I am going to question the extreme measures we have taken as we hoped to prevent the spread and achieve the ‘mitigation’ of the virus.  I will state at the outset, I am not a medical scientist, epidemiologist, or financial guru.  However, I have a brain and it does more than fill the cavity in my head, I think!  Sometimes, I think rightly and sometimes wrongly, but I think. In thinking I ask questions, evaluate the action, and compare it to the need.  I do that before acting, during the action, and at the conclusion.  Naturally, my hindsight is perfect, my mid-stream sight reasonable, and my foresight is never 100%. 

Therefore, I suggest that everyone take what I am going to say with a grain of salt. But before you toss it on the trash heap and declare me ‘persona non grata’ please consider my observations and form your own opinion.  I am not suggesting that you violate your conscience, disregard the warnings, and throw caution to the wind.  That would be foolish.  You know your health risks, medical condition, strength, and weakness of your immune system.  My wife is in a weakened immune state due to cancer and therefore was cautious before this pandemic and double so now.  I understand and agree with her desires.  Protecting her is extremely important to us.

Yet, I ask, “Did we take measures beyond what was needed or should have been pursued?”  Did we ‘lock down’ the nation, destroy the economy, and lives in the process at a level not justified by the real dangers of the virus?  I’m not sure anyone can answer in the affirmative or negative with absolute certainty, but it is a question that needs to be asked.  Did President Trump, the experts, Congress, Governors, Mayors, and County Officials overreact?  What people decide will be telling in November and beyond.

Brit Hume of Fox News voiced the concern expressed by millions of Americans.  He said, “I think it is time to consider the possibility…that this lockdown, as opposed to the more moderate mitigation efforts…is a colossal public policy calamity.”  Before you blast him, let’s examine some of the things we now know.  Again, we are dealing with hindsight, foresight, and mid-sight, so what we think now might be quite different than what was assumed at the beginning. 

Economist Scott Grannis quantified what we have done in the lockdown and it is staggering.  He said, “almost overnight, we have wiped out all the net job gains of the past 14 years.”  That is beyond staggering it is terrifying.  I refuse to succumb to fear because my faith demands that I reject fear. But from an economic standpoint, it is frightening or deeply troubling or should be.  He observed and everyone knows, “it isn’t over yet.”  By that I mean, not the virus but the loss of jobs and the devastation to the economy.  Some are gleeful at the prospects of November coming with a destroyed economy.  They see that as a sure defeat for President Trump.  The cost to America and Americans seems inconsequential to those people.  I find that disgusting.

We willingly inflicted a wound on our economy that may never be repaired.  The extent of this has never been witnessed in American history and likely human history.  It is beyond anything anyone could have envisioned and so extreme that the prospects of millions becoming totally dependent upon the government is more than a possibility. 

We not only willingly destroyed our economy, erased the financial gains of millions, costing some everything but we have continued to give up liberty and freedom beyond what we can calculate.  I’m not sure we know what we have done and how far the power-hungry elitist of the political ruling class will expand this.  We try not to think about it because that would plunge us over the cliff into the abyss of depression that would be double destructive. 

The epidemiological models were the basis of the lockdown.  The ‘experts’ went to the president with the unimaginable potential loss of American lives and left him little choice as to what to do.  He was damned if he shut down the economy and pursued the ‘mitigation’ desired and damned if he did not.  He could not win, so he did a reasonable person would have done.  He followed the advice of the ‘experts.’  After all, they were ‘experts.’   Yet we continue to hear the lie that he never listens. That went out the window, as it does each time a false accusation is hurled his direction.

The models have been proven wrong time and again and the longer this lasts the more we find that they ‘experts’ were following computer models that were based on flawed data.  Garbage in, garbage out would possibly and apt descriptor. Again, please know I am not dismissing the dangers of the virus.  I believe it is real and dangerous, but I do wonder if we needed to go to the extremes we have.  Of course, now what has been done forces those in power to follow through.  Why?  Because, if even one of the models turns out to be right and they abandon the extreme measures, they will be crucified.  Politicians NEVER volunteer for the Cross!

The models were not only wrong, but they promoted and fueled the paranoia, panic, terror, and gave a sense of certitude that was not true.  I am reminded of the words of economist Friedrich Hayek, “I confess that I prefer true but imperfect knowledge, to a pretense of exact knowledge that is likely to be false.”  Is that what happened with the ‘expert’ advice given to the president and America? 

It would be less concerning to me had this been the result of America being convinced to act in the extreme manner we have.  However, in many cases, it has not been a convinced populace but a government edict with the threat of jail and/or fine if we did not comply.  If we lose the principle of Republicanism where ‘we the people’ give consent and we are forced to comply with government edicts we destroy the soul of the Republic.  I fear that we are standing on the brink of that possibility.

In Sweden, a far different approach was pursued.  They opted to allow some exposure to the virus hoping to build immunity among the general population.  They took defined measures to protect the high-risk groups especially the elderly and those with known weakened immune systems.  That seems to have paid off for them and they have not endured the economic devastation we have in America. 

The ‘experts’ are all pushing for a vaccine and have declared they hope ‘behavioral change’ will occur and people will be more open to a vaccine going forward.  Dr. Fauci who has worked with Bill Gates for a decade or more is pushing the Gates mantra of lockdown and vaccination. 

What virus vaccine do we now have that provides total immunity or safety?  I know of none.  Gates has openly declared his desire to see the world population reduced by at least 15% and believes that vaccines will facilitate that result.  Yet, he and they tell us that vaccines are a life-saving approach.  If it reduces the overall population would that not suggest that it would be a euthanasia move for some to save others?  I don’t see them volunteering to be euthanized. 

My concern is, the numbers do not justify the extreme mitigation measures we have taken.  Unless there is something we do not know and there is a danger we are not being told, it seems that we may have moved far beyond what was required, justified, needed, or in the best interest of the Republic on every level.  Yes, people have died and will die.  One state has reduced the number of COVID-19 deaths because they determined that there were other mitigating circumstances, not the virus that likely caused the deaths.  Statistics and data can be amassed to prove virtually anything. 

I am concerned about what we have done, what we are doing, and what the result will be.  I want no one to suffer or die from the virus or because they have lost everything trying to achieve safety.  There must be a balance between safety and liberty.  If we relinquish our inalienable rights to the nefarious, they will never give those rights back without a revolution.  None should want that.  I only ask that you consider what has been lost and what has been gained and decide.  If you believe we have over-reacted contact your elected officials and articulate your case.  If you believe we have acted rightly, then sit passively for the storm to pass.

God bless you and God bless America!