We are at war with corona-virus

Letting off a little steam I sent this to the Raleigh News and Observer yesterday. Maybe their new ownership will like it. 😅
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 It’s as if an enemy had sprayed the virus over the country. Instead we did it to ourselves by not responding vigorously to the assault. The CDC experts told us what to do. We didn’t do it. Now we face crises on biological and economic fronts. The casualty rates and economic costs are comparable to warfare. We responded more effectively to World War II. This war is here not “over there.”

Like WWII we need the federal government to take control of both the frontline war effort and the economy. Government had to spend lavishly to conduct the war effort. As a consequence we had to impose rationing and price controls to forestall inflation.

It is madness to ignore the war and try to open up the economy and schools in the hope that all will be well when all indications are to the contrary. We need to protect our people, especially children, rather than send them all to the front line.

We know that corona-virus will decay away in a few months if we just shut down except for essential food and health services. Put the military, General Milley perhaps, in charge. The government can handle the finances and pay people to stay home. The military can muster the forces necessary to accomplish testing and contract tracing. Government can also replenish funds in state unemployment offices so people can can acquire life’s necessities.

This war supersedes our disgust with both civil war relics and deficiencies in civil policing. Also, we must disregard the inevitable grumbling of federal deficit hawks.

We were stupid not to follow the example of European countries. Don’t minimize the threat as our government would have us do. This could be the end of us as a major world participant, if we don’t step up. 

Found on Twitter for Seminole County Florida posted by Dave Gorman