Covid permanence

As government continues its restrictions on people's livelihoods and lifestyles due to COVID-19, a familiar pattern is emerging. It was seen after the "outbreaks" of Zika, Ebola, H1N1, swine flu and bird flu; stoke the public's fears, condition the public to new restrictions, then dangle the solution of a mystery vaccine which will make everything go back to normal.

The first problem is that nothing ever goes back to normal. As Dr Milton Friedman quipped, nothing is as permanent as a temporary governmental agency! Long after the emergency du jour is over, government relinquishes none of the newly acquired powers. Ninety years later, we still live with vestiges of the New Deal's agencies established to address the Great Depression, but never phased out long after the economy's recovery.

The second problem is that we already know the "suggested" vaccination will be no suggestion at all. It will be mandatory. No; trenchcoated g-men probably will NOT strap you down and inject you with the mystery juice. Instead you will need a digitized vaccination certificate to acquire identification mandatory for every interaction in the public and private sectors, a distinction without difference.

Personally I do not oppose vaccination per se, but anybody eager to get the vaccination should know that government has exempted vaccine manufacturers from any liability for vaccine injuries. When you are rolling up your toddler's sleeve for the shot, you should know that the confectioner who crafted your toddler's gummybears is subject to higher liability than the laboratory which hastily cranked out some mystery juice which will course through your kid's veins for years to come... if all goes well.

[Originally posted to the Facebook page on November 20th, 2020.]