This pandemic is a war.
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The “enemy soldiers” on the other side are microscopic, but they are still a very powerful enemy. And unlike prior world wars, it is being fought on American soil as well as in the rest of the world.
We need a leader who not only tells the hard truth but is able to inspire people to action.
Washington Post: Americans may not be willing to sacrifice for long periods of time to defeat COVID-19
[See WaPo Twitter Thread]
What [pandemic] experts have not always made clear is that by applying all that downward pressure on the [COVID-19] curve — by canceling gatherings, quarantining the sick and enforcing social distancing — you elongate the curve, stretching it out over a longer period of time.
It is unclear whether Americans — who built this country on ideals of independence and individual rights — would be willing to endure such harsh restrictions on their lives for months, let alone for a year or more.
Practicallefty Replying to @washingtonpost on Twitter:
But we did it for YEARS during World Wars I & II. Food and fuel were rationed, and consumer purchases of any raw materials or finished products required for the war effort were banned. Everyone with even a tiny plot of land was encouraged to grow a “Victory Garden.”
People grumbled about it and sometimes violated the rules, creating black markets. But mostly they cooperated.
And they were proud of their sacrifices.
Dear Barack Obama and Michelle Obama:
What is the difference between World War II and now?
We had a leader who did his best to spread sacrifice across all classes through rationing, with access to necessities distributed per person rather than per dollar of wealth. Of course it wasn’t completely equitable, but at least not as inequitable as it would have been without the rationing.
This pandemic is a war.
