More Californians are standing up to collectivist Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom’s authoritarian COVID19 lockdowns. From San Diego to Sacramento, pro-freedom folks are protesting on the beach and at the state capitol walls, and now, one city is defying the chief of the police state, by proclaiming it is a “sanctuary” from his orders, and that people can open for business.
As Chris Enloe reports for The Blaze:
The City of Atwater passed a resolution Friday that allows all city businesses, churches, and not-for-profit organizations to reopen despite the continuance of a mandatory state lockdown order…
Indeed, KFSN TV’s Vanessa Vasconcelos writes:
The Atwater City Council voted on the resolution on Friday afternoon, saying it, ‘Affirms the city's commitment to fundamental constitutional rights.’
And she notes that Mayor Paul Creighton had this to say:
This is America. You have the choice. It's time for the government to stop dictating another month, another three months, six months… When is it going to end? When everyone is bankrupt?
Of course, the amount of time in which the California government has engaged in wholesale suppression of the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments as well as the Contract Clause of the US Constitution is not the central concern. The central concern is the initiation of the attack, the breach of the principle.
And the resolution from the government of Atwater allows all Americans to look into this, and remember the principles as they fight back against Newsom.
It also gives Americans a chance to see something else that is extremely important in US history: the principle of Nullification.
From the founding of the United States republic under the Constitution, the key underlying principle behind every politician’s oath of office has been to protect and defend that supposed set of rules. As such, every politician has a sworn duty to NOT FOLLOW federal, state, or local edicts, statutes, and judicial “commands” that run counter to the Constitution.
This is spelled out well by the excellent Tenth Amendment Center, which is kept busy every day pointing out areas where the federal, state, or local governments are not operating constitutionally, and educating people about the principle of Nullification.
And, while Americans remember this principle – applicable on every level – they might want to apply it to state licensing, as well, for, as the Mayor notes:
We're not looking to jeopardize anyone's business. That's a license you hold with the state of California. So, we don't want to cause any harm there, use your best judgment.
People also can judge whether the licensing power the Governor of California executes is constitutional, or it’s a shakedown. As I have noted for MRCTV, licensing is used by governments to attack businesses and block new competitors from entering the market; it harms the poor, and it is highly questionable on numerous constitutional grounds.
Vigilance… Keen eyes… Knowledge of the US Constitution and state constitutions… A mind towards principle and freedom… Networks of allies…
These qualities are essential – and at a premium today, in COVID Crackdown USA.