Media Mention: West Virginia face-mask mandate gets approval from some in business community
In this Washington Examiner article, Cardinal’s executive director, Garrett Ballengee, is quoted on Gov. Justice’s order requiring citizens to wear a mask in public locations:
Garrett Ballengee, the executive director of the free-market think tank the Cardinal Institute, told The Center Square the order is “rather toothless” because it doesn’t impose any penalties for violating the mandate. He said he thinks Justice is trying to balance the rising COVID-19 cases, a shaky economy and independent-spirited citizens.
“In some ways, I think the governor’s executive order is trying to increase the peer pressure that private citizens and civil society can exert on mask wearing, while trying to maintain a light-as-possible touch from the government,” Ballengee said. “Unfortunately, we will probably see some very uncomfortable interactions between patrons and business owners as the governor’s executive order continues into the foreseeable future. For now, I think it’s a bit too early to say whether this will have a negative impact on the economy, but I do think it could lead to some negative interactions between citizens.”