Weekly Opinion Editorial
APPLY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT!
by Steve Fair
COVID-19 has dominated the news and our lives for the last two weeks. 350,000 Americans have tested positive for the virus and 10,000 have died. In Oklahoma, 1,300 have tested positive with 50 deaths. Congress passed and President Trump signed a 2 trillion(that is a million millions)relief bill that includes a one-time cash payment of $1,200 for individuals earning less than $75,000. Families will get $500 per child, so that means a family of four earning less than $150,000 can expect $3,400. The CDC and the White House recommend we continue to practice social distancing, work from home and if you have to go out wear a cloth mask to slow the spread of the virus. It appears the month of April will have Americans staying home until the virus peaks. But politics doesn’t stop even for a pandemic. Joe Biden is running ads criticizing President Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 situation. Three thoughts on the COVID-19 situation and a recommendation:
First, Trump didn’t create the virus. In spite of what the Chinese claims about the US military bringing the virus to their country, the virus appears to be similar in molecular structure of the SARS virus and was transferred from a bat to a Chinese man after he consumed the bat. A health crisis of this magnitude couldn’t have been anticipated. America’s preparation for a health care crisis was woefully inadequate. Testing, personal protective equipment, and infrastructure for a low probability, high risk event like COVID-19 wasn’t in place. That wasn’t Trump’s fault. Those areas have been underfunded and ignored for years, by leadership in both Parties. COVID-19 will probably change that, at least for the short term.
Second, Biden, Trump and other politicos should put the partisanship aside for now. In the midst of a health care crisis, it’s inappropriate to use it for political gain. That goes for both sides of the aisle. Biden’s ads are poorly timed and will probably not be well received by most voters. This is not a time for political positioning, but one when thoughtful sober dialogue should be exercised.
Third, America will come roaring back when COVID-19 is gone. The United States and Americans are a resilient country and people. The comeback may not be immediate. Experts say it may take 2-3 years for the economy to get to where it was, but most of the world will be well behind the U.S. Manufacturing that has fled America for other countries will likely come back. America should never have gotten as dependent on other countries for goods and service. Selling out fellow Americans to save a couple of bucks may be a thing of the past.
Candidates for office in Oklahoma file for office this week- April 8-10. State and federal candidates file in OKC, but candidates in county races file in their respective county. The primary election is Tuesday June 30th. With only God knowing what the future holds, Oklahoma voters should consider applying for an absentee balloting. Go to https://www.ok.gov/elections/Voter_Info/Absentee_Voting/index.htmland follow the prompts to apply. You must apply by June 24th. Older voters should seriously consider applying. Stay safe!
TRUMP DIDN'T CREATE COVID-19- BIDEN'S ADS ARE ILL TIMED!Click the headline to read this full article, TRUMP DIDN'T CREATE COVID-19- BIDEN'S ADS ARE ILL TIMED!, at FAIR AND BIASED
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