Emergency powers do not make a tyrant

There’s not much to be said about a state representative’s outrageously offensive comparison of the governor to one of the worst people history has ever known. Rep. Anne Dauphinais, a Republican from Killingly, was shockingly wrongheaded in her comments, and then, rather than apologizing, said she wanted to clarify the ways in which Ned Lamont is in fact similar to Adolf Hitler. Her remarks were condemned, rightfully, across the political spectrum.

But there is more to what she said that does bear further comment. Dauphinais likened Lamont to a tyrant, citing his emergency powers granted by the state Legislature to deal with the continuing coronavirus crisis. That particular belief is not all that uncommon, though luckily most people don’t take it nearly as far as she did.

It’s still wrong. Lamont is not acting like a tyrant, the emergency powers are not uncalled for and he does not have limitless authority. There are legitimate questions as to whether those powers should have been extended again, as the Legislature did last month for a sixth time since the pandemic started. But the governor is not nearly as empowered as his critics would have people believe, and there is certainly no evidence he is abusing those powers.

The biggest question mark in extending the governor’s emergency powers concerned masks in schools. Lamont has mandated that students and faculty members wear masks, which takes away the uncertainty that would have been inevitable had the order not been in place. Masks help slow the spread, and while it’s true that young people are not as vulnerable to the worst effects of COVID, it’s sill important to keep people safe. Having kids masked in schools is much better than having them maskfree at home.

Other emergency orders have faded. What had been a statewide mandate for masking in all public buildings has expired, and now towns decide for themselves whether to mandate face coverings. Similarly, mandates on the size of allowable gatherings have changed over the long months of the pandemic. It is simply incorrect to assert that Lamont is not recognizing the changing nature of the pandemic and adapting accordingly.

And the Legislature still has a role to play. It is only because of a vote in both the House and the Senate that Lamont’s powers were extended, and lawmakers retain an active role in setting policy. Far from being a dictator, the governor is working with all branches of government to keep the state functioning even as the crisis continues.

Calling the governor a tyrant gets people riled up, and the emergency orders make for good political fodder. But the truth is that Lamont could have gone much further over the past year and a half in mandating COVIDrelated safety measures. With thousands of deaths attributable to the pandemic, there is no question that a legitimate state of emergency did exist and continues to this day. Pretending everything is normal is the truly dangerous action.

The governor is not abusing his authority. As Dauphinais is rightly called out for her comments that were far beyond the scope of acceptable political discourse, it’s worth noting that her bigger point is just as wrong.

With thousands of deaths attributable to the pandemic, there is no question that a legitimate state of emergency did exist and continues to this day. Pretending everything is normal is the truly dangerous action.