Folks, I take the Coronavirus as seriously as anyone. But am I alone in trying to get my head around how it is that the CDC has already counted in America in the last 6 months over 38-54 million cases of the normal flu, and 23-59 thousand deaths from the normal flu (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm)?

This is in contrast to the CDC reported Coronavirus cases as of today at 68 thousand cases and 994 deaths (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html).

I scratch my head and ask is shutting down the whole economy the best solution - given the magnitude difference between Coronavirus and regular flu? I look at the maps the WHO puts out, and it appears there's no containing it – only slowing it and “flattening the curve.”  I get that we have found ourselves flatfooted with a healthcare industry unprepared to handle any surge in sickness (that's a really bad problem) and the fault of your Congressional leadership.  And that that's driving a lot of the hysteria as the nation tries to "flatten the curve" of cases currently overwhelming hospital's while many many folks try to scale up capacity to meet demand simultaneously. I totally get that - and “I get” the folks in the thick of it are HUGE HEROS (My daughter's a new nurse - obvious worries).  I also "get" the fears of mutations of the Coronavirus that could become even more deadly (praying for that not to happen).  But I'm like asking myself the same question as the President: "Is the cure worse than the problem itself?" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjggNIvGqQ0).

Short of any new insight and facts, my sense is all haste to increase hospital capacity to handle the surge in patients is the key. How fast our leadership tackles that, in contrast to how long they allow our economy to decline under our current "Shelter in Place" policy, is the measure by which those in power will be judged.  I think the key short-term metric is where the two key curves intersect: hospital capacity and demand for treatment. At that intersection, steadily reducing "Shelter in Place" policies to reignite the economy can commence - but not before.  The devil is in the metrics. I'm thinking that's how you have to handle going forward. The metrics will tell whether that will be in one week, or one month, or longer. Is my thinking clear - what have I overlooked?

The longer term keys are developing and deploying a vaccine and holding your elected leader’s feet to the fire to not have America caught so flat footed that we find ourselves as a nation vulnerable to the smallest breakdown in the capacity of “anything” that we find ourselves in these kinds of circumstances. 

Folks, as a military officer, it is not like the circumstance we are currently experiencing with Coronavirus was not anticipated.  The Pentagon and our combatant commands have “Contingency Operations Plans” that are well thought out and “staffed” in place to tackle Pandemic Influenza (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-team-failed-to-follow-nscs-pandemic-playbook/ar-BB11IjMW?ocid=spartanntp).  The key component is having leadership in place that is up to the task of “leading.”  It’s time to re-evaluate the “re-elect me – party first – America second” leadership you are sending to Congress.  Get leaders in there that will focus on what’s important and who “Do-the-Right Thing.”

Utah Bull-Moose Party for U.S. Senate 2022.