Thinking rationally the premise if flawed. This is not a pandemic, I admit that I can only speak for the US. The numbers are barely a fraction of the numbers seen for the annual flu in exposure, infection and death.
The hype and panic elicited by the MSM is absurd and its getting in the way of my liberty. Its growing old.

https://youtu.be/Z0GFRcFm-aY

South Korea laid out a successful strategy for dealing with the virus. They chose to isolate the most vulnerable, the elderly and the infirm. They then instituted a massive testing program to identify those who were carriers and treating them. They did not shut down the nation's economy. It was a rational response, not one driven by fear and panic.

We have let the media drive calm and reason from our collective minds. When the hoarding started, the media tried to portray it as a sign of shortages, which was a lie. It is a sign of panic, with people buying 500% more than usual, because the media told them that if they didn't die from the disease, they would die of starvation. It's an excessive demand problem, not a supply problem.

Even people formerly anti-gun descended on the gun stores, out of fear society was about to descend into violence. Why? Because the media told them it would.

We need to get a grip, and follow a logical, methodical approach to pandemics, avoiding panic and chaos. Americans are usually pretty adaptable, and we need to recover that talent.

I'm part of a startup company that is aggressively working to provide supplies, like antiviral masks, caps, gowns, gloves, and hoods to medical personnel. We're also going to be supplying ventilators and respirators at a low cost, and making personal OTC COVID-19 testing kits available through the big chain drug stores. Those kits will give immediate results, making it possible to find out if you have the disease in your own home.

Very interesting. Thanks for putting that here. I have understood this is much more contagious than the normal flu. But, I could be wrong. My position might be based on bogus reports.

RIP Federal Reserve!!!

This is Huge!!!!

"This scheme essentially merges the Fed and Treasury into one organization. So, meet your new Fed chairman, Donald J. Trump.

“But it’s the alphabet soup of new programs that deserve special consideration, as they could have profound long-term consequences for the functioning of the Fed and the allocation of capital in financial markets. Specifically, these are:

CPFF (Commercial Paper Funding Facility) – buying commercial paper from the issuer. PMCCF (Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility) – buying corporate bonds from the issuer. TALF (Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility) – funding backstop for asset-backed securities. SMCCF (Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility) – buying corporate bonds and bond ETFs in the secondary market. MSBLP (Main Street Business Lending Program) – Details are to come, but it will lend to eligible small and medium-size businesses, complementing efforts by the Small Business Association.

To put it bluntly, the Fed isn’t allowed to do any of this. The central bank is only allowed to purchase or lend against securities that have government guarantee. This includes Treasury securities, agency mortgage-backed securities and the debt issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. An argument can be made that can also include municipal securities, but nothing in the laundry list above.

So how can they do this? The Fed will finance a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for each acronym to conduct these operations. The Treasury, using the Exchange Stabilization Fund, will make an equity investment in each SPV and be in a “first loss” position. What does this mean? In essence, the Treasury, not the Fed, is buying all these securities and backstopping of loans; the Fed is acting as banker and providing financing. The Fed hired BlackRock Inc. to purchase these securities and handle the administration of the SPVs on behalf of the owner, the Treasury.

In other words, the federal government is nationalizing large swaths of the financial markets. The Fed is providing the money to do it. BlackRock will be doing the trades.

This scheme essentially merges the Fed and Treasury into one organization. So, meet your new Fed chairman, Donald J. Trump.

In 2008 when something similar was done, it was on a smaller scale. Since few understood it, the Bush and Obama administrations ceded total control of those acronym programs to then-Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. He unwound them at the first available opportunity. But now, 12 years later, we have a much better understanding of how they work. And we have a president who has made it very clear how displeased he is that central bankers haven’t used their considerable power to force the Dow Jones Industrial Average at least 10,000 points higher, something he has complained about many times before the pandemic hit.”

Full article. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/feds-c...

Excellent article - probably the most informative and objective piece I've seen to date regarding COVID-19. My hat is off to you!

I hardly think so! The nanny state isn't that great!

What is it the government should have done?

"Globally, the risk of doing business is now permanently increased—not because of the Wuhan pandemic, but because of the government reaction to it."

These kind of statements are irresponsible. The virus was an unknown phenomenon, nobody had a grasp how dangerous it was, especially since Chine did not help.

Trump has been demonstrating true leadership, despite all the contrary information, putting into place policies that are aimed at helping the country.

1. "If your concern is “public health,” you should urge your government to stop indefinite-term shutdowns. Large reductions in economic output will translate to reduced philanthropy, assuredly a worse outcome for millions of children dying of malnutrition and malaria in India and Africa. And for all other causes you believe in. And to reduced research funds for treating infectious diseases that kill over 10 million annually, and respiratory diseases and infections that kill over 6 million annually.
2. If your concern is liberty, there is a grave danger of an irreversible descent into a totalitarian government that seeks to destroy the fossil-fuel powered economy and freedom of speech—the offer to save businesses with subsidies that contain caveats to serve the postmodern narratives is dangerous.

3.If your concern is the economy, a new Great Depression scenario looms large already.
If your primary concern is COVID-19, take note of how your government’s “remedy” is worse than the disease. And of how often they keep asking you not to panic.

We are fully aware of all this. Any reason to repeat it ad nauseum?

This statement incensed me the most:
"But then, maybe they want you to panic. Nothing like a crisis that paves the path to power and glory."

Some people are unable to separate their normal thought process from political grandstanding.

This is a time to stick together and help each other, not to stoke the flames and generate dissension.