Too much? Too early? Too stupid?
Will it turn out to be too sad?
Too bad. Governor Greg Abbott says he has a plan to reopen the business that crosses the line between health and wealth. We wish him the best of luck, and we find that he could run the risk of contradicting his beloved president if Abbott approaches a promised announcement on Monday (or earlier?) About which companies can reopen according to which rules.
In a series of radio interviews on Wednesday, Abbott teased his upcoming assignment by mentioning “all the huge amount of businesses that are going to open up in great Texas.”
Stay tuned.
The governor claims it will be a measured approach and what is okay in some counties may not be the case in others. So we’ll see if Texas will be more like Georgia – where gyms, bowling alleys, barbershops, tattoo parlors, nail salons, and massage therapies can reopen on Friday, and restaurants and movie theaters can reopen on Monday – or more like the more sensible states.
Most interesting might be President Donald Trump’s ranking of Abbott’s decision. Despite Trump’s general stance on getting things back open, he said on Wednesday (after previously supporting the move) that he told Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, “I am not with his decision to open certain facilities I think spas and beauty salons and tattoo parlors and barbershop … is just too early. “
And you thought Trump was unable to verbalize rationally.
Abbott said his plan would be “doctor approved to ensure we can contain the coronavirus”. Keyword there? Include instead of stopping. You know, since you can’t hope to stop LeBron James, all you can do is hope to contain him and hope he doesn’t hit you.
“We know that the spread of the coronavirus in the state of Texas will increase to some extent as businesses reopen,” Abbott told Lubbock radio station KFYO on Wednesday. “We can handle it as long as the expansion is very small.”
One way or another, maybe in some places and not others, we are on our way to the “Grand Reopening” signs. As in Georgia, companies are restricted. I’m with Trump on this case (and it took me a minute to figure out how to configure my fingers to type these words). What Kemp did – and Abbott maybe – seems premature, but I have to admit I was considering going to Atlanta for bowling and a haircut.
(Short page on haircuts: send me photos of your haircut mishaps at home. I don’t want to see success. I want to see a wretched, pathetic failure. I let my hair grow until I can get back to my hair care routine, I hope , he stays in the practice. When I think about it, I worry even more about the doctor who is going to perform my upcoming hernia operation.)
(One more quick note on haircuts: Abbott’s hair looks pretty good. Does anyone have any information on that?)
On the spot, Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt announced on Thursday that an Austin Chamber-led task force would investigate the reopening of local businesses. Both expressed concern about what Abbott might do.
“The governor has repeatedly said that his first priority is public health,” Adler said. “And I appreciate that the governor has repeatedly said that he will be guided by the science, the data, and the doctors. And I am encouraged by those two things. I think as a community we will hold.” the governor too. “
Eckhardt said: “My short answer is, yes, I am concerned that the governor will open the trade too wide and thereby expose us to higher infection rates. Absolutely. That is my concern. I think we all share this concern.”
Yes.
Also at the Zoom call on Thursday, in which the task force was announced, Eckhardt asked this often asked, soul-seeking question that confuses so many of us in these difficult times: “What day is today?”
Laura Huffman, President and CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, knew what day it was. It was her first day at work. Welcome. And please resolve all of this asap so we can whine about the traffic again.
As mentioned earlier, you can get a customer close to a reopened store, but you can’t get them to buy things. The entire reopening depends on consumer confidence.
Manicure, ask your doctor if it is right for you.
And who doesn’t look forward to going into a bank with a mask on?
Some of us will rekindle our consumer confidence on day one. This includes the people from “Give Us Liberty AND Give Us Death” who protested against state capitals.
Other people will be more hesitant and wait for a mystical signal that it is safe to go shopping again.
No governor or government can force a store to open or a buyer to shop. I’m sure Texas restaurants are waiting for the rules and doing the math to see if they can make money from those rules. I recently took note of a tweet from a restaurateur in Athens, Georgia who does not want to attend a reopening, even though he can on Monday.
Hugh Acheson owns Five & Ten in Athens and Empire State South in Atlanta: “I am the manager of my restaurants. I will say when we open. It will be when I feel like it is for those I employ, my family and my customers is safe. ” Nobody tells me when to open. Point. And not Monday. “
“The economic reality is why should I open a restaurant with little or no demand? People are still scared. I’m still scared,” he tweeted.
We want to find out how true that is.
Let’s end today with this educational and helpful tweet from Gideon (the soccer player, not the Bible person). Blake Gideon is a former Leander High School and Longhorn gridder who is now an assistant coach to Ole Miss whose eyes were opened to an important reality in life this week.
“Fellas,” tweeted Gideon, “your women don’t care that they’re not very trainable.” I learned that in my house today. “
Looks like Blake and Mary Catherine haven’t been married until July 6th. Beginner’s mistake, coach.
Hold on, husbands. This is such a teachable moment and there is so much to learn. And think of this wisdom once offered by a woman who understood that there can be too much time together: the vows mentioned for better or for worse, not for lunch.