| Unleash Prosperity Hotline Issue #160 11/13/2020 |
| 1) The Return of Lockdown Lunacy Regular readers of the Hotline will recognize the chart below. We thought that the case for failed lockdown policies had been permanently discredited. When even the WHO – hardly a pro-business organization – concedes lockdown orders don’t stop the spread of the virus – one might think that the case is closed. Apparently, nobody told Mayor de Blasio, or governors Pritzker, Newsom, and others who are shutting down everything they can – including Thanksgiving – while we speak. At least two of Biden’s health care task force members want a 4 – 6 week shut in. Perhaps they will call in the national guard to enforce their edicts (see below). Funny how they announced this one week AFTER the election. So we have updated this chart from the last time we presented it on these pages back in July. The story remains the same. Lockdowns are NOT associated with lower death rates. They are NOT associated with lower hospitalizations. Their only effect is to bankrupt small businesses and destroy millions of jobs. The 10 states with the strictest lockdown policies – I.e., New York, New Jersey, Illinois – still have substantially higher death rates than the 10 states with no or minimal lockdowns – i.e., Georgia, Nebraska, Utah, South Dakota. (Even with some of those midwestern states now being hit hard, it is unlikely they will reach the totals of the lockdown states.) It is one thing to have supported shutting down the economy nine months ago when we didn’t know if this would work. But to continue to promote ideology over facts and evidence will make America poorer and will lead to more death and despair. We warned this would happen if the Dems came back into power – we just didn’t think it would happen so quickly.  |
| 2) GALLUP: Less Than Half of Americans “Very Likely” to Comply With Lockdown A new Gallup poll shows just how difficult a President Biden would find it to impose a nationwide economic lockdown or mask mandate as part of his anti-COVID 19 policy. Fewer than half of those surveyed by Gallup said they’d be very likely to stay home this time around. That’s down from 67% in the spring. Another 18% said they are somewhat likely to comply, but a third said they are not likely to obey lockdown orders.  One reason for the opposition to another lockdown is that people feel more confident in their ability to avoid infection, with 82% saying they’re sure of their ability to stay well, compared to 64% in March. We’ve always said that while public health measures are vital, the best way for Americans to handle the virus is to protect the most vulnerable groups, exercise individual responsibility and ensure the country’s medical community develops and distributes an effective vaccine. https://www.newsmax.com/us/coronavirus-covid-lockdowns-gallup-poll/2020/11/12/id/996670/ |
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