I applaud Tesla’s decision to sue Alameda County over the county’s directive that the automaker should not reopen its factory in Fremont, California, as long as the lockdown remains in effect.
Businesses, large and small, are already in tremendous pain over these lockdown orders in many states across the country. Some businesses have hit rock-bottom and may never reopen, while others must immediately resume operations if they are to avoid permanent closures and bankruptcy. The livelihood of millions of Americans depends on the survival of small and large job-creating businesses across the country.
Americans have had to bear tremendous hardship over the last few months, as the country went through an unprecedented period of shutdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. Based on the intensity of infections, various states took different approaches to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
The federal government has presented guidelines on how to reopen states, while maintaining social distancing. The governors are making the executive decisions on when and how to reopen. As we have seen, states with extended lockdown orders are also experiencing protests, led by law-abiding Americans who are eager to go back to work to earn income and provide for their families.
Tesla is a major manufacturer that produces extremely popular automobiles. For the company to continue to be shut down would affect thousands of workers.
Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk threatened to move Tesla’s factory out of California, and into Texas or Nevada. If this does happen, then California would not be left with any automobile manufacturing facility in the state.
I hope that the county officials and Tesla can sort out the issues and Tesla can resume operations. But this situation serves as an example of how government intrusion into the private sector can harm businesses. It also serves as an example of how a business can voice its strong support for or opposition to government policies through relocation or declaration of intent to relocate.
An economy cannot thrive without successful businesses, big and small. People accepted various government-approved stringent measures to safeguard human lives during coronavirus pandemic, in spite of the hardship. However, there must be an end to this lockdown and the economy needs to start again.
Tesla’s latest move to sue Alameda County shows that people and businesses are tired of these onerous lockdown rules, and that free market needs to be up and running again.