When I jotted down my notes on what to write for this last edition of the Business Times before a new year, two words appeared above all the topics — and they are myriad, more for a book than column — I wanted to address: BE POSITIVE.

Given my writing style, that’s not a goal easily achieved. But also given my writing style, I’ll use the meaning of the word positive in addressing a few topics.

It’s now time to time to fully believe members of Congress think your vote is worth only a few thousand bucks. Yes, including “your guy or gal.” This final, 2020, COVID-19-controlled, congressional kill shot should have every single American on the verge of revolution after reading the boondoggle it calls a “stimulus.” Four years ago, a $2,500 tax break was “crumbs.” But $1,200 here and $600 there are somehow a lifeline to Americans who’ve lost their businesses, homes, livelihoods or been out of a job for more than nine months.

Mind you, Congress took no action to actually help — well, it still hasn’t — taxpayers to sway an election one way or the other while we all suffered from actions of government on every level.
It’s time to believe this is all government-caused related to COVID — the (very little) good, the hypocritical, the tyranny, the bad solutions, the political (on so many levels) payoffs all the way to this latest, $600 insult to our intelligence.

Perhaps it’s time to believe solutions will never come from government.

It’s also time to believe our leaders in Denver have little care for you being able to live your life as you see fit. From “non-essential,” to stay home, to mandated masks, to don’t get within 6 feet of another human ever, to you can’t see grandma, to you can’t be with family, to no church, to no funerals, to whatever “do as I say not as I do” tyrannical edict coming from the mouths of our elected betters, one thing should be clear: They don’t know what they’re doing. How do I know? Because they are trying to convince us to believe they can control a virus.

If history has taught us anything, it’s this: Government outcomes never come close to government intentions. COVID is no different. Look for the start date of mask mandates to “slow the spread” to see the number of infections rocket up the chart. It’s time to ask why every time another tyrannical edict comes out of Denver, the number of cases spike. I can tell you why. Cases and infections are going to spike regardless, and they know it. It’s what viruses do. They infect until they stop, then infections go down and we live with viruses among us. We’ve been doing this for centuries.

Never question your faith in believing government uses crisis to gain power.

Locally, it’s time to believe our leaders have created a business environment where only certain businesses are worthy of serving the public. They’ll tell you it’s all about standards and safety. But if that was the case, why didn’t they write a set of “standards” that allowed every business to be open to the public at 100 percent occupancy without having to jump through hoops and inspections and ever-changing whims?

I’ve been railing on the 5 Star program since day one, and with good reason. When it first came out, no one joined. But then Denver started with edicts that way too conveniently matched up with 5 Star program protocols. As the tyranny cranked up, businesses had no choice but to get in line to join and be granted more government crumbs to keep their doors open at government-mandated minimums. From patronizing the folks allowed to remain open, I can assure local government this program isn’t working.

And now the state has adopted the 5 Star program, so we can positively believe it will get worse.

So where’s the positive?

I believe every person, business and job in this country is ESSENTIAL and every entity and person should be able to perform all aspects of their lives to 100 percent potential without government interference.

I believe once the state bastardizes the 5 Star program, our local leaders will see the error of their ways and actually begin to fight for the people — and the fight doesn’t begin at the last moment, but at the very second tyrants start a sentence with, “The people cannot … .”

I believe it’s time to put an end to closures and limits because government isn’t the solution, only the source for more suffering.

I believe it’s past time to protect the vulnerable and heal the sick by making every treatment, drug and vaccine available to anyone who CHOOSES to take them. Period.

And then let the OPEN revolution of the people make the United States the shining beacon of the free world once again. You can see that, can’t you?

I wish all our readers, advertisers and good folks out there (yes, even those I disagree with) the happiest and healthiest coming year. Believe in yourselves. I’m positive we can all use a little faith.

Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.