Document:California Press Release 28 April 2020 LPC Opposes Governor Newsoms Shelter-In-Place Orders
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LPC OPPOSES GOVERNOR NEWSOM’S SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDERS
CONTACT: Pete Moulds
Communication Committee Chair
cmc@ca.lp.org; (916) 446-1776 x6
SACRAMENTO, California – The Libertarian Party of California (LPC) condemns the local and statewide mandatory shelter-in-place orders in California and believes that these orders should be relaxed immediately.
The LPC believes that in a pandemic of this kind, government needs to employ a balance to reduce harm, and focus on providing the most vital support needed, via accurate information rather than frivolous and irresolute rules. Imagine the cooperation and innovation that could have flourished if Californians had logical and consistent guidance from a source they knew they could trust. Assuming that adults in California cannot be trusted to protect their own health and welfare is unfathomable.
Mimi Robson, Chair of the LPC said, “It takes political courage to propose that ordinary people will rise to the occasion in a crisis, but history reveals that they always do. The truth is more people act responsibly than not when a crisis evolves. California politicians couldn’t seem to believe that small businesses will employ practical solutions to keep their customers and employees safe in a crisis. Perhaps that’s because they have never had to work to retain a customer. Certainly an important issue is safety, but arbitrarily shutting down hundreds of thousands of businesses, many of which will never reopen, is irresponsible.”
The LPC believes it isn’t just business owners who were recklessly shuttered in the knee-jerk reactions of politicians, draconian measures have literally put tens of millions of people out of work and jeopardized their ability to provide for their families. Additional consequences of the subsequent high rates of unemployment are likely to include suicide, depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, reduced access to healthcare and even hunger. Will these statistics be considered when the politicians congratulate themselves for “flattening the curve” of a scientific guess?
Virtually none of our California politicians employed balance in their “strategies” and it appears that shutting down the economy was not even a significant factor in their decisions. The substantial destruction of our economy and the inability to trust elected officials will be with us and our children for many years to come. Libertarian values would demand the political courage to employ balance. We, as adults, with varying degrees of needs and conditions, are in a much better position to make logical choices for our well-being than the government is.
The LPC’s Executive Committee voted with no opposition to adopt the following resolution:
- Since the actions of government impact the lives of individuals in vastly different ways, government must consider the potential consequences relative to the various challenges its diverse constituents face.
- By restricting access to commerce, the governments in California have directly restricted access to earnings and employment. For many individuals and families who have no savings this is no less devastating than bearing the risks of falling ill.
- High unemployment rates historically impact the rates of suicide, depression, substance abuse and domestic violence. In addition, unemployment means hunger and reduced access to healthcare for at-risk populations.
- The “social distancing” rules imposed by government have been inconsistent with the purported goals and have resulted in the criminalization of non-threatening, ordinary human activity.
- Each individual is best equipped to deem what is and is not essential for the well-being of themselves and their families. We believe that ordinary people will rise to the occasion during a state of crisis, such as a pandemic and act in a responsible way, with voluntary cooperation, to take all proper precautions to not harm others, and will ensure they take care not to spread any virus to others.
- We, the Libertarian Party of California, support the voluntary actions of individuals as they see fit to ensure their own health and the health of their families, which could include using voluntary self-quarantine measures, personal protective equipment, and nutritional supplementation, so long as they don’t harm the person or property of others.
- Governor Gavin Newsom and his administration are wrongfully dictating what people can and cannot do with their own bodies and property, and impeding travel and trade upon which people’s livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives, depend.
- The government’s orders have caused tremendous damage to the people of our state by subjecting them to poverty and restricting their movement. The harm disproportionately impacts low income people, undocumented people, LGBT people, and other at-risk populations.
- Therefore, be it resolved, the Libertarian Party of California opposes the local and statewide shelter-in-place orders, all similar laws, penalties, mandatory bureaucratic and legislative “recommendations,” and we call for their swift removal.
On May 1st several Libertarian County Organizations will be involved in peaceful protests against the current stay-at-home orders and closures of local businesses.
The Libertarian party of Los Angeles County (LPLAC) will be protesting at the Los Angeles City Hall at 1:00 pm. For more information contact Angela McArdle, LPLAC Chair, at angelamcardlelda@gmail.com or (909) 237-0798.
Other peaceful protests will be held in Huntington Beach, San Diego and Sacramento. For more information contact the LPC Chair, Mimi Robson, hmrobson@ca.lp.org or (916) 446-1776 ext. 3.