'Libertarian' Republicans Love Local Control, Unless It's About COVID Safety

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The Daily Beast
@thedailybeast
"If 'liberty' Republicans like Massie and Paul speak out for localism and against federal overreach on every other issue, why are they taking such a strong stand against local health codes in the midst of a pandemic..." @nsarwark writes

thedailybeast.com
‘Libertarian’ Republicans Love Local Control, Unless It’s About COVID Safety
Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie made a big show out of eating burgers at a D.C. bar that got shut down for health code violations.
10:40 AM · Feb 5, 2022

https://www.thedailybeast.com/libertarian-republicans-love-local-control-unless-its-about-covid-safety


The Big Board, a D.C. bar and restaurant known for its innovative beer-pricing system, has an owner opposed to District of Columbia’s regulations requiring masking and proof of vaccination from indoor patrons.

After receiving complaints, warnings, suspension of their liquor license, and a Health Department inspection that found food safety violations in their kitchen (including mold buildup in a refrigerator), most business owners would have complied with the regulations to avoid getting shut down by local authorities. Instead, they started a GoFundMe and invited a handful of Republican lawmakers to eat burgers and pose for sympathetic press to signal solidarity against masks and mandates.

It’s no surprise that the Big Board got their liquor license suspended for violating COVID-19 ordinances, nor that they got inspected by the Health Department, since they publicly announced that they had no intentions of complying with the rules. Daring bureaucrats to enforce the law is not a great strategy for staying in business.

Two of the lawmakers, Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie, are Kentucky Republicans with dedicated followings among conservatives and libertarians. They have made principled speeches in Congress against military adventurism, deficits and debt, and overbearing federal regulations. On issues ranging from guns to abortion, they vocally advocate for the federal government to get out of the way, and for states and cities to engage in greater local control.

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