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Rep. VanWoerkom: Michigan’s COVID-19 response requires representative democracy and a regional approach
RELEASE|May 12, 2020

Two months into our fight against COVID-19, there has been significant progress. The statewide curve has flattened, hospitals are prepared and cases, on average, have declined. Here in Muskegon County, there has not been a surge of cases and the region has not been hit nearly as hard as some other parts of the state.

At the start, the governor and the Legislature worked as partners, quickly approving emergency funding to help the state prepare. We endorsed a short-term usage of the governor’s emergency powers because a swift response was needed. Now, to move Michigan toward a livable, productive society with the presence of coronavirus, we need the Legislature. The elected representatives of the people in their communities, their voice in state government, must have a role in this process.

Our laws give the governor special powers in a state of emergency. Our laws also say the Legislature must approve an extension of those powers after a certain period of time. The governor refuses to acknowledge this and is still acting entirely on her own with no input from the people’s elected representatives in the Legislature.

That is why the Legislature was recently forced to ask our courts to restore the representative democracy outlined in our Constitution.

Our government has the separation of powers ingrained in the Constitution for good reason. No one person should have unchecked, unilateral power — whether it is Governor Whitmer or President Trump. The Legislature is a check-and-balance against the governor, and vice versa. Now, we need the third check with the judicial branch.

The Michigan House of Representatives has advocated for a regional plan that acknowledges that different parts of the state are in different circumstances when it comes to COVID-19, and some regions could safely reopen their economies sooner than others.

Avoiding another lost decade in Michigan may prove the lasting challenge. The longer workers are furloughed, the more likely their jobs will no longer exist as we hear new announcements of facilities permanently shutting their doors.

When breaking down the numbers on the fastest jobs collapse in American history, it clearly is hurting low- and middle-income workers the most. Here in Muskegon County we band together to address the social detriments to health; consigning people to poverty by not safely reopening our economy as soon as practical will exasperate our physical and mental health and our resources to treat it.

That is why we need to get people back to work. While you may view this through your personal circumstances – possibly retired, able to work from home or simply hitting the pause button – I need to consider all those Muskegon County residents who have contacted me as their last hope in trying to provide for themselves and their families.

Let me be clear – Michigan’s response to COVID-19 is not over. Protecting the health of our families must remain the top priority. This is not about forcing an end to emergency orders or emergency powers. This is about preserving our form of government and finding the best way forward together to quickly and deliberately rebound in the COVID-19 era.

(Rep. Greg VanWoerkom of Norton Shores represents District 91 in the Michigan House.)

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