Coronavirus Task Force Meeting (3/10)
The Coronavirus Task Force has come forward with a bold new proposal regarding a possible move to eliminate the payroll tax indefinitely. The payroll tax would be removed for employers and employees and would have the real potential to become permanent. Restructuring the way our Government operates would be both a matter of readdressing the current inequality and also being realistic about permanent impacts to the economy. In 2010 a similar measure in the US was a success.
Italy – Current and recent emergency measures in Italy have included policies of mortgage & rent relief, as a first step. There will inevitably be some shift in Italy as the coronavirus is peaking worse there than anywhere else at the present time. Scientists and Healthcare workers are in a race against time and resources for combating the coronavirus do not exist yet.
In Italy, where the problem has already gotten more out of hand, there is a reality facing older patients with prior pathologies. There simply is not capacity to properly treat for the coronavirus in the 60+ class, where no broad cure is known and where underlying complications make the mission to save this demographic an even more dire circumstance for the Italian Health System.
USA – “The payroll tax holiday is a bold move;” said President Trump’s Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow. ” it has always been a bold move.”
Payroll tax reduction would create a meaningful stimulus effect for blue collar workers which could ultimately precipitate a Blue Collar Boom. But for this stimulus to work, the non-economic aspect must be addressed as well. Payroll tax reduction, after all, can only solve part of the problem America now faces.
As of 3/10 , according to the latest report from the Coronavirus Task Force, it is possible to be tested with a Dr.’s Orders in all 50 states. Conversely, in Washington State many are reporting symptoms which have not met the current guidelines for testing. Also people with less severe conditions are being turned away because of overcapacity with more severe/at risk patients. There is a highly inefficient Stalwart approach and nobody is being taken care of at the present time, for any medical condition. Faulty testing (discovered in Mid April) paint a more dire picture, as over 1 month of efforts in this area were done w/contaminated tests. Similar sticking points are being experienced by all 50 states, where Dr. Patient Relationships are under strain if they exist at all. What is an elective surgery? America is finding out, in the midst of the present emergency scenario. To overcome the dire missteps that has already happened, we must have all 50 states leaning to confront that scenario further in the United States of America.
(March) Breakouts across Europe will have to be handled before they reach the scale of Italy’s current conundrum. Before the coronavirus spreads to its entire country, Italy has made the decision to cordon off parts of the country while this runs its course. Affected communities such as Italy are no more prepared for this than in The United States, but we will see how the 50-state system comes together to tackle every aspect of this.
(March) Which of the States are going to ramp up mask production? Which of the States are investing in quarantine areas for this and future outbreaks? Which State will be able to properly confront the reality that COVID-19 has undermined the availability of the US Healthcare System to properly proceed addressing other healthcare needs.
(March) As schools close in Washington and several other States, there are exemplars of innovation forming where, as they say, “never been done before” is not a valid excuse for inaction. Will we have enough laptops for every student in America to go to a virtual learning environment? Let’s make more tablets, laptops, and computers in this Country. Smartphones, too. Economies across the Country will have to address the needs on the ground. In Washington, Senator Patty Murray and Governor Jay Inslee are rolling out emergency funds which will make it to the most disadvantaged during this time. Just the latest stack of funds to be defensibly (I hope) disbursed to alleviate the pain being felt by those who are stricken by job loss, poverty, pre-existing conditions, and coronavirus in their communities all at once….