Arizona reopened early to revive its economy. Now, its businesses face even greater devastation

[Zorro]

Last edited Mon Jul 20, 2020, 05:46 PM - Edit history (1)

A surge in coronavirus infections threatens residents and businesses at a moment when state and federal relief programs are expiring

Arizona had been one of the last states to close, and first to reopen, when the coronavirus started to sweep the nation this spring. But a brazen gamble to restart its struggling economy has backfired months later, threatening to plunge workers and businesses into a deeper financial hole.

Hundreds of thousands of people are still out of a job, some for the second time this year. Restaurants, gyms and other companies are closing up shop once again — perhaps for good. Even government officials say they are bracing for a crippling blow, with the latest shutdown expected to cleave further into their still-souring finances.

The economic devastation comes as Congress prepares to return Monday and begin debating how to structure another round of federal stimulus. The $2 trillion Cares Act, which lawmakers adopted in March, helped buttress the country during the early days of the pandemic. But many of those benefits are on the verge of expiring, imperiling states that are in worse shape than they were nearly four months ago.

Like Florida, Texas and others that opened early, Arizona now ranks as one of the country’s worst coronavirus hot spots, with more than 143,000 cases and more than 2,700 deaths as of this weekend. Some residents in cities such as Phoenix and Scottsdale say the surge is the result of the state’s return to old routines, after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-at-home order in May in part to give the local economy a boost — leading people to flock, often without masks, to cramped public places.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/20/arizona-reopen-economy-coronavirus

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. And of course there was no way at all to know this.

Oh, wait. Lots of people pointed out that fast re-opening would be a disaster. Never mind.

[Midnight Writer]

2. It's like people who stop taking their antibiotics as soon as symptoms fade.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Somebody Here At DU...

...yes, I mean me, has been saying for 3 months that these "save the economy" types were oblivious to the negative economic impact of massive outbreaks & deaths.
They acted as if ONLY the mitigation had negative consequences. Total lack of understanding there was a risk balance in play. But, analysis is hard!! :smh:
Idiots like Oz thinking 3-4% losses were good for the economy, without realizing that mean downward pressure on the economy to the tune of 2.1-2.8%, permanently.
That lack of understanding basic consumption economics led us to the point where they're having to find out for themselves that just "reopening" was not a tonic to economic prosperity.
Of course, these are the same drones that still believe low taxes result in magical economic growth.