Category: policy

May 22, 2020 – Absolute Rights During a Pandemic

We’re about two months in to the restrictions put in place in response to the pandemic. People have been pretty much been told to stay home. If you have to go out then wear a mask. Businesses have closed down. School years have ended early. Sports seasons have been disrupted and delayed. The arguments have started for opening things back up. Some feel that the economic pain is worse than the potential of spreading COVID-19. They point to indicators that say we’re going into recession. Remember 2008? This will be worse. It already is. Some argue that we should let people get infected and build “herd immunity.” They point to Sweden as the poster child for this approach. But Sweden’s own state epidemiologist Dr. Anders Tegnell is on the record as saying their approach won’t work everywhere and they’re counting on the people who are at greatest risk (older folks

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Source: CNN

April 29, 2020 – A Glimmer of Hope

A bit of hope this morning. Dr. Fauci shared study results for remdesivir as a possible treatment for COVID-19. “The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery,” said the institute’s director, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Although the data is limited, he went on to say the study provides a proof of concept. We can treat this virus. While it’s not a cure, it is a potential treatment.

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This is hilarious... #TheWestWingWisdom

March 24, 2020 – Open by Easter

“Trump says he wants the country opened by Easter” –CNN headline I can hear the Sunday sermons now. “As the Lord was resurrected, so shall the US economy and all our good fortunes with it.” It would make a great scene in a reality TV show. If this weren’t the reality we are now living. But here’s the thing: Three states that are among the strongest drivers of that economy (NY, CA, WA) are all in the throws of this pandemic with infection rates on the rise dramatically. How do you open a country for business when its business centers are too infectious to open back up? We’ll be selective, opening up the areas least at risk, they say. Really? What impact are the 12 people in Montana and their heads of cattle going to have on the overall economy? Oil prices have cratered, so not even fracking can help now.

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Can we really get back to "normal" after going through the coronavirus pandemic?

March 23, 2020 – Can We Even Get Back to “Normal”?

While watching all the activity in DC this morning, it occurs to me that every action our government is (and isn’t) taking is aimed at restoring what they see as normalcy. I’m not sure that normalcy is possible anymore. This health crisis, and financial crisis, and election cycle have exposed the cracks in our systems and society. The advantage and hubris of the 1% is writ large when basketball players have access to a critically important medical test and healthcare workers are having to make-do with cloth face masks that offer next to no protection from the virus that is all around them. We turn to technology to offer a different way to keep educational services going. But what happens to the students who don’t have fast, reliable internet service at home or rely on school for the one or two healthy meals they get during school days? There are no

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