Upper East Texas News

Red River County GOP Chairman Vernon Eastepp is very clear in his feelings about the Texas’s continued partial shutdown.

“I am against any level of government giving orders to shut down for anyone,” Eastepp said.

Eastepp is one in a chiral of voices as renewed criticism is being leveled at Gov. Greg Abbott from fellow Republicans in the face of his extension over Labor Day weekend of a disaster proclamation regarding Covid-19.

A just released Texas A&M study reveals the nationwide economy is expected to have lost $2.5 trillion in goods due to business interruptions from lockdowns.

The Centers for Disease Control recently revised Covid-19 death rates to note only 6 percent of the deceased died solely from the virus.

However, in Texas, chunks of the economy, such as bars, night clubs and salons, have remained shuttered for months. Restaurants have only been allowed to open at a diminished capacity.

Many are advocating for those who are most vulnerable to stay home and take advantage of the strides the economy has taken in the past year to serve the homebound.

Eastepp said there is no reason for a lockdown at all at this point.

“People have to accept that diseases spread and to use their own brains on how to reduce their own chances for infections,” he said.

In contrast to Abbott’s feet dragging, last week DeSantis came out boldly in favor of putting children back in the classroom and on sports fields this fall.

The timing of the declaration is odd.DeSantis

Abbott has come under increasing pressure to open Texas back up across the board and to keep it open.

Statewide Republican leadership has also come out in favor of reopening.

Several influential Republican supporters in Texas wrote a letter requesting Abbott take more leadership in reopening the state fully.

Texas is a “lockdown state” and is one of only three states where the governor has complete authority over Covid-19 response.