The New Industry - What Is Normal?

A year ago, we didn't know who Anthony Fauci was.  A faceless bureaucrat, with a known name among a very limited scholarly circle, he is now the face of Medical Science in America.  We now know that he is the highest paid civil servant in the US, making something north of $400K per year, and he's a darling of the news cycle.  There is no doubt that he is enoying his clelbrity.  Along with a bevy of "experts" who we knew nothing about a year ag.

Since the introduction of the Wu-Flu last year, we have learned a lot about a virus that has now killed more than a half-million Americans.  A year ago, I had no clue what an N-95 mask might be.  I remember seeing someone in a grocery store with a face covering and thought that was unbelievably odd.

We've now created an industry to fight the virus, and it spans the economy from the big giants who are making the vaccines to the tiny entrepreneur who is making face coverings on a  Singer sewing machine.  We have also destroyed some industries, and crippled others.

I am struck by the number of bureaucrats who have found good work in this industry, the industry of infection, and I"m wondering what they are going to do when we finally decide that we've had enough of fear.  They certainly don't want to lose their jobs.  Once we beat this thing, what will the Senior Advisor on Covid Response do for a  living.  All across state and local governments, are we ust going to fire these people?  Or, are they going to keep it going as long as possible.

Below, Dr. Anthony Fauci on when we might get back to normal.  He doesn't want this to end.

I am reminded of what Ronald Reagan said:

“No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!”

If we want to get back to normal, we're just going to have to make the decision to get back to normal, government be damned.  This "14 days to slow the spread" has lasted a whle year now, and I've had abut enough of it.