cities bombed every night, but the next day everybody went back to work or school. We have to be the same now, take precautions, wash your hands after you’ve been out, wear masks – but carry on. Letting the economy go to pot, firms closing down, people losing jobs and savings, and eventually even homes, because of a virus? This situation needs a common-sense rethink and quick. – Allie F. Steven Longenecker comment: Allie, we sympathize... But the horse has already bolted from the barn. Blame whoever you like – China for originating the virus, regulators who screwed up the early testing, or panicked politicians who don’t want to be blamed for additional deaths. But as you said, in the meantime... we carry on. Re: How the ‘SecondWave’ Turns Into a Tsunami I deeply appreciate and feel for your brother and all first responders who are unfortunately caught up in these shortages. America was certainly not prepared for the Spanish Flu and other epidemics but citizens didn’t go around blaming current or prior administrations. – Larry H. Kim Iskyan comment: Larry – thanks for your message, and you draw an interesting comparison. Indeed, the U.S. wasn’t prepared for the Spanish Flu, the most relevant comparable to the current pandemic. Then, as now, misinformation, fake news and outright lying by governments was a key factor in the spread of the disease. According to an excellent article in Smithsonian Magazine from November 2017 about the Spanish Flu... “What proved even more deadly [than
Nothing changes. Virus be dammed, the thieves are getting ready to thrive at the table of Uncle Sam. Everyone is looking at how to best get what they can while the big daddy is giving out goodies. No one will care who is hurting, who is unemployed, who is lacking food and medical care. Sad but expected. The airlines want billions in bailouts. I say let them go broke. – Stan B. Steven Longenecker comment: We agree completely, Stan. Of course, we also suspect that this bailout package is only the first of several more to come. The trough is full of slop. And the pigs are running. Re: Liberal Christmas in March “With a horrific pandemic sweeping over the nation... “ Surely, you were referring to the current influenza epidemic in the USA. CDC estimates 20,000 to 60,000 US deaths and it’s like no one notices. I’m at a total loss. – Mike R. P.J. O’Rourke comment: Mike, I take your point. But it’s an eternal fact that fear of the new and strange grips us harder than fear of the old and familiar. One upside to the COVID-19 pandemic (and I’m damn glad there is an upside) will be greatly increased research into vaccinations and treatments for the entire array of diseases caused by coronaviruses. This is crazy, we are allowing ourselves to be destroyed by a virus, markets have tumbled, whole nations are in lockdown, and we’re all hiding under the bed, what would our forefathers think? I live in England, when WW2 started thousands were killed and
American Consequences
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