California Gov. Gavin Newsom give an update to the state’s response to the coronavirus, at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in Rancho Cordova Calif., Tuesday, March 17, 2020. At right is California Health and Human Services Agency Director Dr. Mark Ghaly. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)

California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a six-point proposal for getting the Golden State back on the road to economic reopening. His new favorite phrase- “meet the moment”- enjoyed several iterations during the Governor’s Tuesday presser. Newsom was vague about any sort of end date for statewide lockdown measures.

“I hope all of us are sobered by the reality of the moment but left with a little optimism that this is not a permanent state. You’ve met this moment in a remarkable way for us to present a roadmap but it is all conditioned on us staying the course, staying at home and continuing to practice appropriate social distancing.”

Newsom’s plan is unsurprisingly creepy and totalitarian, with a dash of ignorance thrown in for good measure (bullet point list courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter).

1.The ability to monitor and protect communities through testing, tracking positive cases, properly isolate and support individuals who are positive and/or exposed to COVID-19.

So, let’s think about this…the state of California has released hardened criminals from prison over coronavirus fears, has declared itself a sanctuary state that refuses to track, report or deport illegal aliens (even those wanted for heinous crimes), has denied law enforcement the ability to arrest vagrants for health violations like open drug use and public defecation (seemingly an important thing to be on top of in these times, no?), won’t allow business owners to clear homeless encampments from their own properties, and now has outlawed independent contracting as of January 1st…but if you’re a law-abiding, taxpaying, peaceful citizen just trying to earn and move about freely you will be monitored, tracked and traced by the state. Not the homeless people. Not the felons they just released into the streets. Not the illegal aliens. You…the taxpayer. You’re the dangerous one.

2.The ability to prevent infection in high-risk groups, including older residents, homeless and those with underlying health conditions.

How does a government stop a virus? You don’t. You stop people. Notice how vague this point is. Think about what it would mean to have the ability to “prevent infection” in high-risk groups. That requires some serious policing. Again, policing that would be enforced on law-abiding, peaceful taxpayers but not on those currently breaking the laws of this state.

3.The ability for hospitals and health care systems to handle a potential surge in cases through adequate staffing, hospital beds and supplies including ventilators, masks and other personal protective equipment.

Did we not just send 500 ventilators out of our state to other states in need? Is Newsom working to shore up this point or is he just pulling words out of his pie-hole? Also, California dismantled their state of hospital readiness all the way back in 2011. Again, another example of the state asking people to make sacrifices for their own incompetence.

4. The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand.

So…we’re not getting out of our homes until a vaccine or 100% effective treatment has been developed? How long can California claim the mantle of the world’s fifth-largest economy if everything that drives this economy – sports, the entertainment industry, arts, Silicone Valley – is shut down? What happens to Hollywood when they realize they can’t film in this state for the next 6 months but South Dakota is open for business? Do they stay in L.A. or simply take their dollars to a free state and set up a new mecca? These are things a governor must consider.

5.The ability for businesses, schools and child care facilities to support physical distancing guidelines as well as provide supplies and equipment to workforces and customers to keep them safe from illness.

Newsom says offices and retail spaces will have to redesign, restaurants will have to have half the tables, etc. This is a man who has never missed a paycheck or had to struggle to make a payroll saying he and a handful of others intend to redesign the entire California economy.

Nope.

6.Developing guidelines to determine when to reinstitute certain measures such as Safer at Home guidelines if necessary based on relevant data.

Fancy words for “We’ll always have the last word.”

Newsom admits that “social distancing” has drastically changed the trend of the virus in California. As we’ve seen nationally the models are changing day to day. There is no way to gauge where California will be a week or a month from now. Newsom has also admitted that he sees this pandemic as an “opportunity” to enter a new phase of progressive governing.

Put that thought together with this creepy, overreaching list of dictates for a free population to resume their freedoms and it’s enough to make your hair stand on end.