March, 2020
Washington – Although these are the bleakest of times, better days may be coming when we get the worst of the coronavirus behind us. It all depends on how well we learn from what we're going through.
If ever there was a reason to learn, it is now, because the lessons of this pandemic are so costly, especially to our health care workers who are trying to save us.
The lessons to learn:
• We are all in this together, worldwide, across all social strata. We must cooperate internationally and learn from the experiences of other nations.
• We must take much more seriously the warnings of our scientists and medical experts, and prepare ourselves accordingly. Other democracies are leveraging their scientific talent better than we are.
• Pandemics are made worse by the failure to provide sick leave to the working class and a lack of universal health care coverage in some form. Surely we can see that it has been shortsighted to widen gaps of income and health care inequality, as it endangers all Americans.
• We must select our political leadership from those with credible experience in handling crises, and from those who can bring people together for the sake of great causes, not from media entertainers who divide us and exploit the fissures. WWII was won by incredible feats of logistics by leaders and managers who knew how to deliver, selflessly, while simultaneously managing the economy.
I look forward to perhaps a year from now, when these lessons have been learned and are being applied. Better days may be coming if we act responsibly now.
