Filed under: Bureaucracy, China, Coronavirus, Domestic Policy, Economy, Politics, Regulation, The United States, Unemployment | Tags: Covid-19 Coronavirus, Protests and Repression, The Nation's Governors
Independence is a tradition in America, The people don’t really like being ordered around, and a number of governors are getting more than a little officious. The people understand the pandemic, and the need for care and avoidance, and wearing masks, but we are seeing examples of whole cities being shut down, with no one allowed to enter or leave and that goes way too far.
Since our officials are elected from the general population, their skill at good management is not always in evidence when they are elected and is sometimes utterly missing. President Trump correctly turned the management of the states over to the governors of their own state, and some have done all right, most have gone too far, fearful of not doing enough. The most urgent problem is that many Americans have lost their jobs, and are finding it difficult to cope. And many of those who might be employed have had their workplace closed. Food bank use is way up.
Protests are breaking out, sometimes spontaneous, often organized, and it may get worse. People want to go back to work. Our governor here in Washington State has just extended his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order through May 31. He may allow some retail curbside purchases, car washes, (Swell, and I really, really need my hair cut) but I will be allowed to wash the car. More details to come. Pet grooming may be allowed, but not for people. can you tell that I am getting a little testy?
California’s governor Gavin Newsom has been very busy closing beaches, and as the weather is getting warmer, that’s not going over well. Orange County is bitterly protesting the closure of their beaches. They have had a very low death rate, with a higher population in the county than that of many states. Most of the people who live in Orange County live there because of the beaches.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has shut down the schools for the rest of the year. There will undoubtedly be no summer camps available. Parents will have to find new amusement or tasks for their kids.
New York was fearful of running out of hospital space, and the President sent the Hospital Ship Comfort , but it never was needed at all, though the arrival was prompt and spectacular. They also, I believe. built a military hospital tent in a park, which was also never used. Better to have unused supplies, than sick people needing unavailable beds.
The nation’s governors have no experience of pandemics, nor of preparing for them, or administering them. Next time around, we will be better prepared. Are they not telling us that there will be a second round this next winter? There is so much that we do not know, but we are learning fast. I hope they are keeping good records of our successes as well as our failures.
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