We certainly live in unique and challenging times

By Aaron Rice
March 20, 2020

We certainly live in unique and challenging times. This pandemic is real. But, it’s helpful to remember that our forefathers lived in really tough times too, and endured even more uncertainty.

With raised concern for our families and loved ones over the Coronavirus and worry over the related economic fallout, we all have a lot to stress about. We pray that you and your family are safe and healthy. If you want to let us know your status through an email, phone call, or social media post, we would love to hear from you and know that you are safe.

As we all do our part to help each other in this strange time, I wanted to let you know that MCPP and MJI are continuing to advance our important mission every day. For the safety of our employees, we have given everyone the option to do their jobs remotely for the time being. Wherever we work, we will continue to make the urgent case for limited government, strong families, free markets, and personal responsibility. Doing so is now more important than ever. We have cases to litigate, opinions to write, and bills to advance. Liberty needs to continue to expand so that Mississippi can be on the high road to freedom.

While there is an important role for government to play in times like these, MCPP and MJI have an absolute obligation to protect your rights and ensure state and local policies are appropriate, sensible and limited. And while we certainly need the flexibility to address difficult challenges like the COVID-19 virus presents, we also need to remember that the reason we are so strong as a civil society is that we always prioritize liberty and constitutional principles, and we get the best results when we attack these challenges with free enterprise, creativity, and private institutions, and not with excessive government. We will continue to remind our policymakers and our fellow Mississippians of that in the days ahead.

Over the coming weeks, we will witness how innovations like telemedicine play an outsized role in minimizing the spread of the Coronavirus, and how lifting regulations may lead to an expedited vaccine. We will witness how flexible remote work policies and technology allow so many of us to keep our jobs and continue providing services to those who need them. We’ll also witness how disruptive innovations, like in-home delivery, allow consumers to receive food right to our doorstep. We’ll highlight for our readers and supporters how so-called “price gouging” is a fundamental misunderstanding of how markets work. If we want to ensure an abundance of something, we should let suppliers respond to market signals. If we want to ensure the scarcity of something, we should let the government institute price fixing and rationing.

During the next few weeks or months of social distancing, I encourage you to stay in touch with us and contribute to the conversation about the importance of maintaining our shared values and principles during these difficult times. We promise to continue serving as an effective voice for liberty in Mississippi, now more than ever. We appreciate and value your standing with us as our work continues.

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