Campaign for Liberty Chairman Ron Paul issued the following statement in response to reports that the Biden Administration may try to halt the spread of coronavirus by limiting the ability of American citizens to travel interstate.
Candidate Joe Biden promised not to abuse his executive authority or shut down the economy in order to fight the coronavirus. Instead, he said he would "listen to the science." An order limiting the ability of Americans to travel across state lines would violate all three promises.
Such an order would be one of the most tyrannical acts of a president in American history. The only realistic way this order could be enforced is to militarize state lines. Is President Biden really willing to deploy U.S. troops to keep Texans from vacationing at Disney World?
Restricting interstate trade and travel would further damage an economy still suffering from the overreaction to coronavirus, causing even more small (and maybe some large) businesses to close their doors, thus throwing millions more Americans out of work.
Restrictions on interstate travel would be ineffective in stopping the spread of coronavirus. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has admitted lockdowns do not stop the spread of coronavirus. However, lockdowns are effective at increasing rates of depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and suicides.
Statistics show states that have enacted mandatory lockdowns have higher rates of coronavirus infection than states whose governors have not forced businesses to close and people to "shelter in place." One of the states that has not experienced a massive coronavirus outbreak despite not locking down is Florida, which is the state most likely to be targeted by any federal order restricting interstate travel.
If the Biden administration decides to try to restrict interstate travel, Campaign for Liberty will mobilize pro-liberty Americans to pressure Congress to pass legislation overturning the order.
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