As more states encounter apparent spikes in COVID-19 cases, some governors are once again considering lockdown protocols. And those on Capitol Hill are thinking about it, too.

For example, Joe Biden says he would encourage state leaders to pass face mask mandates, and implement other social distancing restrictions to help stem the new wave of infections.

But Biden might go even further, if he listens to one of his advisers.

Dr. Michael Osterholm, who Biden just recently named to his coronavirus task force, said during a Yahoo News interview that a countrywide lockdown is definitely on the table:

One of Biden's new coronavirus task force doctors floating the idea of a 4-6 week lockdown:

“We could pay for a package right now to cover all of the lost wages for individual workers … if we did that, then we could lockdown for 4 to 6 weeks."pic.twitter.com/zNmuQvPpIJ

— Zack Guzman (@zGuz) November 11, 2020

Osterholm apparently thinks we can pass a package that would support most people, and would allow them to stay home for 4-6 weeks.

However, not everyone is on board with this theory. In fact, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is very much against it.

The Republican governor says he’s going to fight any national lockdown mandate, according to the Clarion Ledger (via The Daily Wire):

‘The fact is that we’re gonna try to work with whomever the president is, but we’re not gonna participate in a nation-wide lockdown.

This notion that one of his advisers has said that all we really need is about a six-week national lockdown and we can slow down the spread of this virus is totally and completely beyond reasonableness.’

Reeves added that Mississippi residents can’t just shut down their businesses for six weeks, and then “flip the switch and everything’s gonna be fine.”

“That’s not the way the economy works,” he said.

Reeves further cited the Stafford Act, which states that emergencies must be “state-managed, locally executed, and federally supported.” He also said he doesn’t recognize the authority of any President to shut down the state’s economy.

And if a national mandate does indeed come down, Reeves won’t take it lightly.

Quite simply, he says they will “certainly fight that if it becomes necessary.”And it’s likely that other Republican governors feel similarly.

From the start of the pandemic, there has been a rift between federal and state authorities.

How much power should the federal government have? How much power do state governments really have? Where do we draw the line in both arguments?

These are difficult questions to answer, and things get even trickier when dealing with a pandemic that affects millions.

Key Takeaways:

• One of Biden’s new aides has suggested a 4-6 week national lockdown.
• Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves forcefully rejected the idea, saying his state wouldn’t participate in any countrywide lockdown.
• Reeves believes in the Stafford Act, and says he doesn’t recognize the authority of any President to shut down a state’s economy.

Source: The Daily Wire