By Hayden Mortensen
COVID-19 shutdowns were good social experiments, and who better to try them than Donald Trump. Precautionary pandemic shutdowns were bound to happen sometime. We needed to know if they could work to decrease disease. If there ever was a disposable president who could handle flak from radically experimental action, it’s Trump, and I think he’s done well to save lives and save face.
Trump was strategic by leading shutdowns. Ideally, shutdowns should’ve been a state-by-state basis, but would anybody have obeyed if Sally from Montana got to work her “nonessential” job while we couldn’t? Maybe, but how would interstate travel and commerce work? How would we actually keep illness at bay? For unified, moderated compliance in this experiment, society needed a spokesperson – Trump. Furthermore, trolls like Trump are comfortable between rocks and hard places. Initiating shutdowns would trash Trump’s economy, but non-action would ruin his reelection. He came out with a win-win by saving lives and most likely his reelection. He can rebuild from there if he wants.
Trump understood Americans’ income needs. Federal stimuli was nice, but I fear how much we’ll pay for it later. Trump was wise in pushing restart plans earlier than he previously declared. The best stimulus is work. I’m indeed concerned about the ill and elderly, especially my relatives, but it breaks their hearts to watch their children lose all they’ve worked for. I can get behind Trump’s economic vigor while also watching out for others. Can state officials?
Trump’s economic vigor created a balance during a time of timidness. New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, contrasted Trump. Cuomo panicked. Granted, Cuomo’s concern was well-warranted because of his stewardship’s population density. He should’ve taken better care of that stewardship beforehand though. He had neither fiscal nor physical preparedness for his state which led to unnecessary federal “bail outs.” Furthermore, after his fits got him what he wanted, he quickly organized an interstate reopening council as if he was in charge. Other state and local governments were equally paranoid and inconsistent which led to infringements on rights to religion and peaceable assembly. Trump waited to assess COVID-19 outbreaks before pulling the trigger. He also portrayed sentiments of hope instead of panic throughout the ordeal.
Panic is never the answer, but the experiment erred on the side of excess precaution, which is a good thing. Trump’s done a good job of staying cool while doing what’s never been done before. Now, I think it’s time for us who have “wander[ed] in moments of error or alarm” to “hasten to retrace our steps and regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety” – Thomas Jefferson. It’s time to get back to work. We’ve fought a good fight, hospitals can handle it from here, and government officials will have experience under their belts for the next pandemic to come. Trump made the best calls he could. Now it’s time for us to make good calls for our livelihood. Speak up to open up!
