D&D and the rising pandemic

[Sacrosanct]

The bolded section confuses me. Who defines what is the government's job to do and what isn't. Who chooses those people? How do we verify that is the correct answer? Does the might of the government make them right? Who decides what is right?

Honestly, I can't answer those questions, and have never met anyone else who can either. Which is very disappointing to me, but it is my subjective opinion that we must analyze our assumptions, especially in the face of crises, in order not to institute a policy with unforeseen consequences.

Plenty of people can answer those questions. Start with the Constitution. But really, the idea that the government is supposed to protect it's citizens (along with providing goods and services that the population can't provide themselves) is centuries old, and are the reasons why nations have governments to begin with. But specific to the US, your questions are literally answered in the Constitution.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

Plenty of people can answer those questions. Start with the Constitution. But really, the idea that the government is supposed to protect it's citizens (along with providing goods and services that the population can't provide themselves) is centuries old, and are the reasons why nations have governments to begin with. But specific to the US, your questions are literally answered in the Constitution.

I looked up the constitution, but didn't see any good justification for its authority.

The most section appears to be the preamble:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

From that, we can gleam:

Who:
- "We the people"

What:
- "Form a more perfection union."

Why:

• "establish justice"
• "insure...tranquility"
• "provide...common defence"
• "promote the general Welfare"
• secure liberty and prosperity

Problems:

• No one living is included in "We the people."
• No US citizen consents to live under the government established by the Constitution. (Though I believe domestic aliens and naturalized citizens do.)

Questions Unanswered:

• Does consent grant legitimacy?
• What is consent? Who gives it? Are we bound to it? If so, for how long? Why that long?
• If consent doesn't give legitimacy, what does?
• Does legit government exist?
• Can legit government exist, even in theory?
• What is justice? If we don't define it, how can we measure the government's success in that regard? Does it matter?
• How much tranquility must be insured? Can we insured by any means?
• Can the common defence operate outside US soil?
• What is general welfare? Can promote ever mean force? If so, under what circumstances? Who decides under which circumstances?

Honestly, I don't know.

 

[Acolyte of Zothique]

1) True. I may not be fine. If I'm not, that's on me. I take responsibility for that. My silly life insurance policy might pay off for my wife.

2) Yes. I might end up being a carrier. I agree there, but I'm not sure its irresponsible. Shouldn't someone who doesn't want to risk exposure make the personal choice to quarantine him/herself?

3) I'm not sure it's anyone job to "handle a pandemic." Whether it should be is an interesting discussion I wish we were having. I'd like to see the arguments for and against. So far, I'm undecided on that front.

Re: point 3

The responsibility of any government should be to protect its citizens. So, in terms of dealing with the pandemic it is the duty of the government 'to handle the pandemic' to protect the people. There should not be any argument against that.

In the USA you have your Constitution; I don't believe it is even morally acceptable to nit pick over whether the Constitution gives the government authority to manage epidemics. Democratic governments govern for the people; if they are unwilling to protect the people from the threat of disease then a new government is required.

 

[Zardnaar]

So... in order to avoid the economic consequences, you're going to maximize them?

Spreading diseases also does economic damage. Mass graves large enough to be seen from space are lasting economic damage.

Sensationalist. Modern commercial satellites can see down to about half a meter.

So being able to be seen from space isn't impressive any more.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I don't know what to tell you man. I don't even know where to start anymore. And even if I did, it looks like it wouldn't help anyway.

So I'll just say this:

Social distancing works. It helps slow down the infection rate, which in turn allows hospitals to keep up and treat everyone, rather than have to decide which of the people in the ER have to die because they don't have the personnel or equipment to save all of them (which is what's happening right now in places like Italy).

Even if you're OK, you can still carry and transmit the virus to everyone you come in contact with, and many of them aren't healthy 27 year olds.

So please, take this seriously. Take social distancing seriously. Even if you don't understand it. Just trust the medical professionals who are all in agreement with what to do because they are experts in dealing with this.

 

[OB1]

I looked up the constitution, but didn't see any good justification for its authority.

The justification for its authority can be found in the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

 

[Zardnaar]

Thank God I live in an island nation with a functional government and healthcare and no constitution lol.

 

[Fenris-77]

So someone sugggests that by being out in public less you could save a life, and your response is philosophy 101 and a close reading of the constitution? Yikes.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

The justification for its authority can be found in the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

Questions:

• Are all men created equal? What is equal?
• Is there a Creator? Who gives the creator authority? An IKEA employ who makes a chair does not have the authority to do what he/she wants with it.
• What makes those right unalienable?
• Why those rights and not others?
• What are just powers?
• What is consent?
• Do people born in the US gives consent to be governed by it? If so, how?

 

[Sacrosanct]

You must be great fun at the game table when the DM makes a ruling.