We have seen the chaos in Italy, but could this happen in America? Right now there are concerns that as the virus continues to spread, as infections increase, that more long-term “shutdowns” of major public services could happen and possibly for months at a time. With the second and third most influential American states of Texas and Florida showing signs that the virus is spreading, the Lost Angeles Times asks by way of MSN News the question- ‘Will these states be quarantined such as what has happened with Italy?’
Gavin Newsom was the first governor to order his citizens to stay at home, shutting down California’s economy, the world’s eighth-largest, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, Friday, Andrew M. Cuomo, the governor of New York, followed suit.
But not so in Texas and Florida, the nation’s second and third most populous states, where a small-government philosophy — less taxes, fewer regulation and a weaker safety net — has long held sway.
About one-fifth of Texas’ 29 million people lacks health insurance, and nearly one-quarter of Florida’s 21 million residents are elderly. But the governors of those states have resisted stay-at-home orders, despite mounting criticism.
Democratic mayors in both states have canceled events like Miami’s Ultra electronic music festival and Austin’s South by Southwest and have opened a handful of testing sites. They complain the patchwork of policies has made it nearly impossible to limit the disease’s spread. (source)
One should not panic, and neither should one jump to conclusions about anything. However, one should be very aware of what is taking place right now, which is a demonstration of how fragile our systems really are.
This virus may disappear come the summertime, but don’t expect it to last. In fact, if it does disappear, I would enjoy summertime travels because when fall comes, there is a real chance that the illness could return and be even more deadly than last time.
Likewise, there is also the issue of regulations. Will the concern of “loose safety” on a state level prompt the federal government to “step” in to “resolve” the situation at some point?
We do not know, but what has been demonstrated is that the virus has been used as an excuse to massively expand federal power at the expense of the states and the people.
Can one imagine what will happen when this spreads? Because this virus is not going away. It is not only a serious thing, but an even more effective excuse to expand government power, and there is scarcely a crisis that any government at any point in history would not want to exploit wholly for its own benefit.
If Texas and Florida go, then the rest of the country will inevitably follow. California has already gone, and New York is also following.
What one is seeing right now is a shift towards a “new normal” similar to what happened after 9/11. There was life September 10th and before, and life change after. Likewise, February 24th, which was around the time when news of the virus seems to have grown around the world, may be similar, for there was life before the virus, and in the years to come, people will likely remember what life became “after”.