The VIRUS That Will Change America

COVID-19 is a Regime-Changer

Watching the news from Europe — democracies with marginal to adequate national health services — I can only marvel at the laughable notion that the United States is prepared for this threat. The effects of the virus here in Europe have already altered travel, work, international relations, and more, as the nations of the EU and the UK await its full impacts. While the death rate has so far been low, the pockets of infection are popping up in unexpected places. It is shocking how many people have traveled to northern Italy, or the ski slopes of France, winter resorts unknown to the rest of the world’s common middle-class populaces.

Even now, this small microcosm of the one percent have returned to the financial capitals of greater Europe and spread their disease. Public health services in Western Europe have ceased all non-essential services as they await the onslaught, ready to try to treat whatever portion of their populations they can with their meager resources.

The United States, on the other hand — repeatedly referred to as the wealthiest nation that has ever existed — blissfully breathes in its last virus-free breaths as it awaits the holocaust. A great nation, with most of its inhabitants living without any form of medical care, sleeps peacefully a few more nights.

The bright spot from this blight is that the orange menace will forever be blanched from the national stage — except to rightfully be found guilty of the injustices of the status quo — once the contagion spreads completely from sea to shining sea.

The wealth of nations will in future be measured by the care it provides to its lowest — as they and their unseen pathogens have the power to bring even the mightiest despots to their knees.