Corona Restrictions

Washington State Governor (and failed Presidential Candidate) Jay Inslee announced a set of restrictions on Washingtonians to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus which is causing the COVID-19 Illness around the State and the country. He banned all gatherings larger than 250 people, all sporting events, religious services, parades, festivals and so on. Within minutes of the announcement, Seattle Public schools announced that they were closing all schools for two weeks. Initially, the ban only affects three Counties, King (Seattle), Pierce (Tacoma) and Snohomish (Bellvue), but it was made clear that the possibility exists of expanding the ban around the State as “needed.” Now, regardless of how you personally feel about the reaction to the Coronavirus, there is a legitimate question as to whether or not a State Government can, in fact, Constitutionally make such a ban. I’ll answer it for you: Yes, they can. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t potential problems with it, but in the face of a public emergency, “personal liberty can be suspended.” It all dates back to 1905 when an immigrant Pastor from Sweden settled in Massachusetts and decided that he did not want the Small Pox vaccination that the State had mandated…