
By Douglas MacKinnon
IssuesInsights.com
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.
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.