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Monday, March 02, 2020

A Coronavirus Reality Check


Starting the week off on the wrong foot, after the first reported U.S. coronavirus deaths, The Washington Times’s editorial page editor, Ethan Epstein, published a breathless hyperbolic warning about the COVID-19 flu variant — a case study of Beltway media group-think that promotes pandemic panic.

According to Epstein, “Americans have done so much screaming at each other to avoid panic over the novel coronavirus that they’ve arguably grown complacent.” (Tell that to the equities markets.) He then goes on to affirm the actions being taken in other countries: “China … has locked down tens of millions of people and virtually shut down its economy, the world’s second-largest. Japan has closed schools for a month. In France…the Louvre was closed. Switzerland…won’t allow gatherings that draw more than 1,000 people. … Two decades after 9/11, many Americans once again seem to think ‘it can’t happen here.’ But as we’ve learned more than once, it can.”

So, let’s shut the country down?

Will COVID-19 be the next catastrophic attack on America, “The BIG One”? As I have noted previously, it might result in another bad year for U.S. influenza deaths, but nobody can actually project that right now. What is certain, however, is that the “pandemic fear and panic” are great political fodder for Democrats hoping to crash the U.S. economy … and thus President Donald Trump’s re-election.

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have probably heard by now 2 people from Florida have test positive for Coronavirus. Media stated Sarasota Memorial hospital; however, individuals are at Doctor's Hospital, Sarasota FL. The Headlines were exaggerated. Sarasota Memorial is the most well recognized hospital in Southwest Forida thus used in the headline. Fake news again

Anonymous said...

No panic at hospitals in Mantee county - business as usual. Don't give in to media false reporting.

Anonymous said...

The virus is the perfect excuse for an economic collapse to reset the US Dollar

Anonymous said...

I'll still vote Trump because a disease doesn't care about political leanings but I won't lie I won't be waiting for the government to tell me when to take my kids out of school. We aren't there yet but I won't be risking mine.

Anonymous said...

Stop worrying about the U.S. dollar, you must be worried that all that money you have buried in mason jars will be worthless when you dig it up. If you are as smart as you think you are, you would have dug it up years ago a bought gold. You will die before the U.S. dollar collapses, and get no benefit of all that buried money. That is when your U.S dollars will become worthless.
Keep Cheering

Anonymous said...

Forget the personal attack against this commenter for a minute. I agree the virus is acting as a black swan event, whether planned or not planned.

Are you suggesting the US Dollar’s demise is NOT on the short horizon? If so, maybe you should reconsider? The Fed is creating $40 Billion every night right now in the Repo Market. Are you aware of it? Are you aware of the naked short contracts for gold and silver in the COMEX?

Anonymous said...

I've been hearing this same prediction on the US dollar for at least 30 years. Don't panic we will be ok