During the coronavirus
pandemic (2020-2022), Arizona’s Ducey administration allowed bus and light-rail
employees to go maskless even though they were in close contact with the public.
Bus drivers were even getting sick. The “rationale” of the Phoenix transit authority
was that the federal regulation is “just a mandate.” Because the word mandate
means “an authoritative command,” the rationale that being a mandate
renders a law or government regulation as optional can only be spurious at best;
this is a case of arrogant ignorance that can’t possibly be wrong about itself
in the member-state that ranked 49th out of 50 on public
education. As an authoritative command, a law, even as implemented in
regulations, has what Kant called necessity in that law itself cannot be
bent; it stands firm in itself as law. In contrast, a guideline connotes
flexibility rather than necessity. It follows that enforcement must pertain to laws
(including regulations) but not to guidelines. I contend that what are commonly
referred to as international laws are actually international guidelines.
Such “laws” lack viable enforcement mechanisms and thus are actually guidelines
for governments engaged in international relations.
The full essay is at "Guidelines Puffed Up as Law."