by Jeffrey Tucker, Brownstone
There are enduring mysteries surrounding the White House decision to issue a lockdown edict on March 16, 2020. The edict has no precedent in the history of governance: “indoor and outdoor venues where groups of people congregate should be closed.” The Bill of Rights was out the window, on the order of one man, and for a virus.
We have a number of sources now, from journalistic ones informed by people who were there the weekend of March 14-15, and also first-hand accounts as well.
TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/
The sources are:
- Silent Invasion by Deborah Birx
- Breaking History by Jared Kushner
- Nightmare Scenario by Washington Post reporters by Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta
- So Help Me God, by Mike Pence
- Premonition by Michael Lewis
Each one valorizes the decision to lock down, an opinion increasingly deprecated. Indeed, it is hard to find public intellectuals or health officials today who defend it at all, especially in light of the catastrophic consequences and no obvious advantage. For sure, there are those who still have every intention to do it all over again, such as the WHO. The absence of apologies is conspicuous. Still, it’s hard to find a fan of lockdowns these days willing to stick their necks out.
Donald Trump, of course, spent two years defending the decision. These days, he seems to be backing off the old line. More and more, he and those behind him are claiming that he “left it to the states.” That claim is a legal truism in the sense that under the American system, the states are in a position to reject edicts from the White House.
South Dakota did, a fact which proves that it was possible to defy the White House.
At the same time, the White House did everything possible to make sure that everyone complied, from phone calls to outright threats and bribes. To lock down was the easy decision for both blue and red states. Fear was in the air and people and media were clamoring for it.
To what extent is Trump personally culpable? Can we really say that he was an innocent victim of bad advice?
We know for sure that Trump praised China’s response to the virus as early as January 24, 2020, so he was already primed for the decision.
China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020
On March 9, 2020, Trump still believed that the virus was manageable without extreme measures.
