The Organic Prepper     By Daisy Luther         Tues., April 07, 2020

Living under lockdown restrictions, prevalent in nearly every state, is about to get a whole lot worse. The government in the United States and Canada has decided to take away the guesswork in the stores that are still open and decide for you what’s “essential” and what’s not.

When I have gone to the store to pick up groceries (I’m still getting fresh produce while I can), I also like to pick up a couple of things that are pleasant diversions: magazines, a crossword puzzle book, coloring pencils, some craft supplies. It’s nice to have some things that are enjoyable on hand to keep lockdown from feeling so grim and torturous.

But the days of getting a random item to brighten a family member’s day may be numbered. The government (at least in some places) wants to make this already unpleasant time as dismal as possible for us all.

Vermont has started a worrisome trend.

Vermont has decided to choose for you what is essential and what is not, banning the sale of non-essential items at stores like Target, Walmart, and Costco.

Retailers are asked to close certain areas of the stores, rope them off to deny access, or pull non-essentials from their shelves.

What’s considered non-essential?

The Burlington Free Press reports the following items have been deemed non-essential purchases:

Arts and crafts items.
Beauty supplies.
Carpet and flooring.
Clothes.
Consumer electronics.
Entertainment (books, music, movies).
Furniture.
Home and garden.
Jewelry.
Paint.
Photo services.
Sports equipment.
Toys.

So a store you’re already at is telling you that grabbing some hand lotion to soothe your dry, cracked skin from the constant application of hand sanitizer is non-essential? Getting a book to read while you’re locked down is against the rules? You can’t do a home improvement project while you’re stuck at home?

I fail to see how this is going to stop the spread of a coronavirus if the shopper is already at the store and the employees are also already at the store.

One of the most alarming things is that garden supplies are considered non-essential.

Of all the times in the world you need most to plant a garden, now is the time. But in Vermont’s directive, even the sale of garden supplies is non-essential.

Full article here: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/04/daisy-luther/the-government-wants-to-decide-what-items-are-essential-purchases-and-what-things-youre-not-allowed-to-buy/