insurance payroll tax relief, no penalties or interest will be assessed for taxes in 2021 so long as employers do the following:

• Had their tax rate increased by half a point or more from last year to now
• Were in good standing and paid taxes timely prior to the pandemic
• File timely
• Pay at least 2/3 of quarterly taxes on time
• And pay the remaining amount no later than June 30, 2022

We need your help! Private businesses need our support to help them stay in business. We encourage you to sign our petition to bring awareness to this situation, and have lawmakers recognize we need their help to save businesses!

DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT CAN SHUT DOWN/ FINE/ ENFORCE MANDATES ON PRIVATE BUSINESSES? 

JOIN THE DISCUSSION USING THIS LINK: https://library.delta.edu/cyww/blog/join-the-discussion