ID to Eat But Not to Vote: Washington State Orders Restaurants to Track Dine-In Customers

As states across the country struggle with how and when to reopen, Washington Governor Inslee is demanding that all visits to restaurants are recorded.

That's right...

Whether you're at the restaurant with your family, for a birthday, for a business meeting, or a job interview, the government will have access to when and where you were.

What happened to the right to privacy?!

ABC News confirms the new requirement in Washington state:

Restaurants in Washington state will be required to keep a log of each dine-in customer to facilitate contact tracing during phase two of the state's coronavirus reopening plans.

As part of the requirements, the log must be maintained for 30 days and must include each customer's telephone number and email address, and what time they came in to eat, according to officials.

"If you have somebody who has become sick and they were sitting right next to a person at a restaurant, to be able to identify that person could be very valuable for their health to try to save their life, and so we put that in place," Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.

Eight counties within the state -- Stevens, Wahkiakum, Skamania, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Columbia, Garfield, and Lincoln -- have been cleared to enter phase two of the reopening process.

In order to remain open, restaurants must also meet a dozen other requirements including operating at 50% capacity or below, and seating no more than five guests at each table, according to Inslee's office.

Fortunately, it does not appear that other states are going to copy Washington's example.

Let's hope it stays that way!

States are wrestling with what measures to take to keep their citizens safe.

While some states (primarily red states) have allowed citizens to exercise freedom and personal responsibility, others have embraced the role of a nanny state.

If restaurants want to reopen, Governor Inslee has demanded that restaurants obey 13 different criteria.

If a restaurant does not obey even 1 of these criteria, they they will not be allowed to reopen.

The Seattle Times has more details on the requirements:

Notably, the 13 criteria that restaurants will have to adhere to in order to reopen for dine-in service includes a stipulation that they “create a daily log of customers and maintain that daily log for 30 days, including telephone/email contact information, and time in.”

This is to aid in any contact tracing, should that become necessary.

Under other Phase 2 rules, hand sanitizer must be available to employees and customers, restaurant tables must be placed far enough apart that guests at one table can maintain a 6-foot distance from guests at another, it is “strongly suggested” that customers wear a cloth face covering any time they are not seated at the table, buffets and salad bars are not allowed, and menus and condiments must all be single-use. Bar seating is not permitted.

In addition, restaurants are required to screen employees for signs of COVID-19 at the start of every shift.

Each employer also needs to designate a COVID-19 supervisor to monitor the health of employees and enforce the job site safety plan.

The state mandates that all restaurants demonstrate they can meet all requirements laid out in its COVID-19 safety plan before they will be allowed to reopen.

While we understand the desire to keep people safe, our leaders must also understand that we have inaliable rights as well as rights protected by the Constitution.

At the end of the day, we all have personal responsibility and have the freedom to make the decisions that are best for ourselves and our families.

Enacting draconian measures "for the greater" good is a slippery slope that can lead to tyranny and irreversible government growth.

As Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."