Production Protection Initiative

We, the undersigned individuals, implore the governor and legislators of Texas to pass a law that clearly establishes what government should do to prepare for a pandemic and limits the actions of government during a pandemic.

The only proper purpose of government is the protection of individual rights, including the right to property. The lockdown prohibited countless Texans from producing and trading the values that life requires. They were forced to live without a livelihood, not because they were negligent or irresponsible, but because state and local officials were not prepared for the pandemic.

Government’s role in a pandemic is the same in as normal times—the protection of individual rights, including property rights. Carriers of deadly, infectious diseases can pose a threat to the health and well-being of others. It is appropriate for government to prevent such people from exposing others. However, clear criteria must be established to determine when government intervention is proper. Such criteria require the input from experts in infectious diseases.

Protecting individual rights during a pandemic means identifying those infected with the disease, isolating them, and tracing their contacts. It does not mean locking down an entire city or county, let alone the entire state. Protecting individual rights during a pandemic means isolating those who are actually infected, not every citizen of the state. And that can and should be done while protecting our freedom to work, to produce and trade, to live our lives.

A proper government would inform the citizenry of the risks posed by the pathogen, measures that can be taken to reduce the risk, and then protect the freedom of individuals to make decisions based on their own circumstances. A proper government would respect the rights of citizens to act on their own judgment. The lockdown prohibited us from acting on our own judgment, forcing us to act as public officials thought best.

The economic destruction caused by the lockdown will be felt for years. Jobs were lost, businesses were permanently closed, and dreams were destroyed. We cannot and should not be forced to endure such deprivation, suffering, and sacrifice again.

We beseech you to pass a law that establishes what actions must be taken to prepare for a pandemic, limit government's actions during a pandemic to the protection of individual rights (including our freedom to produce and trade), properly fund the needed operations, and then execute those laws as if our lives depend on it. Because in fact, our lives do depend on it!