Over the last number of days, I have spoken with a great many people in and out of government. Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, young, and old.
Including doctors and nurses.
To a person, they are scared and want control of their lives back. Their daily routines, their livelihoods, their life savings, their futures, the welfare of their children, and their mental health are not being negatively affected or even destroyed by the effects of the coronavirus, but rather by the decisions of a handful of elected officials.
At what point do “We the People” have a say in our own fate?
The question a number of these now angry, frightened, and ever terrorized Americans are now asking is: “What if we simply let the coronavirus run its course? Might that ultimately be better than destroying small businesses, corporations, millions of American jobs, life savings, our national structure, and our mental wellbeing?”
I offer up those questions as one in the “High Risk” category.
WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2020
As I write this, the total number of cases of the COVID-19 is still a minute fraction of the Swine flu pandemic which hit our nation and the world in 2009 and 2010. Back then, when it ran its course, the Swine flu was in 70 countries, infected approximately 1.5 billion people, and killed anywhere between 300,000 to 700,000.
Here in the United States, over 60 million were infected, approximately 300,000 hospitalized, and upwards of 18,000 Americans lost their lives.
And yet, life went on as normal.
Every day now in our media, there are breathless reports about the number of cases of COVID-19 and how many Americans have passed away. Much of that reporting is only about creating irresponsible, fear-inducing click-bait.
As I write this, approximately 35,000 Americans have tested positive and more importantly, only about 500 have died.
Compare that to the “common flu” now hitting our nation. The CDC estimates that over 31 million Americans have already gotten the flu; approximately 300,000 hospitalized; and between 12,000 to 30,000 have already died.
This year. Now.
And yet, as with the Swine flu pandemic in 2009 – 2010, we did not shut the nation down and destroy millions of jobs and the psyches of millions more.
“For our own good,” a handful of politicians – with hopefully the best of intentions — have sent our nation into a seemingly suicidal tailspin over the COVID-19.
Again, as these drastic and draconian decisions are being made for us, are “We the People” allowed a say in our own fate and the future wellbeing of our children?
Do the negative fallout and collateral damage of the “War” certain politicians and government officials are now waging against the COVID-19 far exceed the “benefits?”
As money, safety-nets, hope, and even sanity is lost, how high do the numbers of drug, alcohol, suicide, and crime-related deaths go up?
As control of our own lives and some of our very freedoms are taken from us “for our own good,” do we have the right to make our voices heard?
At the moment, the “experts” in science and medicine seem to agree that just over 80% of the people who do get COVID-19 will have mild to no symptoms, around 12% will have serious to critical symptoms, and that the fatality rate is flattening out to anywhere between 0.6% to 1.5% with the vast majority of those fatalities being elderly with preexisting conditions. A report from Harvard just stating that 99% will recover.
That stated, more and more Americans are articulating the fear that shutting down our nation, destroying millions of jobs, and wiping out billions in life savings is exponentially worse than letting the virus run its course.
That it may be leading to the suicide of our nation.
Is the “cure” truly worse than the disease? Are our leaders and “experts” destroying the lives of the 99% to maybe protect and save the 1%?
As we watch that fear unfold, would it make more sense to immediately return America back to work and back to a “new normal;” increase the number of medical professionals trained to deal with this pandemic – and those yet to come – and then have them treat the 0.6% to 1.5% of the seriously ill within their own homes?
Without the immediate introduction of a vaccine to protect us from the COVID-19, does the strategy of “Herd Immunity,” make the most sense. That being to let the virus run its course with the proven theory being that once enough people have been exposed, they will develop antibodies and create a natural “herd” immunity that dramatically reduces the threat of the virus.
Obviously, this is not a perfect solution. But in the absence of any perfect solution and with the literal future of our nation teetering on the edge of total collapse, is letting the virus run its course the best of the options we have at the moment?
Like all previous coronaviruses, the COVID-19 will burn itself out.
Authoritarian rule “temporarily” given to leaders, political parties, and governmental organizations is rarely returned to the people and often abused.
The American people themselves should decide their own fate. Not a handful of politicians.
Should we let the COVID-19 run its course and return the United States back to a new and wiser normal?
Can we hold a national referendum and let the American people decide their fate.
Time is running out for even that option.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: The Forty Days – A Vision of Christ’s Lost Weeks.
Government wonks work under the theory, “If we can save one life, the cost is worth it.” But, is it really? Not by a long shot. Not at the cost of freedom and liberty. je
I have no idea what the right answer is on the called question here but this writer, like many others, does no favor to his argument by contrasting the historical peak numbers of past similar occurrences and deaths to those related to COVID-19 which are clearly far from peak and are still increasing at increasing rates. This reflects either poor understanding of statistics or bias. The reality is we do not have enough information as yet to make an intelligent estimate of the eventual total number of severe illnesses and deaths from COVID-19 and nor do we have good estimates of our critical care capacity to deal with them. We will eventually have to reopen the country; that is not in question. What remains very much in question however is when do we flip the switch? We need all the good data – and wisdom – we can muster to help us make that call. Finally, it seems likely the Trump administration will make the call before our presidential election in November. Assuming that election takes place as scheduled, the American people will, as they should and have since 1789, get their vote on this matter. We don’t need to change our decision making processes to get their input on the table.
That idea is pretty stupid. Few voters are epidemiologists or virologists which means that they are incapable of understanding the threat and proper responses to it.
According to CDC, regular flu this season, in the U.S., has killed from 23,000 to 59,000! https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm
Sure, it is very likely an over reaction. BUT, a long as our national competitors also shut down we will come out ahead at the end. The effectiveness of our free market based healthcare system will allow us to come out of this quicker, and in better shape than any other country in the world.
This following on the heals of the tariff battles will cripple the chicoms for a decade or longer and U.S. companies will finally bring production at least back to North America to shorten and secure supply chain.
Add to that the fact POTUS Trump’s leadership and dems blocking aide will result in crippling the biggest enemy the U.S. has. . . the democratic party and it’s media.
Conquered by the land of Sun Tzu without firing a shot. How sad but there was massive help from a fifth column of globalist traitors.
I vote for going back to work. Quarantine those at the most risk and let the rest of us go back to reality and take our chances. Those who are afraid can continue to “shelter in place”, those of us who are not concerned know how to protect ourselves. I taught for thirteen years, I was exposed to all the viruses by my young and unthinking students. I was hardly ever six. I’ll be sixty soon. I am unconcerned for myself and careful for others.
The whole thing is an over reaction to the flu. The so called experts are always scared of being wrong and of course can never be wrong. Mortals are not allowed to disagree with experts.
An expert is usually a person who can’t keep a real job
Time is running out. When this idea was posted we only had 53,000 cases. Today, 5 days later, we have nearly 125,000. Lets get this organized and voted on in the next two weeks. If we vote by April 11th, (just before Easter Sunday) we shouldn’t have more than 250,000 cases and I am sure less than 5,000 deaths. And, to help bolster enthusiasm against a national shut down, Trump should fire up the base with appearances at rallies in football stadiums everyday until the vote.