https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus/index.html
The gap between the President's
perception of the situation and reality risks squandering the
credibility that leaders need in a time of crisis, when inspiring hope
must be balanced with a realistic assessment of the challenge ahead.
Reality is that if we don't restart the economy there won't be food. No food for us. No food for other countries like China that depend on our food. No Chinese to make computer parts. No Americans to buy computers and smartphones. No parts to fix internet if it breaks. No internet. No blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat happens after this crisis passes has to be planned for and anticipated.
ReplyDeleteMany assume a quick recovery. People tired of isolation will go out and eat restaurants, flock to movie theatres, start travelling again, right?
Wrong. If the lockdown goes on long enough people will run out of money now matter how many trillions of dollars are thrown into the system. They will need what money they have just to pay their monthly bills and even then worry about falling short. Meanwhile the small businesses like the restaurants and small shops will close, possibly permanently. When the lockout ends, no one will have money to eat out and the restaurants won't be there anyway. So unemployment will remain high as this negative cycle deepens - no one has money so they can't go out and spend to revive the economy and even if they have money there won't be anywhere to go spend it. That's called a Depression and those last years. How many will survive this plague and then die of starvation or homelessness? When determining the duration of the lockdown, it has to be considered.
I was on a teleconference call today with local farmers, food banks, government officials, etc. A representation of the players in this region. And probably indicative of the nationwide situation.
ReplyDeleteNot good.
Food producers had concerns about obtaining items they need. Concerns with getting services they need, like a visiting slaughterer. Major concerns about getting seasonal migrant workers. Concerns about employee health.
We need to get masks and testing kids out there to the farm community, and everyone in the supply chain, or we won't have as much food next year as we might think.
Restaurants closing means farmers not having a way to get food to the table. Alternate modes of supplying food is what I'm working on.