No one wants the economy to fail. No one wants to stay under lockdown forever.
I really hate strawman fallacies, especially when it’s my point of view being painted as anti-American.
That’s why I try to empathize with those on the other side. Those who want to reopen everything are varied. Some think the disease is a hoax. Some equate following safety protocols with being a democrat–and they hate democrats. Some believe that this is a massive government power grab. Some go further, believing this is a demonic conspiracy to force a one-world government. Some believe the government can’t ever tell them what to do. Some think we need to establish herd immunity by getting infected (in this plan, the “weak” are sacrificed for the strong). Some are just focused on the economy–at micro and macro levels.
Those of us who want to follow the science on when to reopen aren’t ignoring the economy. We’re angry about how the stimulus money was used, with almost all of the benefits going to the rich. But reopening now won’t fix the economy; it will further hurt the middle and lower class. If your restaurant is open but not enough people are coming, you have no access to emergency help. Your immuno-compromised staff members have to come to work or starve; no unemployment help will be given.
The current administration’s plan is to suspend aid to us and to take away the ACA. There’s no future where we won’t have a recession, but there are ways to mitigate it.
Rich people and corporations pay lower tax rates than I do. How about evening that out? How about not allowing stimulus money to go to corporations and businesses that don’t pay American taxes? How about making sure everyone has access to healthcare? How about a work program? How about making sure whatever stimulus packages we pass actually go to the people who need it? We’re the richest and most powerful nation in the world. Our citizens should not be starving or dying because of our backward belief that the poor and unemployed just made bad choices but that Fortune 500 companies deserve our tax dollars.
We all want to reopen as soon as it’s safe. Fellow citizens, your actions make it harder to believe we’ll be safe. Stop marching with guns. Stop threatening to kill the rest of us. Stop attacking health care workers and store employees. Don’t spit on people or yell at people wearing masks.
If you would put your damn mask on to go shopping, maybe we would agree with you that people should be able to “make a choice” about what stores to go to.
Your choices affect all of us. Show us you could make the right ones.
The reason the current administration doesn’t wear masks is because they and their staff are tested every day. Demand testing.
Fox News says we should return to normal, but it’s ordering its staff to follow social distancing guidelines.
Don’t we all deserve to be just as safe as someone who works at Fox?
Support more testing, support tracking, support aid to workers and families, support PPE, support social distancing.
Maybe some of you do, but that’s not what I’m seeing at your rallies or in your posts.
I’m seeing a false choice–that either we stay inside forever or we all do whatever the fuck we want cause you have guns and some flags, many of which aren’t even American flags.
The middle ground is that we invest a lot in safety, and then we go outside. Can we do that?
I have family members who think the government is overreaching. The government overreaches a lot, but I’m not worried about these lockdown orders or about the hidden conspiracies.
I’m worried about the right-out-there-in-the-open conspiracies.
Like when Trump asks why blue states should get aid.
Or when he touts a dangerous drug because it’s personally profitable for him and his friends.
Or when he says people should stay at home, unless the governor is a democrat, and then he supports armed insurrection.
Or when he says we don’t need testing or tracking.
Or when he says we shouldn’t vote online.
Or when his son-in-law says the election might not happen in November.
Just like you, I really wish my greatest fear was the virus right now.
