I’ve had it. Governor Doug Burgum is a tyrant. At the very least, he’s a bully. And anyone who can’t see this has their head in the sand. It brings me no great joy to say such things— none at all.
While I’ve been a critic of Burgum on a number of occasions — and on a variety of issues — I’ve always held out that he’s a nice guy. I don’t think that’s the case anymore. Between the absolutely pathetic moves he made to defeat conservatives in the primary, and some of his decisions during COVID-19, it seems to me that he loves the bully pulpit. And far too often that just makes for bad governance.
You’re probably well aware by now that Deceitful Doug descended from his throne yesterday in support of his newly appointed Interim Health Officer (Dr. Paul Mariani) expanding quarantine orders to include all close contacts.
That’s right. If you are believed to have been within six feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, for 15 minutes over a 24-hour period, you get to stay home for 14 days. And if you don’t— well, you’re guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Which, by the way, carries a maximum penalty of a $1,500 fine, 30 days in jail, or both.
As is always the case with the tyrants in Bismarck these days, this is all being done in the name of “actively protecting older adults in the community.” In other words, if you disagree with this, then you obviously just want people to die.
Give me a break.
Does it make sense to you to quarantine otherwise healthy people? It doesn’t to me. Don’t the vulnerable — and yes, that includes the older folks — have an obligation to make their own decisions regarding this matter? I think so.
Besides, if we’re going to go down this road for COVID-19, then what else qualifies? The flu? A cold? C’mon now. Don’t laugh that off. What might be mild cases for you might kill someone else. You don’t want people to die, do you?
And what about that overall 99% plus survival rate? Or the report showing that there are perhaps only 10% of those testing positive who actually have enough viral load to spread the disease? Well, just forget about that. Never you mind.
I know my memory is on overload at this stage of 2020, but wasn’t there something about “flattening the curve” when all this started? You know, so as to not overwhelm the healthcare system. Boy, it sure seems the goal posts have moved since then. But hey, I suppose King Burgum and his fellow tyrants in the Health Department need something more to do.
To date, the crown has stopped short of issuing a mask mandate. But why refrain any longer? I mean, if we’re going to stop this horrific pandemic here in the Peace Garden State, the King needs to get totally serious about it, doesn’t he? After all, we need to protect the “older adults”, right?
What’s most pathetic about this is when we consider just how they plan to enforce the decree. How are they going to do that? Do they slap ankle bracelets on everyone ordered to quarantine? Nah, that’d rile the peasants too much. Do they expect local law enforcement to post an officer at every residence? Yeah, that’s not an option either. How about a Neighborhood Watch program? You know, get the peasants to rat each other out. Okay, admittedly not real effective on the grand scale of things. Especially since it’s not public knowledge who’s quarantined and who isn’t.
In other words, this is a power move by Burgum and his minions. Period. They’re expanding the quarantine order, threatening a Class B misdemeanor, and praying people comply out of fear— as if we haven’t had enough of that this year already.
No, I’ve had enough. And you should too. As far as I’m concerned, King Burgum and his Interim Health Officer can take their expanded quarantine order and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
PLEASE LIKE & SHARE!
Sources:
- https://www.kxnet.com/news/state-news/paul-mariani-to-take-over-as-new-interim-state-health-officer-sept-14/
- https://www.health.nd.gov/news/mariani-amends-state-health-officer-order-regarding-close-contacts
- https://www.winknews.com/2020/09/23/cdc-shows-covid-19-has-high-survival-rate-doctor-still-wants-to-see-precautions-taken/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/29/health/coronavirus-testing.html