BERNIE
DISCUSSES THE CORONAVIRUS
COMPILATION AND
COMMENTARY
BY LUCY WARNER
MARCH 18, 2020
DEAR BERNIE,
THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR OUR INPUT ON THIS, AND FOR OUR FEELINGS AND
EXPERIENCES. I DO HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS, THOUGH I HAVE TOLD MYSELF THAT I
DON’T BELIEVE IN HELL AND THAT I AM ABLE TO ACCEPT DEATH. I AM GOING TO BE 75 YEARS OLD IN MAY, SO IT IS MY GENERATION WHO WILL BE MOST LIKELY TO BE IN SERIOUS DANGER FROM THE VIRUS.
MY IMMUNITY SYSTEM IN THE PAST HAS BEEN GOOD, THOUGH, SO PROBABLY IT WILL
CONTINUE TO BE AND IF I DO CATCH THIS ONE, I WILL PROBABLY LIVE.
NONETHELESS, I
FIND MYSELF FEELING JUST THE WAY I DID WHEN I DROVE MY CAR TO INTERSTATE 95 TO
ESCAPE HURRICANE FLOYD. IT IS A TENSE CLUTCHING SENSATION IN MY STOMACH. THAT
DAY, I LOOKED DOWN AT THE HIGHWAY BELOW AND FOUND THAT EVERY LANE WAS CHOCK
FULL OF CARS WHICH WERE NOT MOVING AT ALL, AND THEN I LOOKED UP AT THE SKY AND
SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE ROLL AFTER ROLL OF DIRTY GRAY SURGICAL COTTON MOVING
TOWARD ME. IT REMINDED ME OF AN ARMY MARCHING IN. I JUST TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK.
FINALLY, I FOUND AN OPEN EMERGENCY SHELTER AND STAYED THERE FOR THE NIGHT. THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS THAT HURRICANE FLOYD DIDN’T COME INTO
JACKSONVILLE AFTER ALL, AND THE NEXT MORNING THE SKY WAS SUNNY AND BEAUTIFUL.
THAT WON’T HAPPEN THIS TIME.
I AM CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS COUNTRY IF EMOTIONAL TENSION OF THIS KIND CONTINUES
FOR THE MONTHS AHEAD AS IS BEING PREDICTED. I WONDER IF A CIVILIAN DEFENSE
CORPS (THAT MAY BE THE WRONG NAME) LIKE THEY HAD IN BRITAIN IN WWII WOULD HELP US. I KNOW ABOUT THAT
BECAUSE QUEEN ELIZABETH II WAS A MEMBER AS A YOUNG WOMAN. I BELIEVE WE WOULD ALL FEEL BETTER
IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING USEFUL, IF IT DIDN’T INVOLVE SPREADING THE VIRUS, THAT
IS.
SO, THOSE ARE
MY FEELINGS, AND THESE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS.
FIRST, I REALLY
LIKE YOUR COMMENTS IN THE VIDEO BELOW. WE COULD USE REGULAR “FIRESIDE CHATS” LIKE THIS ON AN ONGOING BASIS. ONE LIKE THAT EVERY WEEK AT LEAST WOULD BE REALLY NICE, AND IT WOULD HELP CALM ME AND MANY OTHERS DOWN.
THIS IS A
SIMPLE THING, BUT IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO ORGANIZE SHOPPING (AND PREVENT / PUNISH
PRICE GOUGING.) WE NEED TO RATION THE MOST NECESSARY AND BASIC
PERSONAL AND FAMILY SUPPLIES AND PUT FACTORIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON A STEPPED
UP MANUFACTURING SCHEDULE FOR THOSE AS WELL AS FOR THE HOSPITAL AND
HEALTHCARE EQUIPMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT
COULD, FOR INSTANCE, SET UP A SHOPPING WEBSITE, SEARCHABLE BY ZIP CODE,
SO THAT STORES IN THE AREA COULD IMMEDIATELY DISPLAY ANNOUNCEMENTS OF NEW
SHIPMENTS. IT WOULD BE GREAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE STORE, AND THE PUBLIC COULD LOOK THERE TO MAKE A BETTER GUESS AS TO WHERE TO
GO SHOPPING. THAT WOULD ALSO HELP OUR GOOD BUREAUCRATS TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT IS
BEING USED, WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPLENISHED AND WHAT MONEY IS BEING SPENT BY THE
PUBLIC ON GOODS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO TRACK THAT TO KNOW
WHAT IT ALL COSTS IN REAL MONEY, SO THE REPUBLICANS CAN HAPPILY COMPLAIN ABOUT
IT. NOTHING GIVES THEM MORE PLEASURE.
I WELCOME YOUR
SUGGESTION OF $2,000 A MONTH TO EVERY ADULT (OR HOUSEHOLD?), BECAUSE THAT WOULD
REALLY HELP, BUT THE REPUBLICAN PLANS OF SENDING OUT $1,000 TO EVERY ADULT AS A
ONE-TIME THING, WITH THE PURPOSE OF BEING A STIMULANT TO STAVE OFF
ANOTHER GREAT RECESSION, WOULDN’T HELP PEOPLE VERY MUCH AT ALL. IT
WOULDN’T BE A STIMULUS EITHER IF PEOPLE STILL DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY OUR
MANUFACTURERS’ PRODUCTS. BUSINESS WILL GRIND TO A HALT AND WE’LL HAVE A LITTLE
D BIG D DEPRESSION. A $1,000 ONE TIME CHECK, MANY OF WHICH WILL GO ASTRAY IN THE MAIL OR BE STOLEN BY DESPERATE OR AMORAL PEOPLE, IS A BAND-AID ON A GAPING WOUND, OR, IF I FELT BETTER
RIGHT NOW, A JOKE.
STORES SHOULD
MAYBE INCREASE HOME DELIVERY AND SCHEDULED BUYING, FOR INSTANCE, TWO
SCHEDULED HOURS A DAY FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED ONLY AS SOME STORES ARE DOING.
MORE STORES SHOULD DO THAT. ON HOME DELIVERY, PUBLIX’S SITE WHICH YOU
MAY WANT TO LOOK AT IS: INSTACART.COM.
EVERY COUPLE OF
WEEKS I ORDER TWO LOAVES OF BREAD, ONE RYE AND ONE WHOLE WHEAT, TO BE BAKED AT
THEIR BAKERY; I STORE THEM IN MY FREEZER, AND USE A LITTLE AT A TIME. UNTIL NOW
I HAVE PICKED THEM UP IN PERSON, BUT WITH THIS CRAZY SHOPPING PATTERN WE’RE
HAVING, THAT’S GOING TO BE HARD, SINCE I DON’T OWN A CAR. FOR GROCERS TO EXPAND
OR HIGHLIGHT A BAKERY SERVICE LIKE THAT COULD HELP WITH THESE BREAD
SHORTAGES, ALSO. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THERE ARE WAYS TO ESTABLISH A GREATER CONTROL
OVER THE LOCALLY AVAILABLE SUPPLY OF GOODS, EVERYBODY WOULD FEEL A LOT BETTER AND
NOT BE AS WORRIED. YOU COULD GO TO THE STORE AND EXPECT TO FIND BREAD, TOILET
PAPER, ETC. WHAT’S HAPPENING THESE DAYS IS SHEER PANIC, AND THAT IS VERY
DANGEROUS.
I SUGGEST THAT
YOU TRULY HEROIC PEOPLE (NOT MEANT AS SNARK AT ALL) IN THE CONGRESS ADD TO THE
LIST OF PRODUCTS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR ADDRESS FOR INCREASED PRODUCTON SCHEDULES
(A VERY GOOD IDEA, BY THE WAY), THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS FOR CIVILIANS IN
ADDITION TO THE OBVIOUS NEEDS FOR HOSPITALS, ETC.:
*PERSONAL
HEALTH CARE PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY VITAMINS, ALLERGY COUGH AND COLD MEDS,
TOILET PAPER, FACIAL TISSUES, PAPER TOWELS; BODY SOAP, SHAMPOO, DEODORANT,
TOOTH CARE PRODUCTS;
*LAUNDRY AND
CLEANING PRODUCTS -- CHLORINE BLEACH, DISH DETERGENT, LAUNDRY DETERGENT;
*WEAPONS
AGAINST THE VIRUS -- HAND SANITIZER, SURGICAL STYLE RUBBER GLOVES, FEVER
THERMOMETERS, MASKS.
I PRICED MASKS
ON THE INTERNET AND THEY ARE A BIT HIGH FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME. I DON’T FEEL
ENOUGH FEAR TO BUY THEM, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN 100%
PREVENTATIVE, BUT SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE AIDS OR OTHER IMMUNE DEFICIENCY
CONDITIONS AND NEED THEM.
FOR FEVER
THERMOMETERS, I FOUND A GOOD WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.ALLHEART.COM/AMERICAN-DIAGNOSTIC-CORPORATION-ADTEMP-TRADE--II-DIGITAL-THERMOMETER/P/ADC413B/
. SOME OF THEM ARE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH PRICED, BUT OTHERS ARE VERY REASONABLE.
WHAT I SAW WERE MAINLY DIGITAL, AND MAY TAKE BATTERIES OR MAY BE SOLAR. I FEEL
THAT IN A TIME LIKE THIS EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE THERMOMETER,
MAYBE TWO OR MORE IF SOMEONE IS ACTIVELY ILL.
I BELIEVE WE
ALREADY NEED A PRACTICAL AND LIVABLE RATIONING PLAN SO THAT PEOPLE DON’T
GO INTO THE STORE AND GRAB UP ALL OF THE TOILET PAPER, LEAVING NONE FOR OTHERS.
MY LOCAL PUBLIX STORE IS ALREADY DOING THAT, BUT PERHAPS THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD
GET INTO IT AS THEY DID IN WWII, BECAUSE OTHER STORES ARE NOT. COUPONS FOR
PRODUCTS WERE USED, I THINK, OF WHICH ONE PERSON OR FAMILY COULD ONLY GET SO
MANY. I ONLY HAVE MY PARENTS’ MEMORIES.
I SUGGEST THAT
AN EPIDEMIC TELEPHONE HOTLINE.GOV (OR SIMILARLY NAMED) SHOULD BE SET UP
FOR ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION AS FACTS ON THE GROUND CHANGE; AND ANOTHER ON THE
SAME SITE, WITH HUMANS NOT JUST MACHINES (THOUGH A MECHANIZED CALL BACK LINE
WOULD BE USEFUL), TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE FEELING OVERWHELMED A SOUNDING BOARD,
OR TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THE INTERNET MORE, A DEDICATED CHAT
LINE WOULD BE GOOD, IF GHOULS AND TROLLS CAN BE KEPT OFF OF IT. I WOULD HATE TO
SEE SOMETHING, SET UP TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED TO TALK THINGS OUT, BEING POLLUTED BY THOSE
TYPES.
THE HOTLINE
WOULD BE TO HELP THE WAY PEOPLE FEEL. MOST OF US, TO ONE DEGREE OR
ANOTHER, ARE REALLY PRETTY FRIGHTENED AND THERE COULD EVEN BE SUICIDES. THOSE
OF US WHO HAVE READ “THE STAND” BY STEPHEN KING MAY BE ESPECIALLY
AFFECTED BY THIS. IT DOESN’T HELP THE SITUATION THAT A TELEVISION SERIES OF
THAT “CAUTIONARY TALE” WAS AIRED JUST LAST YEAR. I SAW THE MOVIE AND READ IT 30
OR SO YEARS AGO, AND I CAN STILL REMEMBER SCENES FROM IT.
TO COMMUNICATE
WITH BERNIE, GO TO “BERNIESANDERS.COM.” TO LISTEN TO THIS IMPORTANT
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE, WATCH THIS.
DURATION 19:40
MIN.
#berniesanders
Bernie Sanders
addresses coronavirus crisis (LIVE) | USA TODAY
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Coronavirus
fears have prompted organizers of the Democratic debate in Phoenix to cancel
the planned head-to-head event in Arizona, and will instead hold it at a studio
in Washington, D.C., CNN and the Democratic National Committee announced
Thursday.
#berniesanders
Category News & Politics
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