Liberals are up in arms over President Trump using “emergency” powers to get things done. They claim it’s undemocratic and an abuse of authority.
But just a few years ago, these same people were perfectly fine when Democrat governors – like Steve Sisolak here in Nevada – used those exact powers to shut down businesses, churches, and schools during COVID.
That’s not principle. That’s hypocrisy.
When COVID hit in 2020, Sisolak declared an endless “emergency” and ruled the state by executive order.
He decided which businesses could stay open and which had to close.
He put limits on how many people could gather for worship while casinos stayed packed.
And Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford backed him up in court at every turn, defending restrictions that devastated our economy and upended daily life.
I saw the damage with my own eyes.
Mom-and-pop shops in Mesquite closed their doors forever. Waitresses lost their jobs. Families missed rent payments. Kids were kept out of classrooms for months.
People weren’t just hurting financially – they were losing hope.
In the legislature, I fought back.
I introduced bills to rein in the governor’s emergency powers so no one person could unilaterally control the entire state for months on end.
I spoke out against mandates that made no sense, and I called for Nevada to reopen safely and quickly.
But Sisolak, backed by Ford, doubled down. The message was clear: government knows best, and the people would just have to live with it.
Fast-forward to now – and the Left is suddenly horrified when Trump uses emergency powers to act on critical issues like securing the border or cutting through Washington’s red tape.
They say he’s “bypassing Congress.”
But when Democrat governors bypassed their legislatures during COVID, liberals called it “leadership.”
Here’s the truth: emergency powers exist for a reason.
When there’s a real crisis – like a wildfire, a flood, or a national security threat – leaders need the ability to act fast.
Waiting weeks or months for lawmakers to argue can make the situation worse. But those powers should be temporary and focused, not a blank check for political agendas.
That’s the difference.
Trump is using emergencies to tackle urgent national problems. Sisolak used his to micromanage our lives for over two years.
One is decisive leadership in a time-sensitive situation. The other is long-term control without accountability.
Nevadans haven’t forgotten the pain from those COVID lockdowns – the closed storefronts, the “For Lease” signs, the empty pews.
And we shouldn’t forget who defended them, either. Steve Sisolak issued them, but Aaron Ford fought to keep them in place.
So when I hear the Left cry foul over Trump’s emergency declarations, I can’t help but think back to 2020.
If they believed in limits on executive power, they had a funny way of showing it.
In Nevada, we learned the hard way that unchecked “emergency” powers can hurt just as much as the crisis they’re meant to solve.
The difference is that when Trump acts, it’s to protect Americans; when Sisolak acted, it was to control them.
And that’s why their outrage now rings hollow.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
