Monday, October 27, 2014

More than I wanted to know…

First, allow me to apologize to the readers for the several missed columns over the past months.  I have been having health issues and have spent a lot of time in the hospital. I am deeply indebted, and grateful to FFOA for their understanding in this difficult time.

Funny thing about being in the hospital, you spend a lot of time watching TV.   If you are me, it’s mostly news 24/7.  Due to this I learned much more about Ebola than I ever wanted to know.  I did however figure out some stuff while doing much more research than anyone ever should, and I thought I would share my conclusions.

First, if the goal is really to keep people from panicking, TAKE THE BASIC TIME HONORED PRECAUTIONS EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH!  Specifically I am thinking of travel restrictions and quarantines.  Refusing to do so does not inspire a sense that the administration has everything under control – It makes us think they don’t know what the hell they are doing.  Add that to their recent track record and reasonable people begin to panic, which is what they claim they are trying to avoid. 

Understand that ALL restrictions are going to look like draconian overkill, especially if they work.  The alternative is to do stuff that doesn’t work and then apologize or blame someone else.  That’s not good enough.  Also if everyone is given an exception to the rules you may as well not have the rules in the first place.  Keep the quarantined for the full 21 days and let them whine about it in good health along with their healthy friends and family.

I think it is ridiculous and insulting to assume that some of the proven bravest people out there, the medical workers who volunteer to go work among the diseased at great personal risk, are going to be frightened off by a 21 day quarantine.   They know the stakes much better than the rest of us and they go anyway.  Please do not insult them by doubting their courage.

Now none of this is exactly rocket science. The new Ebola Czar should be able to handle it even if he is as qualified as the Romanovs.  All of this simply requires some political will.   (NOW you can panic!) This is not a situation for negotiation. It simply gets done and people complain or it doesn’t and maybe we get that crisis nobody wants.  Most important, If you don’t want to think about this sort of thing, either stay out of the hospital or watch something besides news.