How do we strike a balance between individual rights and the interests of the community during national emergencies? Traditionally, the government has been allowed to curtail individual rights and increase its powers. Professor Keith Whittington of Princeton University explains what the Constitution says about emergency situations and how we can evaluate government intervention.

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As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.

Learn more about Professor Keith Whittington:
https://scholar.princeton.edu/kewhitt/home

 

Related links:

Pandemics & First Principles: Local v. Federal Response to Pandemics
https://fedsoc.org/commentary/videos/pandemics-first-principles-local-v-federal-response-to-pandemics-policybrief

COVID-19 and Property Rights
https://fedsoc.org/events/covid-19-property-rights-do-government-actions-in-response-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic-create-compensable-takings

Differing Views:

Pandemic power plays: Civil Liberties in the Time of COVID-19
https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/pandemic-power-plays-civil-liberties-in-the-time-of-covid-19

Legal and Constitutional Considerations in the Time of the Coronavirus Pandemic
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2020/04/21/legal-and-constitutional-considerations-in-the-time-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

The Coronavirus is Testing America’s Commitment to People’s Constitutional Rights
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/coronavirus-jails-constitutional-rights/61021/

The Constitution in the Time of COVID-19
https://www.cato.org/policy-report/may/june-2020/constitution-time-covid-19