Coronavirus: some humbleness is in order

      It's bad enough that the Coronavirus is spreading rapidly and killing people.  What's far worse is that it's become a hot political football.

      Here is what President Trump said in his first press conference, quoted word-for-word:

      "The Coronavirus is bad - very, very bad.  It has killed people - a lot of people.  A whole lot of people.  But we have the virus under control.  Very, very well under control.  We have taken steps to make sure you are all safe - very, very safe.  The virus will be eliminated soon - very, very soon.  And the stock market will rebound and be strong.  As strong as ever.  Very, very strong.

      "But the Democrats and the Fake News are using this virus to score political points.  Big, very big political points!  They are thrilled - very, very thrilled, that this virus is out there killing people.  They will say and do anything - anything and everything - to score political points, lots of political points, even if it means destroying the nation - destroying it completely."

      Ok, those were not his EXACT words.  But they could be, because that is how he speaks, that eloquent orator we elected.  And of course the speech was following up with another twitter-storm full of ALL CAPS LETTERS and lots of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!

      Trump's "reassurance" reminds of the Soviet leadership in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster.  Everything is under control.  We have the situation well in-hand.  There is nothing to fear.

      What we really need right now from our government leaders is a bit of humbleness and humility, not a bunch of bluster.  Politicians all over the map are bickering over the pros and cons of shutting down the nation to contain the virus, versus keeping the economy going despite the virus.

     So what does your favorite blogger have to say?  What is the correct answer?  Using my vast intellectual superiority and my amazing skill at delivering clever solutions to global problems, my carefully thought-out answer is:

      I don't know.

      I don't know how long it will take to get the virus under control - if ever.  I don't know how many people will eventually get sick, or die.  I don't know how bad the economy will sink, if it will recover to previous levels, and how long that will take.

      I don't know if government-imposed mandatory curfews and other restrictions is the proper response.  As a hard-core libertarian, I am, or course, extremely skeptical of government do-gooders telling us all what to do or not do "for our own good".  It's these government-worshippers who somehow have come to the conclusion that government know-it-alls should tell businesses how to run their business, and take money from wage-earners on the premises that "we know what's best".  

      The real truth is that the internal desire in all of us to have more, to live a happier, more comfortable, and more fun life is the fuel that makes things work.  If somebody wants to work hard and earn a lot of money, or start up a business to sell consumers what they want and need, and in the process earn lots of profit, and use some of that profit to create jobs and hire employees and pay them money, well, that is a GOOD thing!  And it all comes from that previously-mentioned selfish pursuit of happiness.

      The problem is:  although that selfish pursuit of happiness brings about good, positive, productive results 99.99% of the time, there is still that 0.01% where it does not.  In my article "OMG! Libertarian supports government ban!", I correctly observed that humanity's selfish, lazy, irresponsible use of plastic is destroying the planet.  (Yeah, that includes your truly.)  And sadly, governmental action may be the only remedy.  The free market does NOT possess the correct incentives to fix this problem. 

      A global pandemic is probably in the same ballpark.  Left to our own devices, we humans would congregate and travel and meet up in person and do all the fun social things we've always done.  And then soon we'd all get sick and die.

     (Side note:  if you happen to be a radical environmentalist, then the coronavirus epidemic might just be an answer to prayer!  These people believe that human population is exploding out of control and needs to be vastly reduced.  Thus, you all should ally up with the Conservatives to keep the economy running strong, but let the virus run amok and do its good work.)

     The bottom line is that we all need to keep an open mind about this.  Ignore the political football, the bluster, and the chest-thumping.  Seek out the experts, have rational debates, but constantly reflect and ponder and re-evaluate on the best course of action, be it pro-economic or pro-containment.  Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.

      In closing, I must point out another horrible disease that is infecting our once-great nation.  No, not the coronavirus:  it's Big Government.  Both Democrats AND Republicans (you know, those hypocrites who blast the Democrats for out-of-control spending and deficits) have joined up and signed a Stimulus Rescue Package.  Never mind that the U.S. government already spends $4 Trillion a year with a $1 Trillion deficit.  Evidently, that's just not enough!  No problem is too big, evidently, that a throwing a few $Trillion at it cannot solve.  Never waste a crisis.

     My prediction:  we will soon miss the good ole' days when budgets and deficits were measured in mere Trillions of dollars.  Better get used to saying "quadrillion".  At present trends, it will be here sooner than you think.