The first question to ask yourself is: should any Governor have the ability to declare an emergency and then take over the entire state government?

Due to the fact that governments are generally bureaucratic and slow the second question would be: how can a state government deal with a true emergency quickly and effectively if they were not allowed to give dictatorial power to the Governor?

Governor Whitmer declared a state emergency on March 10, 2020.  The current state of emergency declaration ends on April 30, 2020.  By that time she had given herself 28 days and the State House and Senate added an additional 23 days of emergency powers, effectively 51 days of total control over the state government.

Whitmer is now asking for an additional 28 days and said in a press conference “it really should be longer.” With emergency power, the Governor can issue executive orders and mobilize certain resources as needed without legislative approval.

Whitmer went on to say:

We know we’re going to have to take this kind of a posture...we’re going to need to make adjustments along the way and I want them to be partners…We’re all counting on us getting this right.

How does “want them to be partners” exist if you have total power over the state government with said emergency powers, Governor?

What do the leaders of the Michigan Senate and House have to say about it? A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, said that Senate Republicans have:

not yet reached consensus on action for an extension of the Governor’s emergency declaration.

Asked by MLive whether House Republicans would not support a state of emergency extension, House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, said it’s:

a real possibility at this point

I have a solution, a solution I suggested weeks ago.  Why don’t they consider creating a committee, after the first 28 days are up, chaired by the Governor with the House Speaker and minority leader and the Senate Majority and Minority leader on that committee?  They can then truly be “partners” in leading Michigan through whatever “emergency” crisis there might be.

After the first 28 days, I really do not see a need to give total dictatorial powers to one person over the entire state.

Do you?

Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline 1934-2020

 

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