
Alameda County agrees to let Tesla reopen if certain conditions are met - kfriede
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Alameda-County-orders-Tesla-s-Fremont-plant-to-15264761.php
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rsj_hn
I was really looking forward to the court challenges on this one, and am a bit
disappointed the county caved.

Bottom line, we have local officials making decrees and proclamations with no
legislative basis -- often the legislature is not even in session as one
proclamation is made after another -- and they are curtailing things like
right to assemble, right to hold religious services, and interstate commerce.

This needs court challenges all across the country, and unfortunately only the
wealthy can afford a big legal fight. Most of them can easily hide in
luxurious compounds and aren't impacted nearly as much as those dependent on a
regular income, so Elon Musk was doing a public service by openly challenging
these decrees and daring someone to arrest him for a crime that doesn't
actually exist in any state legal code.

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woofyman
> Most of them can easily hide in luxurious compounds and aren't impacted
> nearly as much as those dependent on a regular income

So they want other people to risk their lives to make more billions for them.

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TomMarius
You know they could walk out any day and start earning the billions if they
really have the ability? We are not talking about low income people.

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eganist
There's an amazing amount of emphasis in these comments on strict adhesion to
the law and not enough on the actual risk of harm if the site continues to go
about reopening.

Honestly, if a company wants to disobey a government edict that's for the good
of the people when there's no law to back it up, so be it; I hope the people
and estates of those who are injured or killed can use the judiciary to
sufficient ends to become somewhat close to whole again.

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qppo
There are processes to follow. If Alameda County is at fault then the courts
can decide. They can issue restraining orders to suspend the quarantine if
they felt the county overstepped its bounds too.

What can't happen is letting a company bully a local government because they
don't want to make less money. This is just another example of our democracy
crumbling into an oligarchy. Musk is not above the law because he has money
and employs people.

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zepto
What exact ‘bullying’ are you talking about? As far as I know all Musk did was
post a few tweets. Not hire a gang of armed men.

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DiogenesKynikos
Threatening to move his factory unless the county caved and made an exception
to its public health rules.

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zepto
How is that ‘bullying’? If he thinks the factory will be better somewhere
else, why shouldn’t he move it?

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jdkee
Nothing like letting a billionaire throw a temper-tantrum to dictate public
health policy.

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api
It's asinine for factories to be kept closed while big box stores are open. I
know some people who work in the latter and they've had customers refusing to
wear masks, spitting on employees (cops called), etc. Factories have the
ability to strictly regulate distancing and mask use and are heavily monitored
places, so they are much safer.

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KKKKkkkk1
Is there a risk that Tesla's factory opening will spark a COVID outbreak? Is
there any personal or financial risk for Elon in the case of such an outbreak?
How would the answers to these questions influence your decisions if you were
Elon?

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kanox
There are several other Tesla factories that were already open and SpaceX
never closed. Their claim that manufacturing is relatively low risk seems
credible.

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rdtwo
Everyone else should just go ahead and reopen as well.

