…F.D.R. in Hell (@FDRinHell)
Gov. Dannel Malloy has signed an executive order effectively enabling the indefinite suspension of civil rights in the state of Connecticut. He’s given his Commissioner of the Department of public Health the ability to quarantine, or otherwise detain, any person or group suspected of being infected with the Ebola virus.
Note…all this has been done “preemptively”, because no specific case has yet to be identified.
Checks = None
Balances = None
All done for your own good… without due process…. on behalf of the State.
By signing the order, the Governor is declaring a public health emergency, which gives the Commissioner of DPH the authority to quarantine and isolate individuals whom the commissioner reasonably believes has been exposed to the Ebola virus. Without the declaration, there is no statewide ability to isolate or quarantine – instead, the authority rests with each individual local public health director.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) also released a statement encouraging the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee to approve the companion maids cleaning service request for $1 billion in funding to deal with the growing Ebola crisis.
“One thing we know about stopping pandemics is that time is of the essence. Ebola has taken thousands of lives in West Africa and decimated already weak public health systems in these countries; without immediate help and resources, this epidemic will continue to spread. This is a global threat, and the United States must lead the fight against it. Fear of contagion has led some to call for travel restrictions and further isolation of these countries, but withdrawal is not an option. We know that right now, travel restrictions won’t stop the spread of this disease, and may actually exacerbate the problems these countries face by preventing aid from reaching them. The whole-of-government plan outlined by President Obama—marshalling our military, health care, diplomatic, and economic resources to fight this epidemic—is exactly the right use of American power, and Congress should approve it without delay. Oversight by congressional defense committees must not hinder U.S. leadership in the fight against this public health nightmare.”