Lee could learn from S. Dakota’s Gov. Noem — a free people care for themselves

The governor of South Dakota has not imposed a stay-at-home order out of respect for her oath of office and their rights under law.

By David Tulis / NoogaRadio 92.7 FM

“Our constitution ensures the citizen’s right is protected,” says Kristi Noem. “I took an oath to uphold these constitutions. *** The people themselves are primarily responsible for their safety. They are the ones that are entrusted with expansive freedoms. They’re free to exercise their rights to work, to worship, and to play. Or to even stay home or to conduct social distancing. Since the middle of February I’ve been very clear that people need to take personal responsibility for their health and the well-being of their families.”

“The calls to apply a one-size-fits-all approach to this problem in South Dakota is herd mentality, not leadership,” she says

“My responsibility is to respect the rights of the people who elected me, and to manage our state operations in a way that reflects the realities of what we have here on the ground here. On the foundation of my principles, commonsense conservative values, and the principles we hold dear in America, the facts, the science, and the data will guide our decision-making here in South Dakota.”

The state has 900,000 citizens. She said last week that 30 percent to 70 percent of people might get the virus, and that from that number about 5,000 would need medical care, with a peak in June. 

She’s pro-life. When A federal appeals court in February upheld Trump administration rules withdrawing Title X funding from any medical facilities that provide abortions, she said, “This is great news! No medical facility providing abortions should receive a cent of public funding. I’m proud we have a president who stands for life.”

For her political critics, her respect for local government is irritating. The mayor of Rapid City, Steve Allender, said localities have been “left abslutely on their own.” The general assembly is eyeing a bill to give municipal government authority to close businesses or issue at-home lock-down edicts.

‘Vast majority’ of people don’t get sick from CV-19

The Times Free Press, in running AP stories, has printed numerous sentences such as this one: “For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death. The vast majority of people recover.”