As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the United States in early 2020, multiple states and cities run by Democrats imposed what they claimed to be preventative and protective measures to combat the virus. Businesses, including restaurants, were forced to close in a shuttered fashion, going from outdoor-only to takeout-only to – in some cases – closed completely.
Residents were instructed to stay at home, unless they were protesting in favor of the Democratic Party or Black Lives Matter.
Since Biden’s electoral victory, however, several of the most vocal pro-lockdown Democrats – who have steered their cities and states to near economic collapse – seem to have suddenly discovered the importance of opening their economies. Surely, it’s just a coincidence?
California — Gov. Gavin Newsom
On Monday January 25th, California Governor Gavin Newsom “lifted mandatory stay-home orders across California.” Restaurants in Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Marin counties — almost every Bay Area county — have announced that they will restart outdoor dining immediately. San Francisco Mayor London Breed also announced that outdoor dining at restaurants in San Francisco would restart on Thursday.
L.A. County will allow outdoor dining to restart on Friday, and San Diego County will also be allowing businesses to partially reopen.
Lifting the statewide stay-at-home order “means counties will return to the colored tier system that existed before December’s order.”
Michigan — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Friday, January 22nd that bars and indoor dining would be permitted to reopen at 25% capacity.
“Under a new epidemic order that will last from Feb. 1 through Feb. 21, restaurants and bars will be allowed to offer indoor dining at 25% capacity with up to 100 people, and they must close by 10 p.m. each night. Tables must also be six feet apart with no more than six people per table,” reported The Detroit News.
Two days after Joe Biden’s inauguration Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer announces bars & restaurants are opening back up. Timing is probably just coincidental. https://t.co/WudSCCzafp
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 23, 2021
New York — Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Speaking on January 11th, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reversed his rhetoric on the importance of widespread lockdowns, instead announcing that businesses must soon reopen.
“We simply cannot stay closed until the vaccine hits critical mass. The cost is too high,” Cuomo tweeted.
“We will have nothing left to open. We must reopen the economy, but we must do it smartly and safely.”
We simply cannot stay closed until the vaccine hits critical mass. The cost is too high. We will have nothing left to open. We must reopen the economy, but we must do it smartly and safely.#SOTS2021
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 11, 2021
Chicago — Mayor Lori Lightfoot
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on January 14th that “she wants the city’s bars and restaurants to reopen for indoor service ‘as soon as possible’ and plans to discuss the issue with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, despite the fact that the city hasn’t met the state’s requirements for lifting the restrictions,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
“I am very, very focused on getting our restaurants reopened. If we look at the various criteria that the state has set, we are meeting most if not all of those. So that’s a conversation that I will have with the governor,” Lightfoot said at a news conference. “But I want to get our restaurants and our bars reopened as quickly as possible.”
BREAKING: Due to recent progress in the fight against COVID-19, Chicago is now operating under Illinois' Tier 1 mitigations—which includes limited indoor dining and more. To keep easing restrictions, we have to keep following our public health guidance. https://t.co/jmFk2pv2ea pic.twitter.com/PGKSHNp8VU
— Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) January 23, 2021
Washington, D.C. — Mayor Muriel Bowser
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the city “will roll back its COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining beginning Friday, Jan. 22 at 5 a.m., allowing restaurants and bars to return to 25% capacity, or no more than 250 people.”
The decision was first announced by D.C. Mayor Bowser’s chief of staff, John Falcicchio.
We are told that breakdown will start in earnest at 6 pm and will likely take about 36 hours.
That aligns with the end of the Inauguration Pause on indoor dining which is set to expire on Friday, January 22, at 5 am. Restaurants will then be able to return to 25% indoor.
— John J. Falcicchio (@falcicchio) January 20, 2021
Baltimore — Mayor Brandon Scott
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott “announced that eateries can reopen for indoor and outdoor dining at limited capacity,” beginning at the end of last week.
“The loosened restrictions go into effect Friday morning at 6 a.m. Restaurants and bars will be limited to 50% capacity outside and 25% capacity indoors,” reported the Baltimore Sun.
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.