Anthony Fauci was “surprised” by the federal court’s decision this week that overturned the mandate for masks on airplanes, trains and public transport.
It’s not that the president’s chief physician advisor disagrees with Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle’s decision. Fauci doesn’t believe that the court has any authority over the public health regulations. All.
“These types of things are under the purview” [Centers for Disease Control]. Fauci said that this is a matter of public health. toldCNN’s Kasie hunt on Thursday. “We are concerned about that—about courts getting involved in things that are unequivocally public health decisions. This should be a CDC concern; it shouldn’t be a court matter.”
Fauci believes that the CDC should exist without the limitations of the Constitution, despite the fact that he spent so much of his adult life working alongside or within the federal government. Fauci’s belief in the CDC should not be considered a misinterpretation of its basic functions, or a disdain for the rule of law.
Fauci claims that the CDC used a “perfectly logical plan” to examine the mandate for the mask in May. This was the same as what it had intended to do before this week’s ruling.
“It’s really regrettable for any court to interfere in this. Hunt said it was unfortunate, as it is against public health principles. He also stated that the court should not interfere in that matter. This decision is by the CDC.
Let’s face it, even though a mandate may be a great idea, this doesn’t automatically mean it is within the scope of legal authority. This is why the co-equal branch in government has to determine whether or not the actions of both branches are legal.
Mizelle stated it this way in Tuesday’s ruling, “Our system doesn’t permit agencies to behave illegally even in pursuit or desirable ends.”
We have learned from the COVID-19 epidemic that public health officials are not aware of both the limitations of their power and the significance of the rule-of-law. Fauci had previously attacked other aspects of American’s foundation, including the ability of state officials to establish their rules, regardless what the federal government may say. Fauci also shared this perspective with CNN, stating that the CDC should be able to make absolute decisions.
Fauci is not the only one who feels this way. In a February article, I discussed this sentiment. Reason: Public health officials in every state have gathered to support arbitrary, aggressive and undemocratic pandemic rules against democratic constraints. They have defended Republican and Democratic administrations while displaying a bias towards unilateral power over any one political party.
These views are not exclusive to public health officers. Jen Psaki from the White House stated that “public health decisions shouldn’t be made in courts.” Public health professionals should make these decisions. Such legal commentators as SlateMark Joseph Stern and others have also blurred the lines between lawful and foolish.
If the CDC, state public-health agencies or the CDC require legal authorization to prescribe masks or any other pandemic-related behavior, the agency should petition Congress and state legislators for that power via legislation. It has been almost two years. It took plenty of time.
However, there wasn’t a single serious effort to achieve such an outcome. The CDC claimed no powers and its defenders complained about the backlash that would follow. This was the same as the CDC’s unconstitutional order that banned evictions and Biden’s ill-fated effort to make the Occupational Safety and Health Administration impose a vaccination mandate on private business. It’s the same result.
(Let’s not forget to mention the importance of the original mask mandate. I’ve observed widespread noncompliance on public transit in Washington, D.C.—a city where it is not uncommon to see people masked while walking alone outdoors on a sunny day in April 2022. Anyone who’s ever taken flight will tell you that it is not uncommon to see people masked while walking alone outdoors on a sunny day in April 2022. masking was hardly universal(This was even true for commercial flights before this week’s mandate.
It is okay to not get your way in court. It isn’t a one-in-a lifetime pandemic.