Friday, May 15, 2020

Those opposed to opening the economy need to up their game....

This pandemic is no fun for anybody, but let's not kid ourselves, for some its not that bad.  

On the financial side of the equation things are actually pretty good for probably about 80% of the population.  Yes around 3 million Canadians have lost jobs, and many have seen their work hours reduced, but that's far from the majority.  According to reports, for about two thirds of the Canadian workforce things are pretty much status quo employment wise.  And of course those who are comfortably retired with stable incomes, financial stress is not a consideration.  

And as everyone knows, if we want to slow the spread of the novel Coronavirus, then lockdown measures have to continue.  All this pressure to open up the economy is just selfishness, those who are sympathetic to people who are in financial trouble, and the people themselves who are out of work....oh well, it sucks to be them, they should have saved more money.  If we're going to stop the spread of this deadly virus we  have to stay locked down, informed people know this.

So I have a modest little proposal about how all smart Canadians can drive the point home.  

Stop going to the grocery store or having food delivered until we get the all clear.  These people working in the supply chain, they're contributing to community spread, just look at all the cases in meat processing plants and at grocery stores themselves.  We need to socially distance everyone, and by continuing to patronize these businesses we're just prolonging the agony.  The same goes for hydro and internet workers, the people maintaining the power grid and our on-line connectivity.  These people are out taking transit, buying gas...we can't have that if we're going to stamp this nasty bug into submission.  

What I'm saying is that we need all intelligent Canadians, the ones who have the sense to realize that we can't be opening up the economy, we need everyone in this camp to cut off hydro, internet, delivery, shopping, mail....everything.  

We can't claim the moral high ground over the 3+ million suffering from lock down measures, worrying about losing their homes, feeding their families, providing for their children...we can't preach to them while sitting comfortably at home binge watching Netflix shows while smoking delivery order weed.  

Those who aren't willing to cut themselves off from all the products and services they're enjoying thanks to the people out working and spreading the virus around, well....they're obviously the worst form of hypocrites.  

Me?  I say open things back up.  My sympathy is with those whose lives are being selectively destroyed becasue they had the misfortune to derive their income from a source the government decided wasn't essential.  If you don't agree, then stop patronizing all the businesses that were deemed such.  




3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Huh? What set off this strange, illogical and unprogressive post?

Don't preach at regular people, matey. Send your embittered croakings via email to the Chief Medical Officer of Health Canada, and all her provincial counterparts as well. They're the ones calling the vast majority of the shots about what can and cannot re-open, when and how. If you're lucky you might even get a reply.

Why you'd assign blame for your perception of things onto some of the common herd of regular Canadian folk is beyond me. Whatever cruel blow this crisis has or hasn't delivered to each family or person is not the "fault" of the average citizen. Everyone is just trying to get through this with the particular hand they've been dealt. Sure some are doing much better than others - are they lording it over everyone else? I see no sign of it. The government is trying to soften the blow on the most badly affected, I think, unless I'm mistaken. Otherwise those citizens would be even more screwed than they are. Or is all this deluge of money a chimera?

Are people supposed to feel guilty for buying groceries? Why?

Yup, it's actually all the "fault" of the public health docs. Go on, have a go at them if you're that fired up and feel so strongly about things, and leave the rest of us out of it.

Obviously by my interpretation of who I think you should be blaming if your argument has any validity, then public health is being too draconian in their approach to re-opening. You say let 'er rip right now, Mr Expert. Heard Trump say exactly that yesterday. I say hie yourself off to the USA or something and enjoy the frenzied life if Canada's approach drives you to distraction.

BM

Unknown said...

Great Idea. Stay home if you want. It's your choice. Who will pick up your garbage. Remember them? They are on furlough. Ask your PM to pickup the garbage. Isn't he related to Nancy Pelosi? The liberals' best friend.

Gordie Canuk said...

Unprogressive? So caring about the poor and marginalized is suddenly not progressive any more? I didn't get the memo....I thought these were the issues of most import to the progressive camp. While lockdown measures have been a boom to big biz outfits like Wal-Mart, Amazon, Home Depot and others and many more....millions of Canadians have been forced onto gov't assistance and are facing the stress and poor health outcomes that come from financial uncertainty....increased alcohol and substance abuse, child and spousal abuse, suicide. The UN is forecasting that 150 million people will be pushed to starvation by the end of the year, many of them children.....

So the novel and mostly benign coronavirus has rendered caring about the poor and marginalized unprogressive all of sudden? Then I guess I'm no longer progressive....the progressives can side with the corporate world if they want, I prefer to remain consistent.

As to garbage pick up...in Canada its considered essential.