Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) is continuing a hardline approach to masks, making them a strict condition of obtaining services from her department.
At a branch office in Muskegon, there are ample warnings on the door:
“No Mask, No Service.”
“You must wear a face covering over your nose and mouth while you are in our office.”
“You will be refused service without a mask or face covering.”
Benson’s requirements are more strict than Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) latest coronavirus order, which exempts “fully vaccinated” residents from wearing one and is aligned with CDC guidelines that state, “Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing.”
Many businesses and offices are following that rule, while not verifying whether a patron is actually vaccinated. Benson’s office left no wiggle room: Mask up to enter the office for a new driver’s license or boat title.
“We are reviewing state and federal health guidelines as they progress and will be updating our policies accordingly,” Benson spokesman Jake Rollow told Breitbart News.
Rollow would not say what science the secretary is following to make the decision to require mandatory masks. He also would not say if the requirement would change July 1, when Whitmer has ordered remaining rules to be lifted.
Michigan is already the most restrictive state in the Midwest for remaining coronavirus mandates, the Center Square reported, and Whitmer arbitrarily picked July 1 to end them.
“Part of the significant drop in public approval of the governor’s performance relates to a growing realization that Michigan was hit hard by COVID,” Michigan Chamber President & CEO Rich Studley told the news site. “But a lot of what the governor did in terms of unreasonable, unrealistic, impracticable, constantly changing restrictions on individuals and families and businesses made a bad situation worse.”
As a result of Whitmer’s restrictions, Michigan is 51st (with the District of Columbia included) in the country for post-coronavirus recovery.
WalletHub analyzed data in three categories: Coronavirus Health, Leisure & Travel, and Economy & Labor Market. Each metric, such as restaurant capacity limits and hospitalization rate, was given a weighed point value for a total potential score of 100.
Iowa had a score of 75.25 for the 1st overall rank. Michigan came in dead last with a score of 38.28 and ranked 47th in Coronavirus Health, 47th in Leisure & Travel, and 44th in Economy and Labor Market.
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.
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