Kim McGahey’s column on individual liberty in the era of COVID-19 raised some interesting points. He appears to be advocating that a business should be free to operate in the “free market selection process.” That is, if the public supports my positions they can patronize my business, and if not, they can go elsewhere with rules more akin to their belief system. That, if I own a Summit County restaurant, I should be allowed to sell alcohol at any time to anyone of any age, or serve those who come into my restaurant without shoes or shirts, or allow people to smoke during dinner at my restaurant, or if the staff doesn’t want to wash their hands, that’s their choice.

Is this what McGahey had in mind? Contrary to what he states, a business owner does not have the constitutional right “to operate a business as they see fit,” public health be damned. There are many restrictions on business, and these restrictions can severely impact any given business.