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Much of life as we know it in the United States has drastically changed over recent weeks. Local and state authorities have closed many businesses and mandated that residents stay at home or limit the size of gatherings.

Yet how these restrictions are implemented across the country varies widely. Furthermore, even in areas where restrictions can carry legal penalties, enforcement is rare.

The United States is, of course, set up this way: States have the power to work independently, in coordination with the federal government. But it means our country\\u2019s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic is much more patchyc and localized than in other countries responding around the world.

The variations across state and local guidance have caused quite a bit of confusion about what exactly is allowed during this time \\u2014 and where. It has also raised questions about the federal government\\u2019s role in instituting social-distancing measures nationwide.

How likely are we to see greater enforcement against breaking social-distancing rules? Can the president order the entire country to shelter in place? On the other hand, if President Trump wants the country to resume normal life soon \\u2014 as he has both suggested publicly and offered guidelines for in a recent letter to governors \\u2014 can he force local or state governments to make that happen?

On this week\\u2019s episode of the\\u201cCan He Do That?\\u201d podcast, we\\u2019ve answered these questions with national correspondent Griff Witte and Lindsay Wiley, director of the health law and policy program at American University\\u2019s Washington College of Law.

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