4/20/2020

My Friend DJT,

            It’s 8:02 AM. My goal was to finish writing to you by 8:00, so I am behind. It’s easy to get behind these days. Those of us at home feel like we have plenty of time. The media provides stories about how to entertain yourself and how to fill the hours, leaving us with the sense that leisure-time is ample. Well it’s not. I’m still supposed to work which includes all of the usual things, communicating with colleagues, planning class, grading papers, keeping up my research agenda, meeting with doctoral students, etc. It takes as much time as it always has, but the domestic aspects of life take more time, too. I have to plan shopping and prepare every meal. I can’t depend on my bike commute for my exercise, so I have to plan for that. I hate all this planning!!!

https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-testing-hampered-by-disarray-shortages-backlogs-11587328441?mod=hp_lead_pos7

I tolerate this situation out of concern for the health care system & the workers who are suffering the most from the onslaught of patients. Most of us will not die from this disease, but enough people end up needing hospitalization that we have to continue our efforts. Don’t you think??? Since it’s hard, we need your encouragement. We need you to start repeating some kind of catchy phrase so we can embrace our confinement. LIBERATE is not it.

Based on my reading of the testing situation, that part of the remedy is still a mess. The WSJ points out, “With normal market forces warping under the pressure, some labs stockpiling goods and others struggling to get them, many see a clearer role for the federal government to resolve the mismatch,” I hope your guy Admiral Brett Giroir can do that so everyone can get what they need. The WSJ says the testing marketplace is “fractured and exhausted” which to me is a call for federal oversight. When the government averse WSJ calls for that, it’s time to do it. Don’t you think?

            HYITL,