The
Corona virus has shown the vital necessity for Presidential power to commandeer
industries in service to the nation. The
Police Powers Act supplements this and allows government to further
isolate and contain populations in the event of contaminations or spread of
infectious agents. Now over 40 States have embraced this need
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Dr Ada M Fisher |
President Trump deliberated the many dimensions of the pandemic but also understood that one has to measure the risk/reward of the economic realities which must be considered in this. Appropriating and identifying businesses for production of Masks, Respirators and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPEE) under the Defense Protection Act was used rather than the Obama Executive Order giving the President authority to take control over national defense resources in times of emergency. This sidesteps a potential constitutional quagmire even though we are engaged in war of a different source. The need to save us as a Republic which is both democratic and capitalistic is paramount.
Give
the president some slack for we are in these times on unchartered grounds. In
2005 George W. Bush, a man many thought inept, foresaw the possibility of a
pandemic in his visions for the Department of Homeland Security. His report on the need to ramp up our
capabilities in vaccine production, stockade hospital supplies and other on
point advice was unheeded, likely due to other national priorities. We may have
been unprepared initially but we were not unaware that this day was coming.
The
personal discomfort of self imposed isolation and restriction of movement to
mitigate disease spread as well as limits on vital activities such as going to
the store or personal face time and contact with friends or enjoying the out of
doors will bring pain to many. Religious prayers are always needed but in this
framework outliers must render unto G-d what is G-d 's and render unto to Caesar
(government) what is his. There is more to come for this is far from over.
The
economic disruptions which are occurring will change the nature of education,
jobs and money as a tool for interaction.
Jobs
which were often snubbed as grocery clerks and Wal-Mart stockers are some of the
few which are sustainable to a certain extent.
Fast food rocks as do take outs and drive-through.
Front
line personnel such as EMT’s, nurses and doctors who are not compensated as
athletes or actors are now getting there due as rock stars. Don’t forget how critical are the funeral
services and the implications of the need for cremations to limit unnecessary
risks. Let’s hope they survive it. When it slows down let us reevaluate
compensation in terms of value to society.
Education must of necessity turn more on line for all children less they
be left out and left behind the curve. North Carolina under Lt. Gov. Dan
Forrest’s leadership has led the move to K-12 internet hookups. Kids must increasingly ask why they are
paying for fancy degrees if the internet can do it cheaper. This begs the
question and demonstrates that the FCC must make the internet free for all
citizens less they be isolated and suffer in digital isolation. This has implications for on-line
voting.
Money will never be the same
again. Watching the cars piled up at
banking institutions to complete any transactions, it is clear that drastic
changes must happen in the financial sector.
Requiring direct deposit of federal employees though seemingly part of
the answer, the number of times their computers are down and their vulnerability
to hacking should give us all pause to concern as many of our operational
systems are designed by those very nations whose callousness has put the world
at peril. The CARE ACT part III must up the ante if this isolation
lasts more than 2 months. Money should
go to citizens per the census tax free which would also reveal who is here so
that we may better plan for our future.
The
political front says Trumps view of the world and attempts at globalization may
just be right. Putting citizens first
should bring jobs back to this nation and prevent us being held captive to
others who can’t protect us.
Globalization as a philosophy must die for the need for sovereign
borders. Retention within our borders of
industries critical to our national security as well as personal integrity must
be a priority. As is seen, no nation is
allowing open borders as was being loudly advocated here. People worldwide should now realize that
immigration reform must not eliminate the need for health screening of all
entrants within parameters that all understand.
Ada
M. Fisher, MD, MPH is a former Medical Director in a Fortune 500 company,
licensed teacher, retired physician, former county school board member, speaker,
author of Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions Good for What Ails Us Book 1
(available through Amazon. Com) and is the NC Republican National
Committeewoman.