While the sentiments expressed by “We’re all in this together” and “Alone Together,” among others, are undoubtedly sincere, one has to wonder what will happen once the current pandemic ends and we’re in recovery mode. Great unifying catchphrases have the habit of fizzling after the crises have passed. Significant challenges wait. History tells us not to expect post-pandemic burdens to be shared equally unless we proactively develop strategies now to address the inequalities.
First and foremost are the front-line medical workers, farmers, truck drivers, public and private services-industry personnel (trash pickup, transportation, food delivery, etc.), first responders, law enforcement, educators and so many more that we have recognized as selfless heroes. They’ve kept society functioning despite the risks to their lives and a maze of obstacles in their path.
These people are the true backbone of society in good times and bad. Will we reward them with pay increases that reflect their value to society? Or will the CEOs, executives and others who are in the boardrooms and operate from the comfort of their homes during crises continue to earn disproportionately more than those in the trenches? The past holds the answers: We’ll briefly celebrate our heroes and then it’ll be back to business as usual — or worse yet, pay cuts in some job sectors.
Our post-COVID responses offer tremendous opportunities to rebuild our society on egalitarian principles. Besides taking care of our backbone employees, we face the monumental task of Re-employing America. For these individuals as well, equitable pay must be a priority.
The trillions in federal funds we’ve had to borrow from our future to fight the pandemic loom over us. There are bills to pay and recessionary forces to contend with. So how do we better support and unburden our backbone and other core workers under such circumstances?
We can start with a graduated individual tax similar to what existed during the Great Depression and World War II. Corporate tax loopholes and havens must also be eliminated. We don’t need runaway stock market indices to have a vibrant economy. More wealth in the hands of more people will fuel the economic engine.
Income equality is not the primary objective, however. Financial peace of mind is. Reducing the inevitable financial stresses and despair of a post-COVID world would better serve the public at large and the nation.
Then there’s health care. Obviously, we need to improve our preparations for future pandemics, including facilities that can accommodate an influx of patients and adequate stockpiles of personal protective equipment, medications and other essentials. But we can’t break the bank doing so. Major pandemics are infrequent events. The focus must remain on routine health care and establishing access to medical services for all, equally.
To minimize the probability of instability in the future, we must respect not only the scientists who work tirelessly to improve the quality and length of our lives but also the methods they employ to arrive at truths and make predictions. Yet there are many who rebuff the validity of pandemic modeling, immunizations, human-induced climate change, evolution and other scientifically vetted principles — while all-the-while benefiting from the riches science has brought them. They use their authority to dictate the course of humanity through ill-conceived laws and self-interest, driving an ever-increasing wealth gap and dismantling environmental protections.
We need to minimize their impact through our right to vote, electing instead those who value scientific methods, facts over fictions, and most importantly, egalitarian principles.
Hardships lie ahead in the post-COVID world, but by being in this all together, more equally, with science at our side, our future will be brighter.
Published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and StarAdvertiser.com on April 4, 2020
