Pirate's Cove

Citizens would probably be a little more accepting of the whole “stay home, relax, let’s get through this” if some elected officials weren’t constantly going overboard and showing their authoritarian sides

‘Draconian’? ‘House arrest’? Coronavirus lockdowns prompt raft of lawsuits against states

Camping in Scarborough, Maine. Gathering for church in Chincoteague, Virginia. Or just grabbing a burger at Poopy’s Pub and Grub in Savanna, Illinois.

Each of these activities became the subject of a federal lawsuit, as residents, businesses and even lawmakers challenged state shutdown orders designed to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

The cases test where the lines are safely drawn, as governors balance protecting public health against individual liberties. Governors say strict rules save lives, but critics who are forced to stay home or shutter their businesses called the steps “draconian” or compared them to “house arrest.” The lawsuits come as President Donald Trump has become increasingly vocal in criticism of state restrictions, encouraged protests at state capitols and urged churches to reopen despite restrictions.

Who would have thought that citizens are not just willing to sit around and see their businesses go up in smoke, as well as allowing government to run their lives in contradiction to state and federal constitutions?

More than 1,300 state and federal lawsuits have been filed over COVID-19, including 240 dealing with civil rights, as of Friday, according to Hunton Andrews Kurth, a law firm tracking the cases. USA TODAY reviewed more than 80 lawsuits that often dealt with conditions at prisons and nursing homes, voting rights, and university tuition. USA TODAY focused on legal challenges to restrictions such as stay-at-home orders and business closures, and also whether abortion or church services can be limited during the pandemic, to gauge which orders were being challenged and how states were responding.

The eventual rulings could redefine the balance between state police powers and constitutional rights that advocates contend are too important to sacrifice even temporarily. Abortions are time sensitive. Buyers want guns during times of crisis. And parishioners seek solace at church. Other lawsuits test whether rules go beyond legislative authorities by requiring people to isolate themselves, stay apart in public and wear masks.

For all the liberals who are taking government’s side, they shouldn’t forget that they sued when abortion on demand was considered non-essential. The death cult believes that abortion is a constitutional right.

People were willing to chill for a bit. After a month or so, people were getting antsy, and not happy with the ever more draconian rules and dictates. Heck, look at uber-liberal California: now that the beaches are open they are flocking to them, even with the stay at home order in effect.