State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Who’s in Charge? Coronavirus and the Tenth Amendment

Governing: The global COVID-19 pandemic has raised the question of American federalism to new levels. It has touched off a fascinating national debate about who’s in charge in a global crisis, who must accept responsibility, where the buck stops and what the best governmental authority is to deal with the unprecedented challenges that the coronavirus outbreak represents.

Suddenly the nearly forgotten Tenth Amendment is relevant again! But in a delicious reversal of roles, it is the progressive state governors who are invoking the Tenth Amendment — in desperation — to protect themselves from a national government that is mostly getting in their way as they try to cope with the crisis.

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