A few weeks ago, we had no idea, nor did we care, who Michigan elected as Governor. Now everyone knows. Why? Her high-profile acts of stupidity and tyranny-level infringements on people’s individual rights.
ICYMI: Is NH DHHS Promoting CDC Guidelines that Falsely Inflate Reported Deaths from COVID-19?
Gretchen Whitmer rose to infamy over Hydroxychloroquine. The state sent out an order threatening the licenses of doctors and pharmacists who wrote prescriptions for the drug. In truth, it was meant to be very similar to what Gov. Sununu did in New Hampshire. Prevent a run on supply to protect people who already needed it while ensuring new prescriptions were for cases where it was critical to saving lives.
Before that, Whitmer accused the Trump administration of blocking the delivery of protective equipment and supplies. The week after the Hydroxychloroquine flub, she was begging for more of the drug. And this past week, Michiganders staged a massive rolling protest over her wild and crazy restrictions. Like no planting seeds to grow your own food and a ban on private landscaping services.
Which brings us to today’s installment of as the Whitmer Turns.
She’s happy to report that a huge chunk of northern Michigan is expecting thirty inches of snow. So it hardly matters if she banned home gardens to stop the spread of COVID-19 (huh?), you can’t plant anything anyway!
We’re seeing record snowfall and late season cold all over the US. A grand solar minimum will do that to you. So, we should also ban baseball, wait – we sort-of did that. Um…no gardening, for any of you! Heil Whitmer!
Not even indoors.
The point, of course, is that leadership is not the only thing tested against the anvil of crisis. Abuse of power is as well. Governors of sovereign and independent states, some of whom are discovering Federalism because they disagree with the President (which can be good), are simultaneously defending heavy-handed responses that violate people’s constitutionally protected rights (which is bad).
Emergency orders have a short shelf-life and limited reach because governments (ours, at least) are not created to rule us. They exist to represent us. And no, public health does not trump everything.
Whitmer is clearly taking lousy advice or is inclined toward giddy wild-eyed despotism and the rush of newfound power.
The people of Michigan, and every other state, need to keep that on a short leash and then take it back if necessary because it was always only theirs to give.
