Governor losing control of stay-at-home order

With sheriffs and district attorneys opening defying enforcement of state stay-at-home orders, the Governor is quickly losing control of his statewide public health order.

The Re-Open NC effort has clearly undermined public adherence to the stay healthy at home policy.

The Governor and his team may not realize it, but the economy is opening-up regardless of what federal, state and local authorities are saying. 

Jane Q. Public has decided that she understand the risks, she can follow the public health guidelines and get back to work – accepting the consequences.

During the crisis we saw the Governor’s approval ratings soar but just as quick as they went up, they can go down – and the Governor finds himself at that tipping point right now.

There is a growing impatience with the stay-at-home orders, even if they make sense from a public health standpoint. 

Small business owners, like barbers and hair salons, are seeing their savings dry up.  Those who have attempted to navigate the Employment Security System to file for unemployment realize they can’t get help and that if they rely on state government for financial security – they are screwed.

So, we will see more defiance and more pushback from a public that is weary of government mandates and willing to accept the risks of a second wave, which likely will be worse than the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

Our public health system will have to brace itself and elected officials will be forced to reconcile the concerns for public health versus economic wellbeing.

With a growing number of people taking the lead themselves, we see again a long history of North Carolinians who believe they will make decisions for themselves.   These citizens have made a collective decision that they cannot afford to wait it out at home – while it may not be the best decision – they seem prepared to accept the consequences dragging along many state bureaucrats and elected officials.