Goodbye Grandma, its been nice knowing you
"The Cure can't be worse than the problem."
Donald J. Trump
President of the United States of America
As the number of cases continues to rise along with the global death toll, the President of the United States is proposing that we stop social distancing and move back to business as usual very soon.
Larry Kudlow, one of the trade hawks and Paleoconservatives, continues to push the narrative that it's the economy stupid. Furthermore, as an ardent American nationalist, he sees no requirement for the United States to be a leader in the world any longer. Unfortunately, Larry missed a few economics classes and was not a student of history. The United States' growth, economic power and wealth have been fueled by globalism, international trade and cooperation between nations with the same values. He has one thing right, China (CPP, where they hid virus insights) along with Russia are authoritarian regimes, and the US should be wary of their influence both in the WH and Congress. They are the villains and not your key NATO allies and trade partners.
However, put on the Machiavellian hat for a moment, a quick analysis of the 2016 electoral map shows everything one needs to know. Democrats and Hillary Clinton won all of the states that have enacted lockdowns. Somebody within the GOP has been running the numbers, and they demonstrate that red states are not affected in the same way blue states are. Since the gun-toting NRA supporters of Trump are disproportionately in the red middle American States, I guess it makes sense for him to open up the economy in those states and let the chips fall where they may.
While some who have elderly loved ones in those US states, some will be lost to the Coronavirus. That is a reality. There is a trade-off the President is willing to make. I personally don’t think the Russian roulette strategy equates to sound public policy and is a high price to pay. While some of those citizens might initially applaud the move, as their loved ones die perhaps they will have second thoughts about opening up america so soon. Or not, GO USA
Goodbye Grandma