Issue Position: Coronavirus Pandemic

Issue Position

We live in an unprecedented era and the crisis that Illinois faces because of the Coronavirus pandemic will define who we are from now on, one way or another.

Our leaders have faced a terrible dilemma: balancing the lives of our most vulnerable residents, the frail elderly and those with underlying conditions, against the well-being of the economy and the livelihoods of countless Illinoisans who have faced catastrophic loss of income during this time. The Governor and his cabinet have, in the face of this question, taken drastic steps to protect public health and as I write, the efficacy of these steps are still highly questionable.

As a professional in a scientific field, my first priority is with those who could lose their lives to this virus. Those in long-term care and other congregate settings who have little defense against the disease or the spread of it. However, I must express sincere concern that these steps, taken by the Governor unilaterally, have not had input from the General Assembly. The alternatives, whatever they may be, are considered behind closed doors without input from the public, business owners, or their elected representatives.

It is my fear that this crisis has revealed a distressing reliance upon executive power without oversight and that constitutional protections that we rely on to protect us are going unheeded. I call upon the General Assembly to do their jobs and go to Springfield to advise the Governor on what steps must be taken going forward to both address the crisis and allow our state to return to normalcy. When the legislature did finally return to the Capitol at the end of May, democratic leaders blocked every republican effort to hold the governor and his executive orders accountable; instead passing a budget that was $6 billion out of balance. Then, they adjourned until November.

In times of crisis we must be ever vigilant to hold our government accountable to our Constitution and continue to question the underlying data and assumptions behind policies that mean so much to so many.

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