It’s not an overreaction. Nations are responding to a pandemic that is killing their people. Killed by a virus that has no vaccine. All the while shutting down commerce and normal life.
The actions taken by all levels of government are actions that needed to be made, as severe and uncomfortable as they may be. We need to understand that whatever sacrifice we make is minor compared to the lives we save.
As with any crisis, it’s a lot easier to deal with if leaders share information. That hasn’t been the case with this pandemic. People have been hungry for answers. Some of which haven’t been given because they aren’t known. But some could have, but they weren’t.
In the absence of true leadership, the void is always filled. Sometimes by people that are needed the least. Individuals lacking knowledge but not ego. The type of individuals that think they’re experts on every subject.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is not that type of leader. He is a true leader. The man America needs right now. Willing to make tough suggestions. Suggestions that make him unpopular at times but are made based on science.
Had we all been allowed to judge our government’s actions solely on the actions of Dr. Fauci, I’m certain we’d be in a different place. The market might not have crashed and some people might still be working. Who knows, we might not have had to admit we’re in a recession
Many experts believe we were already headed to a recession before the coronavirus struck. The government was operating at less than a 2% clip. Debt was drastically rising and growth wasn’t. Despite what our leaders say, it wasn’t all roses out there.
Then, the coronavirus enters and it gets worse. Much worse.
So now we find ourselves on a rough road. A road with plenty of potholes and no guardrails. The upside is we’ve been on rougher ones. And we navigated them just fine.
We just need the right driver.
Good riding with you.
Joel C. Heitkamp
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