Hey Michigan…

Remember the days when we were told we could NOT go to buy gardening equipment at a store like Home Depot because they were over 50,000 sq. ft., but at the local hardware store you could because that store was under 49,999? Yeah, those were the good ole days of authoritarian stupidity, and they are coming to an end here in the Great Lakes State.

All Michiganians should stop and rejoice.

Note: If you think you are a Michigander, here is a refresher course on why you sound silly saying that… Fact Check: Hey Michigan, You Are NOT a Michigander.

Governor Whitmer today finally gave up the ghost of her ever making Michigan obey her silly mandates issued through the MDHHS and announced that Michigan will drop all restrictions by July 1st. Some of these restrictions will be throttled back in June, and everything will be gone by July.

From The Detroit News:

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer accelerated plans to lift COVID-19 restrictions Thursday, detailing her intention to end statewide mandates on July 1 and, for the most part, bring life “back to normal.”

The governor made the announcements from home plate at Dow Diamond in Midland, where she revealed that outdoor capacity limits disappear June 1. The policy means the Detroit Tigers will be able to host larger crowds at their home games this summer instead of the current limit of 8,200 people.

In addition to lifting outdoor capacity limits, Whitmer said indoor capacity limits also will rise to 50% for June — affecting events such as weddings, funerals, and graduation parties. She later added that the 11 p.m. curfew for restaurants and bars also would end starting next month.

An indoor mask mandate for unvaccinated people will remain in place through June under the new order, which is expected to be updated Monday. The state will lift the broad mask and gathering orders on July 1, she said.

This comes almost three weeks to the day of her unveiling her plan of reopening the state in phases according to the vaccination rate of the state. Her Mi VACC to Normal Plan based the reopening on four phases. As I said on my show when it was announced, we would get a freedom cookie at 55 percent, another freedom cookie at 60% and 65%. And at 70 percent, we would get the biggest freedom cookie of all — no more lectures from Big Gretch.

Yet where we stand today, according to the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, we are only at 56.8%, and we have only obtained one of the freedom cookies with Memorial Day next week. Michiganians are not flocking to get to that coveted 70% number we need, and that was a problem for the governor.

So, under the guise of the CDC announcement of dropping masks for vaccinated people, Gretch dropped the “VACC to Normal” nonsense and decided to open the state up in time for Independence Day on July 4th. The CDC just offered the guidance that people who ARE vaccinated can drop masks and do not give any recommendations on how many people in the state’s population need to be vaccinated to resume “life as normal.” Here are the updated guidelines from the CDC Right Here to take a look at for yourself.

So why did the governor of the mitten-shaped state just do an about-face on the data and science from three weeks ago?

Simple.

We only have 537 days until the 2022 election. When July 1st rolls around and all restrictions are done, there will only 16 months until Election Day, and Whitmer and her team know this. If you recall just 16 months ago in January of 2020, no one had heard of COVID-19; so, we know time flies, and it is time for an election to be won.

Also rushing this reversal, I believe, was the surprise announcement that Chief James Craig of the Detroit Police Department was retiring on June 1st and is considering a run for the GOP nomination to oppose Whitmer next year. (Detroit Police Chief James Craig Might Run Against Gretchen Whitmer Next Year) According to reporter Charlie LeDuff who broke the story above, about the chief stepping down, he has also reported that Craig will run for certain.

So, how can any of the recommendations that the governor made just three weeks ago be based on the science and the data of people being vaccinated when we are nowhere close to having met most of those data points?

Politics. Pure, good ole politics.

The first rule for a politician is to get elected and re-elected, and that is what prompted this abrupt about-face today by the governor. It is as obvious as the mask that used to be on your face. Hopefully, you will begin to question everything that you are told and see if it meets the smell test, which once again, should be a bit easier now that your mask is off. Data and science can change — but not for a political calendar.

Now, go out there and get some fresh air and enjoy your freedom cookies… before someone in government tries to take them away.

Side Note: If you want to follow a guy who is doing some old-style reporting, check out Charlie LeDuff on his podcast No B.S. Newshour Right Here.