Prairie State Wire

Peter Breen argues there are no easy answers in the battle against the lingering coronavirus.

“Too many people are trying to frame the debate of when we should reopen our government as risking people’s life for jobs and the economy,” Breen told the Prairie State Wire. “The truth is you can care for both, and at this point, we have to be having conversations about how we’re going to restart our society.”

Breen insists those conversations need to be had, no matter what tone they might take on.

“We, the people of Illinois and our elected officials, need to have a dialogue about geographic limitations in the age of the virus,” he said. “Do parts of downstate open to a greater degree than the city of Chicago? Do certain types of businesses open sooner than others and do certain people go back to work before others do? The time is now for us to having all those kinds of conversations if we’re going to save our state.”

Breen, now running against incumbent state Rep. Terra Costa-Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) in the 48th District, said the people of Illinois need answers beyond the one-size-fits-all approach he thinks Gov. J.B. Pritzker has taken to everything.

“The problem is you’re seeing government officials impose mandates that don’t accord with the debate and discussion that needs to occur for the people to accept those mandates,” he said. “The people of Illinois understand the seriousness of the coronavirus. Government officials must provide people with all the data, science and medical thinking to help inform this debate.”

Breen said he worries about some government officials taking too many liberties at a time when more people are distracted by all that’s happening.  

“They’re acting like parents of the people and not the servant leaders they were elected to be,” he said. “The way America is working best in this crisis is in the area where government has informed the people and they were able to respond appropriately. The reason these stay-at-home orders are working in most places is because there was an adult discussion and people could understand the reason for staying home.”