Karl Manke has been cutting hair since 1961. In March, he closed his barbershop when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered a statewide lockdown closing all “non-essential” businesses. When Whitmer extended that order to May 28, Manke decided he could not comply and opened anyway.
The 77-year-old barber was cited twice and had his licence revoked. But this week a judge refused a request from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office to shut down Manke’s barbershop.
As Manke’s case shows, courts have begun to push back on the largely unchecked power of state governments. This is a welcome application of the “separation of powers” principle that is fundamental to the American system of government.
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