Michigan Democratic Governor (and co-chair of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign), Gretchen Whitmer, has been sending out one executive order after another after declaring a state of emergency on March 10th. 

And now, Whitmer’s attorney general’s office has decided that they can dictate what we can buy at the stores that she has so graciously allowed to stay open. Her administration is going after stores like Menards and Lowes for having the gall to sell paint and gardening items to shoppers, saying that they are potentially endangering customers and employees during the coronavirus crisis. 

Nevermind that Whitmer’s own executive order says that we can perform tasks that are necessary to the health and safety of our family members and more generally it says we can obtain necessary services or supplies to maintain the “basic operation of our residences.” 

Ryan Jarvi, a spokesman for the Michigan attorney general’s office, reprimanded the home improvement stores by saying, “they shouldn’t be providing a bunch of unnecessary or non-essential goods” and that includes your home improvement projects. 

Jarvi continued, “You don’t need to go out and buy paint to paint your rooms or mulch for your garden. These aren’t things shoppers and consumers should be going to pick up.” 

Lowes is “working” with the state so no action is taken against them, meaning that the government’s plan is to strong-arm businesses into compliance since they can’t stop us from buying specific products. The Target store in south Lansing has even stopped selling some items like clothing. Who needs clothes, right? 

How does Whitmer know what is essential in my household? How does Whitmer know if my house was robbed and I need to install a new door and lock? 

How does Whitmer know if my husband has the virus and I need to have a friend build a bathroom in the basement to keep us separate? 

How does Whitmer know if I have found mold in my house and I need to replace pipes, wall tiles and flooring? 

How does Whitmer know if I eat peppers and green beans in the summer and fall and need to be able to buy the seeds to plant? 

How does Whitmer know if my house caught on fire (Google it – I’m sure people in Michigan have lost their houses this month) and while I’m staying at a relative’s house, I need to buy clothes, a bed, shoes, notebooks, diapers and movies to entertain my children? 

The fascist Whitmer attorney general’s office deciding what we can buy is the same attorney general’s office who originally threatened to pull the licenses of doctors who were prescribing Hydroxychloroquine, a possible live-saving drug for people who contract COVID-19. 

Doesn’t it make more sense to go somewhere like Menards where we can get milk and other food products, cleaning supplies, carpeting, cooking utensils and other things we need instead of going several places to get all of our supplies? 

What’s next? No cookies when we go to Walmart? No deodorant? No toys for your baby? You can laugh but with Whitmer as governor and an out-of-control attorney general’s office, we never know what’s going to happen from one day to another. Our movements, our decisions, everything that happens to us during the day now is being dictated by one of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign co- chairs. 

Luckily, Whitmer’s continuing reign of power will need to be approved by the Michigan Republican House and Senate on April 7th when her state of emergency expires. According to the Michigan laws which govern emergency powers of the governor, governors can exercise certain powers during a state of emergency but they are limited and only in effect during that period. The emergency declaration may only last 28 days and the governor may request an extension for a specified period subject to legislative approval. 

On April 7th, Michigan House and Senate members will be in session to deal with Whitmer’s extension request of 70 days. Many Republicans have voiced their opinion that 70 days is too long of an extension and they may be open to a shorter time period. 

Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said he would support a reasonable extension but that “the conditions we are experiencing today will likely be different than those we encounter next week, next month or in 70 days. As such, we feel a much shorter extension is logical to help protect our citizens and support our health systems.” 

Meanwhile, in the past week, Whitmer and her administration has closed schools for the rest of the school year, restricted veterinarian services, threatened to fine people who disobey the social distancing order and now her out-of-control attorney general’s office is threatening stores like Menards for selling “non-essential” products. 

The Whitmer administration is also encouraging people to call their local police if individuals or businesses aren’t following the governor’s edicts from her stay-at-home order and the order for only essential businesses to stay open. 

Whitmer said, “Businesses that are not doing the right thing, or individuals who are not, will face some consequences. This is not a suggestion, this is an order.”