But our sense of outrage has become dulled after nearly 20 months of the most irresponsible public policies in many generations. These days, news of terribleness just washes over us, and we hardly have time to think about it before the next shock comes along.

This one, however, should seriously give us pause because it impacts fundamental issues of security and privacy. It's a demonstration of a reality we have to face today.

It is this: Your property is no longer safe from confiscation in the U.S. To be sure, you can say that this has been true since the income tax was passed in 1913. There is truth to that.

Still, we've generally been able to count on the rule of law. So long as you comply, you can generally assume that your stuff is safe. That is no longer true.

One way to think about lockdowns is as a test. What can the government get away with? How outrageous does the intervention have to be before people rise up and resist? How much of an advantage does the government have over the rest of us, and how can that power be deployed?