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Mr. President, Follow the South Korean Model to Defeat the Coronavirus
Townhall.com ^ | March 22, 2020 | Wayne Allyn Root

Posted on 03/22/2020 6:18:50 AM PDT by Kaslin

Great job, President Trump. You've done the impossible. You've turned perhaps the worst crisis in USA history and one of the darkest periods Americans have ever suffered into a show of leadership and a jump in approval.

The latest ABC News/IPSOS poll shows a dramatic turnaround. At 55% to 43%, Americans approve of President Donald Trump's handling of this crisis. The numbers were nearly completely reversed only a week ago. Bravo.

But I have some advice you need to hear.

Now, keep in mind, I'm not one of the people who ever said this was a hoax. It's 100% real. It's a terrible health care crisis and tragedy.

But did it have to be a terrible economic crisis and tragedy, too? And who does that help, exactly? If Grandma, Grandpa or someone you love is sick, critically ill or, God forbid, at death's door, does it help that you've also lost your job, or your small business has just closed? Does it help that you just lost your income or life savings? Do you feel better about a health tragedy if you also have a personal economic tragedy to deal with?

The common-sense answer is of course not.

That's why we should follow the South Korean model, or at least as close to it as possible. The country has had the most success in the world at fighting and surviving the coronavirus pandemic. In a nation of 51 million (about 10 million more than the population of California), South Korea has had under 9,000 cases and under 100 deaths.

So why is the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, predicting that roughly 25.5 million of his citizens will get the virus? On what is he basing that number? If he assumes a 3% mortality rate, he must expect 500,000 to 1 million deaths just in California. But based on what?

And is it irresponsible to scare his citizens half to death with over-the-top, hysterical, worst-worst-worst-case guesses modeled on computers?

Keep in mind the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention predicted over 1,000,000 cases of Ebola in Africa just a few years back. The actual number? Under 30,000. These are guesses on a computer screen -- hysterical, worst-case guesses.

These are two places similar in size, yet the governor of California is expecting a million deaths in his state versus under 100 deaths in South Korea? And Newsom is shutting down the state and California's economy based on those wild, worst-case guesses?

Even if, God willing, we beat this terrible virus, what's the point if, after it's all over, we face a ruined economy, no job, a bankrupt business, no assets, no way to pay bills? This is madness.

Or what if COVID-19 turns into COVID-20 through COVID-30 and they attack us repeatedly over the next decade? Will we close down the economy twice a year every year?

Try that a few times and we'll all be living in caves, using candles for light and newspapers for toilet paper, and carrying our supplies home on donkey carts. America will be a combination of Venezuela and "Mad Max."

My idea from day one was to put those already sick, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and those at highest risk in quarantine for one to two months.

But ask and encourage everyone else -- the young, the healthy, business owners and their employees -- to carry on and live life. Those least at risk should be asked to keep their businesses open, keep the economy going, go out to eat, keep their communities' small businesses in business, all so the sick, elderly and at-risk population have something to come back to in one to two months.

That's a Winston Churchill-like, stiff-upper-lip response.

I dare you to ask all those who are now laid off, jobless or with shuttered businesses whether they'd be willing to risk getting sick, or even risk a small chance of dying if they could get their business or job back. I'm betting the answer from a vast majority would be an emphatic YES! Let's put the heroes of the American business world to work!

The healthy need to go on living. We need to keep commerce going. Someone has to pay the bills and taxes, or our nation will be in ruins -- even if we beat this monster.

I found out yesterday from Dr. Mehmet Oz, a brilliant, breath-of-fresh-air guest on my national radio show, that this is almost exactly the plan carried out in South Korea. The sick and at-risk were quarantined. Everyone else went to work. No businesses were closed. No economy was shut down. Now there's under 100 dead in a country of 51 million. And they still have their economy and jobs.

So, Mr. President, please study the South Korean model. Let's not ruin the greatest country and economy in world history. The business of America is business. Let's get back to it -- while we protect the most vulnerable and fight this terrible virus with everything we've got.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: southkorea; trumpadministration; wuhancoronavirus
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To: wastoute

Well, I’m stuck on the anger against the CHICOMs and our sellouts and collusionist deepsters. I refuse to bargain, and don’t think I can ever get to acceptance.


41 posted on 03/22/2020 7:07:40 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: AndyJackson

Then you are going to have a very angry week.


42 posted on 03/22/2020 7:08:47 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: wastoute

“So you believe the number of new deaths every day is incomplete data?”

The number of deaths, by itself, is obviously “incomplete data”. And the models using a never ending exponential curve are also STUPID.

Our population grows at 2 million a year. It would be 3 million a year without abortion. If a million die from the Kung Flu, then our population growth this year will be cut from 2 million to 1 million. We are not going to be wiped out.

Unless, of course, we insist everyone go out of business, all jobs cease, and life ends because the media says it is inevitable!


43 posted on 03/22/2020 7:13:16 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools)
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To: Kaslin

This article is authored by Wayne Allen Root, not Erick Erickson. Root is a patriot. Erickson is a never Trumper POS.


44 posted on 03/22/2020 7:15:05 AM PDT by RightInEastLansing
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To: Mr Rogers

None of us can change what is going to happen in the next week short of collectively mounting a revolution. Continue to be smart and you and your family will come through this.


45 posted on 03/22/2020 7:16:51 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: wastoute

Try using logic and reason, and avoid following your “leaders” down the drain.

The governors of California and New York have no right to tell free citizens that they can’t leave their homes except for state-approved reasons. It’s unsustainable and things like it will lead to far more damage to society than the virus would do.


46 posted on 03/22/2020 7:20:40 AM PDT by NorthWoody (A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user. - Theodore Roosevelt)
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To: wastoute

I am indeed going to have a very angry week. I read Alinsky. “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” I’m sure it’s scapegoating. But I find it satisfying.


47 posted on 03/22/2020 7:22:11 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: Mr Rogers

Consider a Venn Diagam with “asymptomatic”, mild, serious, dead, and recovered. While they are represented in one two dimensional image they are spread out over time. As the virus moves through the environment all these groups will fall on parallel curves separated by the average # of days one spends in each phase of the illness. So we know nothing about asymptomatic, a little more about mild, much better for “in hospital” and dead is just about a certainty. So death is the most solid number you have and you do “project” (or “model” is your word) forward in time to anticipate where you will be tomorrow or the next day. Sure an asteroid could destroy the earth and your prediction goes to hell but on the whole it’s “best information”. Projection the slope of our curve to Italy’s it appears by the end o f next week we will have just shy of 5,000 deaths which is what I estimated when Antoninius asked me to estimate days ago.


48 posted on 03/22/2020 7:24:44 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: AndyJackson

My heart rate does much better at acceptance. Blood pressure as well. “Anger is an acid that destroys the vessel that holds it.”


50 posted on 03/22/2020 7:26:21 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: AndyJackson

I mean, even if a person believes there is no virus and it’s just an Illuminati trick to take over the world what the hell are you gonna actually do in the next week?


51 posted on 03/22/2020 7:27:26 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: Rune Ravenstone

Sacramento admitted last week they couldn’t do it and that was last week.


52 posted on 03/22/2020 7:28:13 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: Kaslin

“Follow the South Korean Model to Defeat the Coronavirus

“The healthy need to go on living. We need to keep commerce going. Someone has to pay the bills and taxes, or our nation will be in ruins — even if we beat this monster.

“[According to] Dr. Mehmet Oz, a brilliant, breath-of-fresh-air guest on [Wayne Allyn Root’s] national radio show, that this is almost exactly the plan carried out in South Korea. The sick and at-risk were quarantined. Everyone else went to work. No businesses were closed. No economy was shut down. Now there’s under 100 dead in a country of 51 million. And they still have their economy and jobs.

“[S]tudy the South Korean model. Let’s not ruin the greatest country and economy in world history. The business of America is business. Let’s get back to it — while we protect the most vulnerable and fight this terrible virus with everything we’ve got.”

https://townhall.com/columnists/wayneallynroot/2020/03/22/mr-president-follow-the-south-korean-model-to-defeat-the-coronavirus-n2565417

Case in point: AZ Republican Governor Ducey’s “State of Emergency” Requirements vs. NM Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “State of Emergency” Requirements

AZ Republican Governor Ducey’s “State of Emergency” Requirements:

- Requires insurance companies and health plans to cover out of network providers, including out of plan laboratories and telemedicine providers.
- Waives all copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for consumers related to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and decreases co-pays for telemedicine visits.
- Implements consumer protections, including prohibiting price-gouging on COVID-19 of diagnosis and treatment-related services.
- Requires symptom checks of healthcare workers and visitors at skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.

Now for NM Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “State of Emergency” Requirements:

- Restaurants, bars, breweries, eateries and other food establishments must close to dine-in customers; take-out and home delivery are permitted
- Indoor shopping malls must close
- Recreational facilities, health clubs and resort spas must close
- Theaters must close, including movie theaters
- Flea markets must close
- Typical business environments that are not engaged in the provision of an essential service should limit operations to the greatest extent possible and minimize employee contact.
“Typical business environments” are defined as businesses, governmental organizations, political subdivisions and other entities engaged in commercial, industrial, charitable or professional activities.
- Hotels, motels and other places of lodging shall not operate at more than 50 percent of maximum occupancy. This restriction does not apply to operations providing lodging to health care workers who are engaged in the provision of care to New Mexico residents or those businesses providing temporary housing to individuals employed and working in New Mexico.

Grsiahm is on track to putting NM businesses, already struggling, out of business. The comparison is between AZ Governor’s common sense steps and NM Governor’s panic.


53 posted on 03/22/2020 7:28:23 AM PDT by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: Kaslin
The article doesn't tell us what the South Korean model is! It implies that the SK model protects the economy and jobs. It doesn't say that. Very bad writing!

He's right in what he says, but needs to TELL us what the SK model is!

54 posted on 03/22/2020 7:28:52 AM PDT by I want the USA back (The US media is the most destructive, mendacious irresponsible institution that there is.)
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To: 1956tbyrd

No he did not.


55 posted on 03/22/2020 7:29:30 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin; Brilliant
The author means well, but the article is worthless at this point. In order to do SK model you have to trace back and isolate all the people an infected person interacted with. That how they knew patient 31 infected so many. It’s WAY TOO LATE for that in America. Community spread — people who have no idea how they got it — is everywhere.

Our best hope is to take a pause and go forward with a rebound when this is passed over.

56 posted on 03/22/2020 7:29:43 AM PDT by The Truth Will Make You Free
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To: NorthWoody

You make a great case. There may be counties in New York State where no one has the virus, no ill, no dead. They probably should have the right to quarantine their county as a whole.


57 posted on 03/22/2020 7:29:44 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: wastoute

Sit at home and learn new pieces on my guitar. Bach is what I do instead of meditation. Oh, work out, run with the dogs, things like that.


58 posted on 03/22/2020 7:31:10 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: Kaslin

Article is from Wayne Root

not Erik E the trump hater


59 posted on 03/22/2020 7:31:19 AM PDT by ncalburt (Gop DC Global)
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To: Kaslin

There will be LOTS of 30-60 somethings who survive this. LOTS.

How many of those will do so with million dollar ICU bills?

Who pays for that?

What will THAT do to the economy?

Should anyone be surprised that this will drive a movement toward single payer?


60 posted on 03/22/2020 7:31:43 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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