What can we learn from the Democrats and their media adjunct in the time of the Wuhan virus? They pose serious hazards to life and liberty. Take the remarkable case of the witless Gretchen Whitmer, governor of the great state of Michigan. Kathy Hoekstra writes in the Detroit News:

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs literally threatened all doctors and pharmacists in the state who prescribe or dispense hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19. The agency’s March 24 letter warns physicians and pharmacists of professional consequences for the prescribing of hydroxychloroquine (and chloroquine). Beyond the rational recommendation against hoarding as production of this medication needs to be ramped up, the letter deviates into open threats of “administrative action” against the licenses of doctors that prescribe hydroxychloroquine. The letter also instructs pharmacists to ignore physician orders for this medication. Due to the debate over a pharmacist’s right to refuse to fill medications that go against their religious beliefs, this could place pharmacists in the unprecedented position of being told that they must fill prescriptions that violate their “conscience (religious belief)” but must not fill prescriptions to treat COVID-19. Even worse, the letter indicates health care providers are “required to report” their fellow physicians who are prescribing these medications. This draconian measure carries ominous Gestapo-like overtones of neighbor reporting neighbor to “authorities.”

Hoekstra concludes with fully warranted condemnation: “The implications of Whitmer and her administration’s knee-jerk scare tactics should terrify all Michigan residents. Not only is our state’s top leader threatening the selfless health care workers who are on the frontline trying to save lives, but she’s denying possible life-saving medications to actual COVID-19 victims.”

Hoekstra’s column is full of links supporting her argument. The most important of these is the link to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs “reminder” (included in the excerpt above).

UPDATE: I have written to the Scribd copyright team to request the restoration of my upload of the “reminder” in embeddable form. If and when it is restored, I will post it separately and take a look at the plain meaning of the text. In the meantime, check it out via the link in the excerpt above.