Hutchinson, Cotton attack virus threat the same

March 26, 2020

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Arkansas’ two most prominent elected officials have backgrounds in threat assessment and response, so it’s not surprising that they wouldn’t hesitate to go to war against the COVID-19 coronavirus – and use every weapon at their disposal to do it.

Those two officials would be Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former under secretary for border and transportation security at the Department of Homeland Security, and Sen. Tom Cotton, veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Let’s start with Cotton, who recognized the coronavirus threat back when everyone in Washington was obsessed with impeachment. In late January, he was skipping parts of the trial to advise President Trump on the virus while it was still localized in China. On Jan. 28, Cotton sent a letter to members of Trump’s cabinet urging a ban on commercial flights between the United States and China. On Jan. 29, he was tweeting urgently about the threat. On Jan. 30, he called for a “Manhattan Project-level effort” to develop a vaccine, referring to the World War II effort to develop the atomic bomb. He also called the coronavirus “the biggest and most important story in the world,” saying it “could result in a global pandemic.”

Called that one right, didn’t he? Continue reading →

Legislators will meet, but not too close

March 24, 2020

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Georgia legislators have been self-quarantining since a senator showed up at their Capitol feeling sick and then tested positive for the coronavirus. Arkansas legislators would like to avoid the same fate when they convene twice in the next few weeks.

To do so, they’ll creatively balance lawmaking and social distancing. For example, the House of Representatives will meet at a basketball arena rather than the Capitol.

Legislators will meet twice in the coming weeks. First, Gov. Asa Hutchinson will call them into special session, probably this week, because the coronavirus epidemic is creating a $353 million state budget hole by the end of this fiscal year June 30. As a result, the state general revenue budget now will be $5.38 billion.

The shortfall is caused by two factors. One is the loss of tax revenues caused by businesses closing and people losing their jobs. The other is the governor’s plan to push the individual income tax filing deadline from April 15 to July 15, which is after the fiscal year ends. Continue reading →

Time not on side of just-in-time nation

March 19, 2020

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

You know how personal financial planners are always telling us to save six months of living expenses in case we face hard times?

Turns out that’s good advice for a nation as well.

No one knows what the future will hold, but a Department of Health and Human Services plan, as reported by the New York Times, anticipates an 18-month coronavirus pandemic that “could include multiple waves of illness” with “significant shortages for government, private sector, and individual U.S. consumers.” Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Republican senators the unemployment rate could reach 20%.

To cushion the blow, Congress and the Trump administration are hatching plans that would exceed the bailouts of a decade ago. The number $2 trillion is being reported. Both of Arkansas’ senators, Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton, are willing to go big. Cotton on Jan. 30 called for a “Manhattan Project-level effort” to develop a vaccine – the Manhattan Project being the World War II effort to develop the atomic bomb. He gave a chilling speech Monday urging “extraordinary measures,” saying, “(O)ur hour of great national testing has arrived.” He’s introduced four bills that would provide money to individuals and businesses, including $1,000 checks to individuals making less than $100,000 annually plus $500 for dependents.

That would pay the mortgage. Meanwhile, utilities in Arkansas are saying they won’t shut off power and water for those who can’t pay their bills. Continue reading →

What do Drs. Fauci and Smith, not Facebook, have to say?

March 17, 2020

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

I’m no expert in infectious disease epidemiology, so take with a grain of salt any opinions I offer on that subject. But some people are experts, so I’m listening to them rather than relying on my own hunches or caring about what someone writes on Facebook.

I only have time and patience for useful information at the moment – for example, that the symptoms of having the coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath – so it’s been days since I’ve scrolled through my Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Instead, I’m more interested in what people like Dr. Anthony Fauci are saying. The 79-year-old has served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under six presidents going back to President Reagan.

On Sunday, he said on CNN in response to a question that “it is possible” that the coronavirus could kill hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Preventing that from happening will require Americans to accept changes to their daily lives even if critics call it overreacting. He said the United States could be as bad as Italy, where 368 people died in one 24-hour period over the weekend. However, he added, “I don’t think we’re going there if we do the kinds of things that we are publicly saying we need to do. … For a while, life is not going to be the way it used to be in the United States.” Continue reading →

Why should Bernie quit? It’s 17-14 before halftime

March 12, 2020

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

On Wednesday, the day after losing four of six states including the crucial state of Michigan, Sen. Bernie Sanders announced he is staying in the race. Good for him, and no, I’m not a supporter.

After that day’s results and Super Tuesday the week before, Sanders is facing pressure to quit so Democrats can unite behind former Vice President Joe Biden.

But only 24 states have voted. In a race where 1,991 delegates are needed, Biden is leading Sanders, 861-710. That’s the equivalent of Biden leading, 17-14, before halftime.

Biden likely will extend his lead on Tuesday, when Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio vote. At that point, the calls for Sanders to drop out will grow even louder. But 22 states and the District of Columbia still will not have voted. Is it really time to shut them out of the process? The score will still be close, and it will still be early in the third quarter. Continue reading →