Government by Mystery: What Happens When Leaders Stop Trusting the People
As I wind down Pushback in its sixth and final season, I’ve been taking a walk down memory lane—reviewing nearly 300 episodes that I’ve recorded over the past six years. It’s been a joy to revisit the conversations that have shaped not only this podcast but also my understanding of culture, government, and faith.
In that process, I’ve been counting down my top ten episodes—those that best summarize the values and themes of Pushback. Coming in at number eight is an episode from September 23, 2020, titled “Government by Mystery.”
Looking Back: A Time of Crisis and Control
This episode was recorded in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic—a season that tested not only our health systems but also our trust in government and in each other.
From the beginning, I was an advocate for vaccines and sound medical science. Vaccines have saved millions of lives and remain one of the greatest public health tools in history. What I have not been an advocate for is government mandates—especially those that override individual freedoms.
And that tension—between the role of government and the liberty of the people—is what “Government by Mystery” explored.
The Reagan Principle
Ronald Reagan once said:
“There isn’t a problem we can’t solve if government will give us the facts, tell us what needs to be done, and then get out of the way and let us have at it.”
Reagan’s words are just as prophetic today as they were decades ago. He called it, “government by mystery.” When government hides information, manipulates messaging, or assumes that citizens “can’t handle the truth,” it creates exactly what we saw during the pandemic—mistrust, frustration, and conspiracy theories.
The government’s job isn’t to micromanage our lives; it’s to inform us truthfully and let us act wisely.
A Doctor’s Perspective
As a physician in Minnesota, I initially supported Governor Tim Walz’s early COVID response. His “ventilator plan” was designed to make sure our hospitals didn’t face the tragic scenarios seen in Italy, where doctors had to choose who would live and who would die due to equipment shortages.
At that time, I said this on Pushback:
“I am willing to consent to this course because I am informed and choose to. But let’s never take our hand off the reins of liberty. Too many have died to hand it to us.”
That still holds true. But what began as a temporary emergency measure slowly turned into a pattern of control. Even when hospitals were prepared and surges had leveled off, the restrictions continued—and the rationale behind them grew murkier.
The Rise of “Government by Mystery”
What I called government by mystery is when leaders make decisions without clarity, consistency, or transparency—leaving citizens confused and skeptical.
Here’s what we saw in Minnesota:
Schools opened with mixed rules: some full capacity, some half, some virtual—no clear science behind the differences.
Kids wore masks, but were still quarantined after exposure, even though the measures were supposed to prevent spread.
Fall sports were canceled, then reinstated, then altered again—while professional leagues changed course week by week.
Businesses like Costco enforced arbitrary limits on customers, without any data showing it reduced transmission.
When policies contradict logic and science, people lose faith in the system—and that’s when conspiracy theories thrive.
When the Government Doesn’t Trust the People
Reagan warned that an overreaching government becomes like a “self-anointed elite” that believes citizens are incapable of guiding their own destiny.
That’s the heart of the issue: distrust.
When the government doesn’t trust its people, the people stop trusting their government.
What would have happened if, instead of overregulating, leaders had trusted us with accurate information? If they had said, “Here are the facts, here are the risks—now act wisely”?
I believe the response would have been stronger and more unified. Americans are resilient when empowered with truth. We rally around what’s right when we’re trusted to make our own decisions.
The Cultural Danger Ahead
My concern today isn’t just about the past—it’s about the pattern.
If every crisis leads to greater government intervention, then “temporary measures” become the new normal.
That’s not the culture America was built on.
A healthy culture is one where citizens are informed, empowered, and responsible—not managed, mandated, and controlled.
So we must stay alert. We must ask questions. And we must push back—respectfully but firmly—against the idea that our government needs to do our thinking for us.
Let’s Stay Informed and Free
This isn’t about complaining; it’s about vigilance.
When the next crisis comes—and it will—we need to remember what we’ve learned. Truth brings unity; secrecy breeds suspicion.
As Reagan said, and as I’ll echo again:
“Give us the facts, tell us what needs to be done, and then get out of the way.”
We don’t need a government by mystery. We need a culture of trust, truth, and freedom.
If you’d like to keep shaping culture from the inside out, check out our Powerhouse Family Course at GoFam.org. Because as family goes, so goes the culture.
