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Michigan residents are getting restless as the coronavirus pandemic grows more political in Michigan by the day.

There were grumbles about Gov. Gretchen Whitmers first stay-at-home order in March. But prolonging the order through April 30 has angered Republican legislators and others who are itching to restart the economy.

The governors order only allows essential workers to continue working outside their homes. But Republicans are pleading to let businesses that pose minimal risks of spreading COVID-19 to re-open.

"We expected that the governor was going to exercise some common sense with things that could be performed very safely, said State Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte. Instead, she went the opposite direction and further restricted freedoms.

Tensions spilled out onto the steps of the Michigan Capitol on Wednesday, April 15, as people protested Whitmer and her stay-at-home order throughout the afternoon, in cars and on foot in an event dubbed Operation Gridlock.

It was organized by conservative groups and with grassroots support -- protesters boasted Trump flags and MAGA signs and some Republican lawmakers signaled support, including House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering.

But it drew ire, too, from people who criticized the protesters for gathering in a large group and not observing recommendations for masks or social distancing.

And one person it didnt sway was Whitmer.

While some Republicans are asking Whitmer to weigh public health and the economy equally, she said in a press conference this week all of her decisions are driven by the central question, How do we save lives?

Think about the 1,602 Michiganders whove died from COVID-19, Whitmer said on Monday. While some of us are grieving the loss of our freedom, theyre grieving the loss of their loved ones.

Republicans, businesses urge changes

Examples of sectors Republicans want reopened include landscaping companies, greenhouses, golf courses, realtors, construction and more.

Shes a smart lady, she could convene the business groups and the interest groups and look at what occupations, what activities could be done in a safe, social distancing manner," said Rep. Triston Cole, R-Mancelona.

"For example, yard maintenance, marinas, dock installation, landscaping many, many things can be done while taking this virus extremely seriously.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has also said the state can protect the public health and the economy at the same time be reopening some businesses.

Whitmer and health experts disagree with the timing, saying its too soon and would jeopardize lives.

"This is not the time to take a risk," said Teena Chopra, infectious diseases specialist for the Detroit Medical Center. "We are not at a stage where we can start doing the activities we used to do before, whether it is socializing, playing golf and even grocery shopping."

Another Republican criticism is Whitmers order is stripping Michiganders of the fundamental freedoms theyre entitled to, Barrett said.

Residents know the risks, he said. Its time to let people weigh those risks for themselves, instead of letting Whitmer and the overzealous attorney general keep people under house arrest, Barrett said.

"My own kids weren't allowed to go see their grandparents on Easter because of our governor and our attorney general," Barrett said. "And to me, that's a sad circumstance."

Barrett likens it to vehicle crash deaths. Even though there are thousands annually across the U.S., lawmakers allow residents to weigh the risks for themselves.

"We don't tell people they have to stay home and can't drive a car," Barrett said. "We don't set the speed limit at 25 mph on the freeway."

Is it politically advantageous to attack Whitmer?

Republicans arent criticizing the governor for just economic reasons but also political ones, said TJ Bucholz, president and managing partner of Vanguard Public Affairs.

Whitmers name is becoming a household Democratic name across the nation, as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden has said Whitmer is on his list of possible vice president picks.

She also gave the Democratic response to Trumps State of the Union address in February. Trump referred to Whitmer as that woman from Michigan in a recent interview, and told Vice President Mike Pence not to call her as she asked for supplies to battle the coronavirus.

Whitmer believes Republicans are using the stay-at-home order as a pretense to politically attack her, calling out Wednesdays protest for being a political rally. Science and data should drive decisions, she said, not politics.

Im not focusing on politics, Im trying to save lives, here," Whitmer said. The enemy is the virus, not one another. We have to keep that straight.

Many Republican lawmakers and groups have expressed support for Whitmers actions, Bucholz said and all are saying social distancing of some kind needs to be maintained.

But Bucholz has seen a correlation between people who are anti-quarantine and people who are anti-Whitmer. And for Republican legislators in dark red districts, it could be an advantage to criticize the stay-at-home order.

"The people of Michigan have already been hunkered down for three weeks and with no end in sight," Bucholz said. "I think you're seeing those frustrations bubble to the surface. I do think some of this is partisan."

Both Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake and Chatfield have written opinion pieces for publications in recent days attacking the governor. Shirkey called it absurd that Michiganders can buy marijuana but not flowers. Chatfield dubbed the stay-at-home order illogical.

However, Michiganders as a whole are supportive of Whitmer during the pandemic, according to a recent poll from the Center for American Progress, a progressive Washington think-tank. Of the 303 voters polled, 71 percent approved of how Whitmer is handling the crisis. Of the respondents, 44 percent were Democratic and 40 percent were Republican.

Those polled also said they trusted Whitmer more than President Donald Trump to provide accurate information during the pandemic, with 55 percent trusting Whitmer more and 28 percent trusting Trump more.

Another idea from Republicans is to open parts of the state that arent heavily affected by the virus. The 23,000-resident Antrim County shouldnt be treated the same as Wayne County, which has 1.75 million residents, Cole said.

Cole sent multiple letters to Whitmer in recent weeks, saying northwest lower Michigan shouldn't be "painted with the same brush" as southeast Michigan. Cole hasn't received a response, he said.

"It's beyond frustrating and very unprofessional for her to not respond to a top member of leadership in the house," Cole said.

Regionalizing how the state is responding to the virus is a bad idea, Chopra the infectious disease specialist argues. The virus can be passed along through people who have no symptoms, making it hard to tell how prevalent COVID-19 is without more testing, she said.

Areas with lower case totals shouldnt be celebrating that theyre out of the woods, Chopra said. They should be thankful they can take precautions now to thwart disease transmission before it gets out of control.

(Residents) cant afford for anyone to play fast and loose with the rules and make exceptions for certain parts of the state, Whitmer said. Because of course, COVID-19 doesnt observe county lines.

Opening too quickly could endanger lives

The debate about when its safe to reopen the economy is not a new one. Michigan lawmakers faced the same questions and made some of the same arguments as today during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic.

When Detroit reopened for business less than three weeks after the shutdown in 1918, it led to a second spike in influenza deaths. Reopening too early this time will also lead to a second wave of cases and deaths, said Joneigh Khaldun, Michigans chief medical executive, at a press conference Monday.

Data shows economic rebounds are slower post-pandemic when social distancing and careful reopenings arent done right, she said.

While COVID-19 cases in Michigan seem to be plateauing, that doesnt mean its time to reopen the state, Chopra said. Knowing were ready doesnt just mean looking at case totals and death numbers, she said.

Michigan needs to test asymptomatic people and experts must better understand infected people will have antibodies that make them immune in the future, she said.

For now, Whitmer has been rigid on her stance that stay-at-home order exceptions wont be made. But allowing some low-risk businesses to reopen could be how Michigan transitions to the next stage once were ready.

"We will get to that point," Whitmer said, of allowing exceptions to the order. "But we are not there yet."

But the political battle is far from over. Its in the hands of the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature to decide in the next couple weeks if Whitmers emergency powers should be extended beyond April 30.

Some Republicans are already indicating they dont want to extend the state of emergency, which would handcuff Whitmers ability to extend the stay-at-home order further.

I dont want to get into a hypothetical situation of where we will be at on April 30, but I continue to converse with the governor on a daily basis, Chatfield said. Im encouraged by the talk, but Id be pleased with action."

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and when you go into places like stores.

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Republicans, Democrats at odds about who should return to work and when - MLive.com