Return Government to Its Limited Constitutional Powers

Citizens for Responsible Government

An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.

Thomas Jefferson

July 30, 2020

Letter to the Editor

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders across the nation are greatly expanding their powers and prolonging the period of government control over businesses and individual citizens. The pandemic restrictions were originally voluntary and based on assuring that hospitals were prepared for the pandemic. That goal morphed into flattening the curve and morphed again into avoiding any increase in Covid-19 cases (not Covid-19 deaths, just a count of anyone who gets this flu). There are even those demanding that we wait for a vaccine before allowing citizens to return to normal and businesses to fully resume operations. Ominously, the guidelines have morphed into edicts. At the Trumbull Mall there are signs with a phone number where you can turn in your neighbors for standing to close to you or not wearing a face mask or report retail outlets that don’t enforce the government edicts. This is a dangerous and alarming trend that is currently holding people captive through fear.

On TheHill.com (April 22), Scott W. Atlas, MD and health care policy expert at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University published an article entitled: The Data is In — Stop the Panic and End the Total Isolation. On May 25, also on TheHill.com, in conjunction with John R. Birge, a PhD studying mathematical modeling, Ralph L Keeney, a PhD and professor of decision sciences at Duke University, and Alexander Lipton, an award-winning expert in the field of quantitative modeling in finance, Dr. Atlas published The COVID-19 Shutdown will Cost Americans Millions of Years of Life.

We urge citizens to read these articles and others like them to inform themselves broadly about the impact of both Covid-19 and of the shutdown of the economy on the health of American citizens. In addition, no matter how you view the danger of Covid-19 and the shutdown, be alert to the importance of walking our government back to within its constitutional powers.

Citizens for Responsible Government

Sherry L. Harris, Chair