Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) said it perfectly yesterday: “We are too often presented with a false dichotomy: either saving our economy or saving lives.”
Scott’s statement occurred during the Senate hearing with Dr. Fauci, head of the NIH. The Senator was exactly right. Those who believe that no preventative measures should have been taken are as ignorant as those who believe that re-opening the economy poses a mortal risk to everyone.
The latter viewpoint ignores the catastrophic damage that will be done to the country if we do not find a way to get America back to work. This will play right into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party who would love to see the American economy crushed. This is also what the Democrats want so that they can win the presidential election in November. They do not care if the economy is crushed. Power and money are their only interests.
Few would disagree with taking temporary, precautionary measures to protect the most vulnerable among us. Unfortunately, too many have been sucked into embracing the idea that taking calculated, reasonable steps to re-open the economies of our towns, cities, counties and states is somehow reckless.
Since the onset of this crisis, the steps taken (misguided or not) were always meant to be temporary. However, the tinpot dictators who inhabit some state and city offices have used this opportunity to suppress the inalienable rights of their citizens for as long as possible. Some governors are trying to extend this abrogation of constitutional rights for as long as two years. If successful, this would result in a new normal that will have shredded the Bill of Rights. Fortunately AG Barr has signaled that the DOJ will step in if these lockdowns last too long.
The temporary measures taken were always meant to accomplish two things. First, “flatten the curve” to keep our healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed. Second, give the country time to ramp up its response efforts.
One could argue about the need for flattening the curve. Dr. Fauci’s model (IHME) has proven to be embarrassingly wrong. Over most of the country, hospital bed usage has been so low that hospitals were forced to layoff doctors, nurses and other health care workers. And Fauci’s flawed model assumed full mitigation and social distancing across the country. Such mitigation never happened. Some states have never issued a stay-at-home order.
With regard to the second objective, under the leadership of PDJT, Americans have responded as Americans have always responded in crisis situations. Individuals have stepped forward to provide needed items. Entrepreneurs have found new and creative ways to meet the country’s needs. Work moves forward quickly on finding treatment protocols and preventives.
In most areas of the country the rate of new infections is declining. For the most part states that have re-opened continue to see declines in new infections. The rolling averages are headed down. Georgia was the first state to re-open. There was a horrendous media attack on the “recklessness” of doing this. Governor Kemp was called a racist and worse because, to quote media reports, “he wanted black people to die.”
As it turns out, Georgia is the poster child for how to do this. Georgia will be open for three weeks on Friday. The rolling rate of new infections (orange dots) continues to decline and the decline appears to be accelerating. I guess getting people out in the sunshine is helping. Apparently most people in Georgia do not need constant supervision by the government.
As we re-open, those people who intentionally lie and use scare tactics in an attempt to overturn reasonable measures need to be held accountable. This means the media who appear to conspiring with the CCP to wreck our economy so that the Democrats can win in November.
Re-opening does not mean forcing people to gather together. It does not mean stopping reasonable measures at prevention. It does not mean casting out those who are most vulnerable to fend for themselves. It does mean acting responsibly. If you are sick, stay home. Stay there until you are no longer contagious. One of my relatives was in isolation for 32 days before emerging healthy and ready to go back to work.
If some tightening measures are needed at some point, it should mean quarantining those who are sick, not those who are healthy. After all, we know a lot more about this illness now. We should move forward with an eye on the data. But, we should not be captive to politicians who would “restructure things to fit our vision for the country.” That would end America as we know it.
Thank you, Senator Scott (R-SC) for saying what needed to be said.