JOHN EMMONS ON coronavirus

We’ve never seen anything quite like COVID-19. Quarantines and sheltering in place. Masks and disinfectant. Empty shelves. Thirty million unemployment claims. And can you believe someone actually determined who is ‘essential’ (and who is not)? Unprecedented.

Because of the way that this crisis has been handled, the fear and uncertainty are very real. The milestones and timeline to achieve ‘normalcy’ are unknown. We are truly in uncharted waters here. Emotions are high. Some may even be feeling threatened for the very first time in their lives.

But we have a lot to be proud of, too. The people of Pennsylvania were called upon to sacrifice for others, and did so admirably, giving up income, social contact, recreation, and foregoing lifetime occasions like graduations and weddings.

Now, as we move to create a “new normal”, we must look forward. This includes a critical, apolitical assessment of the crisis, so we can learn from it. The pandemic exposed the power that one government official can wield, major weaknesses in our preparedness, as well as our overreliance on foreign manufacturing. We must address all of these issues.

We need a prudent path forward, including a plan-for-the-future. Here is John’s approach:

• Safeguard our most-vulnerable citizens and at-risk communities
• Recognize that no policy will provide complete protection
• Fully reopen Pennsylvania and restore the American economy
• Maintain best-practices and follow CDC guidelines. 
• Create a climate that encourages businesses to bring manufacturing back to the US, securing our supply chain
• Advocate for changes to laws and the PA Constitution to limit the power of the Governor in such “emergencies”