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Dreaming of Political Leadership to Defend Life Against Coronavirus
Accelerating efforts to strengthen critical healthcare needs will more efficiently address economic damage than indiscriminate bailouts
Current data on coronavirus spread suggests that social distancing protocols will not be enough to stop the pandemic in the United States. Officials in key hotspot areas appear to have already conceded that “the battle to contain the virus is lost.” President Trump and conservative pundits seem to be preparing the nation for failure and accept the loss of life as necessary to keep the economy from collapsing. “We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself,” Trump stated on Monday, March 23, reportedly adding as justification, “You look at automobile accidents, which are far greater than any numbers we’re talking about.”
The callous disregard for human life amidst this global disaster illustrates how our society is allowing panic to drive our nation’s response. As Congress pursues an economic stimulus package aiming to put money in American pockets, current pandemic hotspots on the US coasts are harbingers of how little that economic bailout matters as the local healthcare infrastructure faces unprecedented strain. In New York, Governor Cuomo is already preparing his state…
