What do we do when it's over?

I continue to adhere to the stay-at-home order. I have been following orders all my life, although I find them to be easier to follow when they make sense. Much of the Governor’s restrictions are common logic; others, however, are hard to understand. Most of our shops are closed, and we are prohibited from going to church, but marijuana is considered essential to the functioning of our community. We are encouraged to bring our reusable shopping bags to be filled by grocery clerks, but we are prohibited from checking out books from the library. If we have books already checked out, we cannot return them for someone else to read. Our schools are shut down while our children remain at risk in day-care centers. We are encouraged to walk, as exercise is essential to our collective well being, but if we choose to walk on our local golf course, we can’t carry our clubs. We can’t go fishing anywhere in the state, but we can ride the bus where it is not always possible to keep six feet away from your fellow commuters. The only coronavirus patient with whom I am personally acquainted is a Seattle bus driver. Some things just don’t make sense.

Given the logic deficiencies in the stay-at-home edict, is there any wonder I worry about the aftermath of the pandemic. How do we prepare for the next time something similar comes to visit? We have been told over and over in the past few weeks that the impact of the virus was exacerbated by our unpreparedness. To be prepared includes a willingness to accept safe social distancing immediately when authorities tell us to do so. Assuming stay home/stay safe works, we can only prevent a next time if we keep travel restrictions in place, and we may just do that. Every national emergency in recent history has resulted in long term changes in government and society.

Before the great depression of the 1930s, the US had a balanced budget. The federal government under FDR tried to solve the world wide economic crises by funding well-meaning work programs – with borrowed money. In the ensuing 90 years, only Eisenhower and Bill Clinton have refrained from adding to the deficit. Prior to the 2008 banking crises, home loans involved only the lender and the home buyer. Very few Americans had heard of subprime loans and mortgage bundles. When well-meaning government programs eliminated the risk of obtaining home loans, Wall Street greed took over, and a crises was born. The answer to the crises was a $152 billion stimulus package and increased government control of the lending process. Home loans are now monitored by federal overseers with all personal financial records open for inspection. The answer to the current crises is a $2.2 trillion stimulus package and increased government control over our daily lives. We sacrificed basic constitutional freedoms to fight the pandemic. When the crises is over, we will certainly be one step nearer to national bankruptcy, and subject to new government restrictions.

I can foresee every American be required an annual physical exam that includes screening for viruses and other pathogens. We now have a precedent for state governors to restrict freedom of movement during emergencies. Who will define an emergency? Will executive orders continue to have the force of law? Will travel be regulated during the annual flu season? What if we have an event like Mount St Helens? Will citizens be confined to their homes until state health officials examine the danger? Fire season seems to come around every summer now. Will communities be required to evacuate until air quality meets arbitrary standards? Under what circumstances will we grant our state executive the power to close selective businesses? Will we allow government the authority to mandate what private companies can or can not manufacture? Will states also sacrifice more of their sovereignty to the federal government? Governors have repeatedly accused the federal government of dereliction during this crises. Does that mean states will no longer be expected to prepare for emergencies? When states demand financial assistance, will they be willing to accept federal management and oversight?

I don’t have a crystal ball to see the future. I can only ask questions I believe all of us should be asking. I do know, however, that this crises will result in long term changes in our lives.

(Frank Watson is a retired Air Force Colonel and long-time resident of Eastern Washington. He has been a free-lance columnist for over 20 years.)