Kentucky Senator and physician Rand Paul had some pointed words for coronavirus response leader Dr. Anthony Fauci, making it clear that the latter’s somber warnings of “multiple outbreaks” aren’t enough to justify an ongoing, full, national lockdown.
In what turned out to be a heated exchange, Senator Paul told Dr. Fauci that the mortality rate is near zero for children, and a mere 10 out of 100,000 for those aged 18 to 45. He also noted that Sweden, which did not lock down its economy, had a far lower mortality rate than Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, and other European nations — highlighting the fact that all the original models for the disease turned out to be wrong.
Paul’s statements took direct aim at the idea pushed by liberal Democrats that so-called “experts” should be at the helm of all government policy right now.
“The history of this when we look back will be wrong prediction after wrong prediction after wrong prediction,” the Kentucky senator said. “As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don’t think you’re the end all, I don’t think you’re the one person that gets to make a decision.
Dr. Fauci offered no rebuttal to anything Senator Paul said. Instead, he lamely noted that the scientific community doesn’t know everything there is to know about the virus, implying that it was better to remain under lockdown until the scientific community is 100% sure that everything is safe.
Here’s a reminder for Dr. Fauci and every other person on the planet: you are never 100 percent safe. By this logic, the government should shut down the roads until there are zero traffic fatalities. While we’re at it, we should also shut down hospitals — because infection rates are crazy there.
Naturally, the mainstream media made Dr. Fauci out to be a hero simply looking out for everyone’s best interests. And, here’s the thing: we do need perspective from people like him. Scientists are obviously an important asset right now. But it’s clear that, as Senator Paul asserts, Dr. Fauci should not be the only one making decisions regarding the lockdowns. The world, and the billions of people who inhabit it, simply cannot wait for an unlimited period of time until the scientific community thinks it knows everything there is to know about COVID-19 — because no one knows everything there is to know about anything.
Hospitals can’t continually postpone elective surgical procedures. Schools can’t be closed indefinitely. Businesses can’t rely on government cash to stay afloat. Even landlords are beholden to banks — encouraging people to stop paying rent is only making the problem worse.
Leftist Democrats are accusing those who want to re-open the economy of being “anti-science.” But this is bigger than science. The global coronavirus pandemic has impacted every single area of our lives, meaning recovering from the disaster is going to be complex — and involve a lot of working minds.
Scientists aren’t omnipotent, and it’s time to stop treating them like dictators.
