[ExI] cumulative cost of shutdown

[Ben]

On 07/04/2021 22:51, billw wrote:
> ...how many lives have been saved?  No one is shutting down things to 
> ruin the economy. Impossible to measure, I'll grant you that.  But 
> that has to be the other side of the equation.  People are still 
> catching it and some are dying.  Keep that in mind.  How much damage 
> to the economy is worth it to save a life?  Theoretically.  Does 
> anyone know what variables are being used to make these mask and 
> shutdown decisions?  Who is measuring the effects?  Are they making 
> decisions based on data? What data?  Does shutting down even work?  
>  Somebody has to know these things so they can make recommendations.  
> I see none of the above in the news - just the actions to open up or 
> close down.  bill w

It seems obvious to me: These are political decisions, made in the same 
way that all political decisions are made. The important thing is to get 
re-elected, to maintain power. This takes precedence over everything: 
Human lives, the economy, the environment, the entire world, everything. 
The way to be re-elected is to be seen to be 'doing something'. Doing 
nothing is political suicide, because you can't get credit for doing 
nothing, no matter what the outcome. So the politicians will decide to 
'get things done', without any regard for the actual effectiveness of 
the actions taken. If the voters see them as being decisive, they will 
get re-elected. Data doesn't come into it, calculations don't get 
anywhere near it. Recommendations are listened to then disregarded. Or 
not even listened to at all. Politicians know how effective 'knee-jerk' 
reactions are, and are experts at manipulating them for their own ends. 
No other explanation is needed.

Ben

-- 
Ben Zaiboc

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