Letters to the Editor

Government overreach needs to be reined in

Gov. Jay Inslee’s house-arrest order for the populace, Proclamation 20-25, is in conflict with the Bill of Rights. Our rights of the free exercise of religion, of the people to peaceably assemble, of due process of law, as well as our Ninth Amendment rights to pursue happiness by earning a living and to travel freely outside of our homes are sacred. These individual rights are enshrined in the Constitution of the United States.

Under the Supremacy Clause, the Constitution pre-empts conflicting state laws.

Inslee’s order “prohibiting all people in Washington State from leaving their homes or participating in social, spiritual and recreational gatherings of any kind regardless of the number of participants, and all non-essential businesses in Washington State from conducting business” is in direct conflict with the Bill of Rights. In the words of Alexander Hamilton, “No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid” (The Federalist, #78, ¶11).

Inslee has overstepped his bounds. He has violated his oath of office by ordering a suspension of individual rights enshrined in our Constitution. Inslee should be recalled from office.

It is up to the people, not the government, to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The government does not have the lawful authority to place people under house arrest; therefore, the people must take it upon themselves to act reasonably and responsibly.

The disaster we are experiencing is not due to a virus; rather, it is due to the typically incompetent, power-hungry government.

Problem: virus. Government solution: suspend the Bill of Rights and place the populace under house arrest.

The time has come to acknowledge the fact government does not have the proper solutions to society’s problems.

Society will be far better off when it confines government to a limited sphere of jurisdiction and leaves problem solving to the local people.

Roger Whitten

Deer Park

Teach rights, constitution

I am enjoying Publisher Roger Harnack’s recent columns on our Constitutional rights. In fact, I would suggest to every parent to teach their children their Bill of Rights.

John C. Eagleson

Sprague mayor