Coronavirus could push Americans to lobby for a social safety net like Europe's, experts say

[RandySF]

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]

1. Hope it also teaches Americans that we need a competent, caring government.

And that this is real life, not a reality show.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

2. I'm sick of actors in government (GOP) and the Civil War.

[LisaM]

3. I think s majority of Americans already wanted this.

The sad truth is that we have a minority government in power. Figuring out how to fix this is the issue.

[Celerity]

4. The systemic controllers will never allow it, they need people nervous & desperate, easy to to take

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:





“He’s 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 Trump’s border wall, his key demand in the shutdown fight, and don’t 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 Trump’s political appeal.

“I voted for him, and he’s the one who’s doing this,” Minton told Mazzei. “I thought he was going to do good things. He’s not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”

He’s 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]

13. Yep. It explains many things, like "pro life" too.

Most of them want the woman to deal with the consequences of getting pregnant, whether it’s 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. It’s the “others” who abuse it.

If someone doesn’t look or act like them, they’re probably “up to no good” in their minds.

[BadgerMom]

5. Many of us have been lobbying for it and voting for it for our entire lives.

If Covid 19 is responsible for making it happen, I’ll be glad for that while remaining heartbroken about our poor response and the deaths it has caused. It’s frustrating, though, that this carnage is what it takes to make people begin to notice.

[JI7]

6. MAGA Shit will not support anything that will benefit Minorities . They would be all for it if

it would exclude them though.

the lack of support for a social safety net comes down to bigotry in the US.

[DarthDem]

7. And bigotry may die out

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]

8. danny1955

I can already hear the ass hats on the other side "How we gonna pay for it?"

[LittleGirl]

10. Welcome to DU. eom

[LittleGirl]

9. This was on the the major factors

in my household’s 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]

11. k & r n/t

[beachbumbob]

12. Nov's election could easily make this happen if we can an overwhelming number of people out

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]

14. There is a single key to providing a more equitable American society

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]

15. One would think that a far reaching global pandemic

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.