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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCoronavirus could push Americans to lobby for a social safety net like Europe's, experts say
The coronavirus crisis could be the historical event that sparks a socially-conscious shift in Americans political priorities, experts told CNBC.
The United States has confirmed 759,696 cases of Covid-19 and over 40,000 deaths from the virus to date, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. New York state, which has had 238,831 cases of the coronavirus, now has a higher number of confirmed cases than any country in the world.
Effects of the outbreak are also being felt economically, with lockdown and shelter-at-home measures leading to record jobless claims. So far throughout the crisis, 22 million Americans have filed claims almost wiping out all of the job gains since the Great Recession.
Speaking to CNBC via telephone, Morgan Housel, partner at venture capital firm Collaborative Fund and author of The Psychology of Money, said the U.S. had historically not faced any localized destruction deep enough to prompt a widespread shift in thinking. Although he noted the exception of Pearl Harbor and the huge human toll experienced during the Second World War.
The U.S. did not face as much local devastation during World War II as Europe did and I think at the end of at the end of World War II, most of Europe came together and said, we just went through this incredible trauma, therefore we want more social safety net, we want less risk, we want a more predictable future, he said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/20/coronavirus-may-push-us-to-lobby-for-social-safety-net-like-europes.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)And that this is real life, not a reality show.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,320 posts)LisaM
(27,800 posts)The sad truth is that we have a minority government in power. Figuring out how to fix this is the issue.
Celerity
(43,292 posts)advantage of, profit off of, they always want situs where they can get them to work like dogs for shit pay, etc.
Plus the Rethugs will always shoot this angle, an angle Trump is honing to a scimitar sharp level:
Hes not hurting the people he needs to be: a Trump voter says the quiet part out loud
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida
Most Marianna residents support Trumps border wall, his key demand in the shutdown fight, and dont blame him for the fight. But Crystal Minton, a secretary at the prison who is also a single mother caring for disabled parents, had a somewhat different reaction one that reveals an essential truth about the core Trumps political appeal.
I voted for him, and hes the one whos doing this, Minton told Mazzei. I thought he was going to do good things. Hes not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.
Hes not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.
Think about that line for a second. Roll it over in your head. In essence, Minton is declaring that one aim of the Trump administration is to hurt people the right people. Making America great again, in her mind, involves inflicting pain.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,853 posts)Most of them want the woman to deal with the consequences of getting pregnant, whether its good for the baby or not.
Their views on welfare are similar, as evidenced by the many examples cited by right-wing propagandists of people abusing the system. Not THEM, of course, even if their own family members get that kind of social assistance. Its the others who abuse it.
If someone doesnt look or act like them, theyre probably up to no good in their minds.
BadgerMom
(2,770 posts)If Covid 19 is responsible for making it happen, Ill be glad for that while remaining heartbroken about our poor response and the deaths it has caused. Its frustrating, though, that this carnage is what it takes to make people begin to notice.
JI7
(89,244 posts)it would exclude them though.
the lack of support for a social safety net comes down to bigotry in the US.
DarthDem
(5,255 posts)As a viable movement. If it is sufficiently marginalized. Democrats and right-thinking people need to act decisively on this. It could be both a devastating, unacceptable, unimaginable tragedy and an inflection point.
danny1955
(13 posts)I can already hear the ass hats on the other side "How we gonna pay for it?"
LittleGirl
(8,282 posts)LittleGirl
(8,282 posts)in my households decision to live in Europe. We left the states in 2014 but kept our house in Az to rent. Once we realized that there was more security here, no gun violence to speak of, it was a done deal. We sold the house. We are blessed. We are grateful and we are downright horrified that our worst fear was realized.
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)and kick republicaans out of power at federal, state and local levels. A massive tidal wave more impressive than 2018's outcome.
trump/gop's years of making Govt NOT work will change many people's minds.
Chainfire
(17,526 posts)It is called campaign finance reform. Until we change our method of electing politicians, nothing changes but the faces. None of the elected officials want to change the system because it worked, and works, for them.
Congressmen and women have to raise an average of nearly $20,000.00 per day. That money comes from entities that want to buy influence. We have set up a system that is run by legal bribes, paid for favors.
The system is designed to work for big money; it works.
https://www.termlimits.com/congress-fundraising-priority/
Docreed2003
(16,858 posts)Would show the "America first" crowd just how interconnected and globally interdependent our society really is, but, sadly, most can't seem to see further than their own sad lives. Until we have an acceptance of civil connectedness and a return to a mentality of "we not me", I'm afraid that achieving progressive goals will remain a struggle.