A basic function of government and a primary goal of the constitution that creates the government is keeping people safe. It is often referred to as exercising “police power.” In the United States, the government’s authority to regulate for the protection of public health and to provide health services is based on police power, which is the power to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people.
Public health powers were initially exercised at the state and local levels; currently, the federal government plays a large role in the regulation of public health and the provision of health services.
Considering this, respond to the following:
Where in the US Constitution does the government obtain its authority to regulate public health?
Do you believe the government has the authority to ban things that are believed to be harmful, such as trans-fats? Why or why not?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Government’s Authority to Regulate Public Health in the US Constitution
In the United States, the government derives its authority to regulate public health from the principle of “police power.” This power is not explicitly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution but is implied through the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people. The regulation of public health has historically been a responsibility of state and local governments, with the federal government playing a more significant role in recent times.
Tenth Amendment and Police Power
The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This amendment underscores the concept of federalism, where powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved for the states. The police power, which encompasses the authority to protect public health, safety, and welfare, is traditionally a state power.
Government Authority to Ban Harmful Substances like Trans Fats
The debate over whether the government has the authority to ban substances like trans fats revolves around the tension between public health interests and individual liberties. Advocates of government intervention argue that banning harmful substances is a legitimate exercise of police power to protect public health. On the other hand, opponents may view such bans as infringing on personal freedoms and choices.
Arguments for Government Intervention
1. Public Health Justification: Proponents argue that banning substances like trans fats is necessary to safeguard public health and prevent diseases like heart conditions and obesity.
2. Government Responsibility: As part of its role in ensuring public health and safety, the government has a duty to regulate harmful substances that pose significant risks to the population.
Arguments against Government Intervention
1. Individual Liberty: Critics contend that individuals should have the freedom to make their own choices, even if those choices involve consuming potentially harmful substances.
2. Effectiveness of Bans: Some question the effectiveness of government bans in changing behavior, suggesting that education and awareness campaigns may be more appropriate.
In conclusion, while the government derives its authority to regulate public health from principles like police power and federalism, the question of whether it should ban substances like trans fats requires a careful consideration of public health benefits, individual rights, and the effectiveness of such measures. Ultimately, finding a balance between protecting public health and respecting individual freedoms is essential in addressing public health challenges through government regulation.
