Sometimes it takes an extreme situation to open our eyes to what’s before us every day. The covid-19 panic is one of those events.
Did you notice the response by government (both state and national) to the illness? Most responses fall under one of two types. One type of response – the one government is ‘good’ at – are the orders to “social distance” oneself, to close down businesses and gatherings. The orders are blanket orders, affecting everyone in a large geographical area, regardless of their circumstances. The “heavy hand of government” takes on its full meaning here.
The second type of response is a more rational response. Dozens of government regulations hindering the medical profession and a free market response have been rescinded, at least for a while. Permissions have been granted to do everything from increase the number of ICU hospital beds (!), to emulate Italy’s move of using “split” ventilators, to allow use of a tried-and-true, tested medicine for malaria to be tried against covid-19. Others are just as infuriating – the FDA loosened regulations on the development of test kits (after medical professionals were screaming out the need), allowing licensed health care professionals to work in other states, to loosening laws hindering the utilization of teledoc services. The states followed suite; Pennsylvania, for example, now allows a doctor to “be affiliated with” more than two hospitals, allows retired health care professionals to lend a hand during the crisis without renewing their license, and many other similar loosenings of the restrictions on the free market.
For many years, libertarians have pointed out the best thing government can do – in an emergency or daily life – is to get out of the way, remove the laws and regulations that bind and hinder people’s (non-force initiating) actions. Covid-19 makes it obvious to anyone with open eyes.
For many years, our country has been having a debate about “socialized” versus “market” medicine. Our current situation shows there is no “market” medical system in America. The debate, really, is between nationalized and socialized medicine; socialized medicine is a fait accompli, the current norm.
Socialized medicine, of course, is a necessity for a government that has abrogated the prerogatives of God to itself. For many years now, politicians and most of the population have looked to government to save them from whatever ills are besetting. Whether a natural disaster such as a hurricane or virus, or a health care crisis, or an economic downturn, people’s eyes and expectations turn to Washington for relief and salvation.
I’m afraid we’ll find out that, in this area also, Washington is the god that fails!
Askance Eye Miniblog 