Government Orders Alone Didn't Close the Economy. They Probably Can't Reopen It

[SoonerPride]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/upshot/pandemic-economy-government-orders.amp.html

In the weeks before states around the country issued lockdown orders this spring, Americans were already hunkering down. They were spending less, traveling less, dining out less. Small businesses were already cutting employment. Some were even closing shop.

People were behaving this way — effectively winding down the economy — before the government told them to. And that pattern, apparent in a range of data looking back over the past two months, suggests in the weeks ahead that official pronouncements will have limited power to open the economy back up.

In some states that have already begun that process, like Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Alaska, the same daily economic data shows only meager signs so far that businesses, workers and consumers have returned to their old routines.

This is a fantastic article with lots of lovely graphs.

The economy was shutting down before states acted and opening them up again won’t make much difference.

The people chose life over shopping and eating out.

Failing to address the pandemic problem is the issue. Not opening up malls and theaters.

[Skittles]

1. I am listening to doctors and scientists

not politicians

[SoonerPride]

2. Exactly.

I just hope we can continue to get news about the virus and its spread.

The government is trying to lock down that data and keep it from the press.

Trump tightens grip on coronavirus information as he pushes to restart the economy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-tightens-grip-on-coronavirus-information-as-he-pushes-to-restart-the-economy/2020/05/07/d4a05e42-9068-11ea-a9c0-73b93422d691_story.html

[iemitsu]

3. The longer they refuse to share information and testing

with the public the longer it will take to restart the economy.
Capitalism requires the exchange of capital. If they want our money they have to make us feel safe (both to go out and to spend cash in uncertain times).

[Wounded Bear]

4. Who besides the idiot Trumplodytes wants to go out yet?

Covid is some serious shit. Why risk it?

[tanyev]

5. I'm not going anywhere except the grocery store for a very long time.

[SoonerPride]

7. Same

[yortsed snacilbuper]

6. If you want to be around on November 3rd 2020,

hunker down.

[dalton99a]

8. There has to be a significant change in consumer psychology

which requires some assurance that they won't be killed either by employees or fellow consumers

[SoonerPride]

9. Exactly. And yet the Feds are doing nothing to assuage fears