COVID-19 is a reminder free markets are good and unbridled government is bad. While hospitals and drug companies race for cures and vaccines, our politicians undermine truth, justice and the American way. Rather than facts, citizens get blind optimism (Trump) or gloom and doom (Schumer). Rather than aid to households, Pelosi gives postal workers golden parachutes. With 143,000 dead and the economy at a tipping point, election-year politics preempts bipartisan governance, such as we saw after 9-11.
Bad governance keeps citizens un-informed. Citizens need facts that support better decision making and real news that makes life more predictable. I voted for Trump, but his daily briefings are intellectual food fights, rather than news I can use. In the era of Big Data: why can’t the President give us a single news repository like Lubbock, Texas (see below).
In contrast, the German government has presented real science to businesses and households; thereby engendering the widespread use of face masks and contact-tracing apps that have helped fight the pandemic (source: CNBC).
Bad governance deprives children of education. Children are the lowest risk group, but US governors closed schools in March and touted at-home schooling; an abysmal failure that invites a lost generation. Through July 17, only 151 under-25 Americans died from COVID-19 (1/10 of 1% of the 143,000 total), and COVID caused less than 1% of all under-25 deaths (151 out of 20,000).
In contrast, Sweden has successfully kept children in school, ensuring quality educations and building herd immunity. Through July 17, only 10 Swedes under the age of 29 died from COVID-19, out of 5,639 total COVID deaths (source US News). Taiwan kept children in school to even better results. Armed with this information and six months to plan, why are US governors still flummoxed?
Bad governance cannot unite a nation. Every US politico is talking the WWII talk. Not one is walking the WW II walk.
- On January 6, Trump had his Pearl Harbor moment: China refused the CDC visit (inspection) – but he didn’t isolate China until January 31.
- Congress hasn’t enacted rationing laws; thereby inviting shoppers to hoard hand sanitizer and profiteers to hoard hospital gloves.
- If states mandate businesses to collect sales tax, they can mandate businesses to provide and demand face masks.
- America’s survival is THE issue: should mayors give anti-America rioters a free pass to destroy property and spread COVID?
- Congress could have enacted national-service for driving-age students and prevented the disaster of idle youths crowding bars and beaches to become mobile super-spreaders.
The great eye-opener since February is how invested the political class is in its own self-preservation; fiddling while America’s social and economic foundation crumbles. Being in an election year is no excuse for dissembled tweets or financial pandering to political allies (e.g. teacher unions). We the people deserve so much better from the elected.