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Last week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) made the decision to reopen the state for business. With the caveat that businesses adhere to certain social distancing guidelines, most Georgia establishments were given the green light to resume operations this past Friday and Monday.

Despite facing a barrage of censure from Democrat leaders and others, Kemp has stood by his decision to reopen Georgia. This serves as a relief to many of the state's residents who absorbed serious economic hits because of shutdowns.

Yesterday, Gov. Kemp sat down for an interview with Fox News. During this interview, the Georgia governor further explained his decision to re-engage the state's economy and denied reports of animosity between himself and President Trump.

Kemp on Reopening Georgia's Economy

When Kemp spoke with Fox, he reminded people that the return of businesses is in no way forcing people to leave home or go back to work. The Georgia governor described his latest Executive Order as "an opportunity to reopen" rather than a mandate. Anyone who disagrees with Kemp's decision is more than free to continue voluntarily sheltering in place and social distancing.

Yesterday, Gov. Kemp also had glowing words for President Trump. The Georgia governor praised Trump's leadership skills; Kemp then noted that both he and Trump share similar goals and interests regarding the safety of Americans and the return of the economy.

In Kemp's own words:

"I appreciate his leadership. I appreciate all the administration has done to support our state. The president and I believe in the exact same thing: we want to keep our citizens safe and we want America to reopen." 

Georgia's shelter-in-place order will expire this Thursday at 11:59 PM EST.

The Return of the U.S. Economy

Many red states are gradually reopening and allowing people to get back to work. This comes amidst growing protests and social unrest in response to lockdowns. Right now, at least 26 million Americans remain out of work; likewise, the government's Payment Protection Program ran out of funding earlier this month.

Ongoing shutdowns are not sustainable for any healthy nation or economy. Democrat governors who appear to believe otherwise are facing lawsuits and even challenges at the level of the United States Supreme Court.