Oregon fines Salem gym $90,000 for staying open, violating COVID-19 order

State governments have the powers to deal with public health emergencies.

 

Congress could probably get away with Covid restrictions with a combo of the necessary and proper with commerce clauses. If they were able to tie in kidnapping into interstate commerce (in order to justify it being a federal crime) I'm sure they could find a way to tie in the pandemic with its ability to regulate interstate commerce.

 

LOL, with this post you remind me of my dear brother. You both see the world through hypotheticals, making you somewhat detached from reality.

 

I take it you're not familiar with the incorporation doctrine, huh?

 

Just because Congress and the Courts have allowed bullshit excuses to justify violating the Constitution in the past does not mean it should continue to be done.

 

What if the law states that you are now no longer able to protest peacefully, even though it's your right. Does that mean you just accept and pay up?

 

Operating a business isn't a right.

 

Interesting that you say that. If you have your license to operate it...and you have paid your taxes...how is it NOT a right?

I do appreciate your honesty though. The Germans made the same declaration in the 1940's.

 

This response is exactly why I agreed with Biden in his first debate (televised) in this election. The left has gotten too extreme. There needs to be a sense of reason for business owners to trust the government.

 

Commerce Clause. I'm unaware of such a clause in the German constitution.

 

Government has a right to regulate business. It's in the Constitution. It's not a controversial issue.

 

The commerce clause is for regulation fiscally. The clause doesn't state you don't have a right to operate. Nice try. Now we know where you stand on 1940's German policies.

 

China Cowboy can do anything he wants to.

 

Oh bull. Government can tell you what kind of business you can operate, where you can operate it, how you can operate it, who you can and can't hire, and what time you can be open for operation. All legal. All constitutional. All practiced since the beginning of the nation. You've been duped by somebody.

 

I said "If you have a license, AND you paid the taxes, how isn't it a right?".

That was what I said. Both have been established.

Hence your favorite 1940's German policy argument.

 

AS, that you need a license clearly proves operating a business is a privilege, not a right, just like any other licensed activity.

The Germany schtik is wasted keystrokes on your part. Just lettin' ya know.

 

Neither the license has been revoked nor have the tax dollars been given back during the shut down.

 

Point? Operating a business is not a right. The government is well within its power to fine this business owner. This kind of thing happens every day. Crimeny. Where are you getting this stuff from?

 

I get your point, I'm saying it SHOULD be a right if you've done your legal obligations, which they HAVE done. So not only have they been shut down, but the tax money they are paying isn't being sent back to them. So they are being screwed more ways than one.

Do you see how that's a problem?

My aunt owns a pizza spot in Boston that she's had for close to 20 years. She has a legal license, and she pays her monthly taxes. It's been shut down for 6 months. Not only does she lose revenue, she's STILL REQUIRED TO PAY TAXES. She's now living with family because she had to sell her house.

You see nothing wrong with that???

 

And she can't sell the business because no one there is buying...

 

That's much clearer. Yes, business owners have many rights, as business owners. Operating a business itself is not a right, which is where we were hung up.

Yes, there are many troubling effects of the pandemic. I think this could have been tempered if not avoided with a proper response to the virus. Trump wasn't prepared. What Biden is about to do should have been done in February. We can take care of those suffer economically, and should have targeted the already wasted money where it was needed. Though it is in no way a simple task, the idea can be summed up in simple terms:

Close all but essential services for 100 days (or less, that's Biden's mask idea), and pay the bills of those affected. Real simple idea.

Anyway, yes, the government has not handled this well. That doesn't mean individuals can ignore laws and legal orders.

 

Yes, it sucks. She has my sympathy.

 

Yes thank you. My problem is that the state government shut down a business with a proper license and is CURRENTLY paying taxes. She pays taxes and can't generate revenue. Everything is done legally. That is her right, in my opinion, to operate her business.

What else is the point of having one? Massachusetts and many Dem states are seeing this more and more. How do you think this will effect local elections next time around? My family is all liberal, I'm the black sheep. They aren't voting for these losers again.

 

Much appreciated. Luckily the Southie community sticks together. She will have a place to stay and food to eat

 

Maybe in other counties , not here in the United States they can't. With the expection of where you operate and what hours, they can't touch you. They can't say you have charge x amout, they can't say you have to hire this person.