EDITORIAL – In an interview on Fox News Thursday morning, Judge Andrew Napolitano spoke about his op-ed, stating that Americans should have the right to take care of themselves and not the government.
In Costa Rica, the government has chosen for a slow phased process of re-opening the economy. Divided, many do not agree, while many do.
On social networks the arguments for a quick reopening are countered with let’s take it slow. Both agreeing that it is the government’s job to decide for them. Us. Me.
What if Napolitano, a former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, is right, we should have to right to take care of ourselves.
Who is the government to decide what is an essential service? Who is to say a barber or beautician is not an essential service?
In his op-ed Napolitano asks, rhetorically, questions such as”
What if we’d all be healthier and happier if we make our own choices with our own physicians rather than the government making choices for us?
What if it is un-American for the government to tell you how to care for yourself?
What if it is equally un-American for you to follow the government when it intrudes into your personal choices?
What if the government gave itself the power to interfere with our personal choices?
What if that self-imposed power violates the basic constitutional principle that the government derives its powers from the consent of the governed?
What if no one consented to a government that interferes with our personal choices?
What if our personal choices to take personal chances have never needed a government permission slip?
What if the government makes essential whatever serves its friends, enhances its wealth, maintains its stability and removes obstacles to its exercise of power?
What if the Constitution — with its protections of our rights to make free choices — is an intentional obstacle to governmental power?
Listening to Napolitano on Fox and reading his op-ed, he does not address an issue that is as equally important as an individual right, to which I fully support, but what happens when people get sick, do they take care of themselves then? or turn to the state?
And what if the state cannot meet the demand for services as more people get sick?
Perhaps in a country like the United States it could work. But could it in Costa Rica, a small country, with a small population and limited resources?
What if — when the pandemic is over — the government remains tyrannical?
What if — when the pandemic is over — the government refuses to acknowledge its end?
What if the government wants to stoke fear in the populace because mass fear produces mass compliance?
What if individual fear reduces individual immunity?
What if a healthy immunity gets stronger when challenged?
What if a pampered immunity gets weaker when challenged?
What if we all pass germs and viruses — that we don’t even know we have — on to others all the time, but their immune systems repel what we pass on to them?
After listening to him on Fox News and read his entire article “What if the government has it all wrong about COVID-19?“, and though many of his what if’s make sense, what I didn’t here is an answer, from Napolitano or his interviewers: what if I get sick (with the covid-19) and I can not now take care of myself and the government is overwhelmed with all the self cared?
In a small country like Costa Rica, with a small population limited resources, that up to now has done a great job at containing the spread of contagion and managed to maintain the numbers requiring hospitalization and specialized medical care, putting the health of the populace ahead of the economy, the “I should be able to take of myself” argument can easily turn into a nightmare.
The actions of the government led by the Health Minister, Daniel Salas, was with one objective, being able to deal, that is have the capacity, to treat those that get sick from the covid-19, in addition to the regular health conditions that country’s health system faces daily.
The country has a limited capacity, 88 specialized beds for Covid-19 patients, only a handful of hospitals, all in Central Valley to deal with covid-19 patients. Only so many doctors, nurses, and protective personal equipment.
The government chose to remind us daily to wash our hands – I have never washed my hands so much in my entire life before this – wear a mask if you going out in public, maintain social distancing, and so on.
I watch every day Dr. Salas, and if not, Dr. Roman Macaya or Dr. Rodrigo Marin – our Dr. Tony Fauci equivalent – remind us every day of taking care of ourselves to avoid getting infected or infect others.
Yes, I believe we should not have too much government control over our well being, how to live our lives, but I ask you to look north of us, to our neighbor, where their dictator told them they have the liberty to work, to take care of themselves.
How is that working out?
Thanks for listening.
Stay home. Stay safe. Stay Healthy.
