As a follow up to the post, Heroic South Carolina Governor, Kevin K. emails:
Regarding your article "Heroic South Carolina Governor", I'm wondering if you think people should be alarmed at a governor issuing such an order (preventing the requirement of wearing facial coverings) because doesn't it essentially say "this power is in the governor's hands"? So if the next governor decides face coverings should be mandated, couldn't that person could argue "well, the previous governor was able to pass an executive order on this so why can't I?"
RW: I am concerned about all government power, including, especially in this day and age, some cops on the street.
My point is not that governors are always better than local officials but that by definition all government officials wield power over us.
And as such a local official can be a tyrant just as easily as a state or a federal official. The fact that we have two instances of state officials being less tyrannical than local officials is a fact (See: here and here)
I believe it is misguided for freedom lovers who advocate in the abstract for local government over state or federal government. Are they going to be consistent here and object to the dismantling of authoritarian mask orders by Gov. Desantis and Gov. McMaster because the orders came from a more powerful government over a smaller one? I would really like to know their response on this particular issue. It seems that if they truly are for local government over state government then they would have to object to the freedom edicts ordered by Desantis and McMaster.
I view all government officials as potentially dangerous, I don't support any government entity. The more that are shut down the better.
I am for freedom. Hardcore freedom: The Private Property Society.
In terms of realpolitik, the way I define realpolitik, I will support anyone who is promoting more freedom.
My hardcore advocacy is for all governments to be abolished but that is not going to occur anytime soon, so I will support whoever is making the greatest steps toward freedom. Thus, in no way, am I ever in support of authoritarian measures by and if the the orders were to come from Mao himself, or in current-day America from mini-Maos or midget-Maos.
"Are they going to be consistent here and object to the dismantling of authoritarian mask orders by Gov. Desantis and Gov. McMaster because the orders came from a more powerful government over a smaller one?"
ReplyDeleteYes. And then we'll be more consistent, still, and say that the General Government had no authority to pass the original mask orders.
You can hold both positions.