Today Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) issued yet another executive order
on the coronavirus outbreak – while the Texas state legislature continues
slumbering while collecting paychecks for no work.
The mainstream media, predictably, is
mis-reporting the executive order as a “statewide face covering requirement for Texans.”
It is no such thing. However,
it is worded in such an obtuse manner that this misinterpretation of the
executive order will likely be universal in Texas.
Here is the important part of
the order:
Every
person in Texas shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside
a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in
an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of
social distancing from another person not in the same household; provided,
however, that this face-covering requirement does not apply to
the following…
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That
comma after the word “space” is essential. It establishes “outdoor public
space” as a clause within the sentence, meaning both indoor AND outdoor are
covered by the exception “wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of
social distancing.” This is critically important, as it means even in stores or
other indoor spaces masks are not required as long as it is possible to “social
distance.” That would include every grocery store and reasonably-sized
commercial establishment.
In other words, this order was purposely written to be misinterpreted!
Perception is 99 percent of reality, particularly among county and local
officials who will mis-read this (probably intentionally) as a green light to
crack down hard. Abbott is not mandating face masks outdoors or even indoors or
even in commercial entities. But his order is worded in such a purposely
weasel-like manner that it will be universally accepted and reported as such.
It is already being so reported.
Section Sec. 418.014.C
of the Texas legal code states that a governor-declared state of emergency can
only last for 30 days. The governor has the authority to extend that state of
emergency, but he is subject to the actions of the legislature. As the code
states. “The legislature by law may terminate a state of disaster at any time.
On termination by the legislature, the governor shall issue an executive order
ending the state of disaster.”
Texas
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick loves to bluster about being a champion of civil
liberties, recently blasting the hapless Dr. Fauci to earn
red meat political points. But unfortunately then it comes to actually
standing up for Texans who are seeing their livelihoods destroyed, who are
seeing their civil liberties trampled, who are seeing an out-of-control
governor ruling by decree in a manner that would have made King George blush,
he’s “all hat, no cattle” as we say here in Texas.
In Texas the Lt. Governor
wields extraordinary power over the state’s legislative body and could call the
Texas Senate back into session to begin the process of ending Governor Abbott’s
insane power grab.
But
thus far that former radio personality has done little more than preen in front
of the microphone.
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As we very clearly explain in today’s
Ron Paul Liberty Report, the reason for the “spike” in Texas covid
cases is a massive ramping up in testing (“Come one come all, it’s free!!!!!”)
and an extraordinary re-definition of what it means to be “covid positive” that
was implemented by Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in
mid-May. Texas county and local officials expressed concern that ramping up
testing and lowering the threshold to declaring “probable” covid cases (with no
testing) as actual “covid cases” would lead to a mass spike in Texas. Turns out
they were right.
Classifying all those seeking
delayed surgeries and other medical procedures as “covid cases” even if not
sick only makes the situation in Texas seem worse.
Many honest Texas officials saw the “second wave” spike
coming because they saw how the game was being rigged. But Abbott fell for it
and he has declared war on Texans and on liberty.
This is not rocket science. Politics is at play in the
“second wave” coronavirus in Texas and elected officials are either too dense
or too corrupt to take a stand for truth.
Daniel McAdams is the Executive Director of the Ron Paul Institute
for Peace and Prosperity.
Copyright
© by RonPaul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly
granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.
