California has the strictest lockdowns in the country but can't get their case count under control

Despite some of the strictest coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions in the country, California continues to see record coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths. The state is locked down. The COVID cases keep rising.

Last week, according to The Los Angeles Times "The state reported 51,724 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, breaking the previous record of 42,088 cases, which was just set on Monday."

Also on Wednesday, the state broke its own records, not only for cases, but for deaths and hospitalizations in a single day, more than doubling the daily high in any previous month.

Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom's onerous restrictions include: a 10 pm curfew, bans on religious gatherings, bans on outdoor dining and school closures. Yet, exemptions are made for Hollywood studio production to operate as "essential businesses."

According to KCAL9 in Los Angeles, the Golden State is the most restrictive in the US when it comes to large gatherings, shelter-in-place orders, and reopening of restaurants and bars. The state was also ranked 48th when it comes to reopening non-essential businesses.

In a scathing rebuke of California government officials, Disneyland President Ken Potrock issued a statement in October that the Newsom's restrictions, ignored the work that the park and other businesses had put in to reopen safely and jeopardized the livelihood of thousands of employees of surrounding businesses.

"We have proven that we can responsibly reopen, with science-based health and safety protocols strictly enforced at our theme park properties around the world. Nevertheless, the State of California continues to ignore this fact, instead mandating arbitrary guidelines that it knows are unworkable and that hold us to a standard vastly different from other reopened businesses and state-operated facilities."

Since May 5, California has gone from being moderately restrictive to one of the most restrictive state in the country, even as the very same lawmakers who impose the restrictions, flagrantly violate them.

In November, Newsom enjoyed a mask-less, indoor, group dinner, which included California Health officials, at the prestigious French Laundry restaurant. Nearly $3 million dollars in PPP funds went to companies owned by Newsom, even as many small businesses did not receive funding and were forced to close.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed also ordered businesses and restaurants closed over fears of spreading the virus. Yet Breed was also spotted dining in a group at French Laundry on Nov. 7, the day after Newsom was there.

Earlier this month, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told Los Angelinos that "…it's time to cancel everything" in response to the virus. Meanwhile, Garcetti joined mass protests in the city this summer in response to the death of George Floyd.

Los Angeles Supervisor of Elections Sheila Kuehl attended a vote in which she advocated for banning outdoor dining. After the vote passed, Kuehl was seen eating at an Italian restaurant, outdoors.

Yet the restrictions and lockdowns continue to have a devastating impact on the economy. According to The Washington Post "Nearly 8 million Americans have slipped into poverty since summer."

As cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to climb in California, the strict regulations do not appear to be working and are creating other problems such as unemployment, spiking substance abuse and suicides. Studies continue to show no correlation between restrictions and mortality rates from the virus.