The pandemic caused by the coronavirus has for the time placed the whole world on hold and has taken America out of balance. It is a tipping point for both the world in general and for America. The total size of the economic impact of the pandemic is for now unknown, but we know that its impact will be felt many years into the future. The pictures of the streets of greatest cities in the world are stark and devoid of humans. It is as if the population of the world was transported off the planet. But of course, we didn’t get transported off the planet. It is true that billions of us around the world are simply hunkered down within what we hope is the safety of our homes. The whole world is simply waiting for the virus to pass so that we can safely enter back into the place that we were once free to interact within.
The pandemic has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands and made millions of others sick. It has temporally shut down most businesses and most likely forever wiped out more than we are willing to admit. Found within each of those businesses was the hopes and dreams of millions of families. Some of those dreams found within those businesses built are now gone. For many others those dreams can and will come alive again, and those businesses not lost will be restored. New businesses will be be created from the ashes. But the loss of life within many families simply can never be replaced, nor made right nor undone. So, the question is: what do we do now with this unusual state of affairs?
Everything in life is about balance. Balance is found when we avoid the blame game so often found within the political landscape of the world. On the one hand, we all need to be careful that the virus is controlled by reasonable social distancing and allowing the virus to have minimum impact. On the other hand, people need to work, and the government of any country can only print money for so long before the entire economic system fails under its own weight.
So, what is the balancing act we must consider? It’s simple, we slowly open up for business at the same rate we slowly starve the virus out of finding more victims. The balancing act is based on constantly measuring the risk results of the virus and the economy. So, what do we know about balancing a pandemic? The answer is not much, we have ideas, some data and lots of opinions based on emotion. Emotion news of both the virus and the economy makes for great theater and is very profitable. For news media outlets, there is no profit or ratings in good news.
The truth is we don’t know enough; which means that as nations, states, cities and communities we will make mistakes. Without making mistakes, we can’t find the balance and mistakes are the cost of finding a balance. The critics look for the mistakes because that is how they make their fortunes.
The startling truth is obvious that complete sustaining shut down of the world economy will kill more people than the virus will. Of course, the critics are posed with pen in hand to write stories about anyone who fails. It doesn’t matter if it is a Mayor, a Governor, a Prime Minister, a President or a King, Queen or Sultan. That is the awful thing about professional critics. They do not have a solution and do not know what a solution would be. However, they can make a small failure into epic and epic failures into small; depending on their ideological bent.
Here is what I believe. Despite these never-ending parades of critics who will stoke the flames of distrust and justified hate speech for profit; America and the American people will find the balance in opening up our economy and shutting down the virus. Despite the politics, I am hopeful that the two political parties will come together and focus on solutions and not worry about gaining political points. I hope that the federal, states, and local authorities will all work together for the common good of finding the balance that nearly 350 million Americans. and nearly 8 Billion people in the world need right now. Balance in America is what we need to open the economy and kill the virus at the same time.
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