When Disease Comes, Rulers Grab More Power
23rd March 2020
Border closures, without careful planning, can slow down movement of equipment and expertise or create clusters of infectious people at airports and other checkpoints. Closures also give the illusion of resolute action without changing the reality on the ground. Back in January, President Donald Trump’s decision to stop flights from China gave him and his administration the false sense that they had stopped COVID-19. They had not.
Those who embrace government planning in all things ought to reflect on the incompetence demonstrated by all levels of government in their reactions to the coronavirus outbreak. In no case was there any serious forethought given to the consequences of the various panic shutdowns of normal activity.
‘Shut down all public transportation!’
‘Uh, how will people get from their homes to hospitals to treat the virus victime?’
‘Oh….’
‘Make everybody Shelter In Place!’
‘Uh, how are people going to get food?’
‘Oh….’